DRAM July 2012

DRAM

DRAM MAGAZINE JULY 2012 ISSN 1470-241X

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

GOING FOR GOLD – DRAM AWARDS SPECIAL

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263 259 DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME The DRAM Awards took place at the beginning of the month and this magazine pays homage to all the finalists and winners. It’s the biggest magazine that we have every produced, so you can imagine the flurry of activity at the DRAM offices. As well as all the pictures of the awards, and there are lots, we also have a few features too.

Our licensee interview is with the Benromach Award for Success winner Malcolm Simpson of SimpsInns. He and wife Karen have done a tremendous job, although he is also keen to credit his team too. Read what he had to say on pages 13 and 14.

Jason Caddy visited The Longhouse in Kilmarnock for one of our design features, while the other highlights The Fountain in Fountainbridge.

You can also see the rest of the Award pictures online at Dramscotland.co.uk I’m off on holiday now. I can’t wait!

Susan Young Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com

CONTENTS

July

2012

FEATURES

13 16 41

LICENSE INTERVIEW

Susan Young catches up with the award winning owners os SimpsInns.

2012 DRAM AWARDS

All the winners in our 21 page special.

DESIGN - THE FOUNTAIN. EDINBURGH Jason Caddy takes a look at one of Edinburgh’s newest bars.

REGULARS

04 07 39

NEWS

All the news on pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels.

BRAND NEWS

All the latest brand news.

SUE SAYS

Straight talking from our very own Editor.

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NEWS

ALL THE NEWS ON PUBS, BARS,

CPL profits rise Donald Macleod’s (above) company Glasgow-based CPL Entertainment Group, which owns The Garage, and The Tunnel, has seen profits increase, despite a fall in turnover.

Pre-tax profits in the 12 months to September 30, 2011 increased from £67,201 to £94,748, with turnover slipping 2.6% from £5.6m to £5.46m. One of the reasons cited for the fall in turnover was ramifications from the fire at Steak and Cherry, which saw Sauchiehall Street close for six months. The company currently employs 244 people and is set to open The Garage in Aberdeen in the Autumn, a joint initiative with Carlo Citti, who will be opening Aberdeen’s first Campus. Operations and finance director Brian Fulton said: “2011 was a tough year.

Hilton Dundee has been awarded with a 2012 Certificate of Excellence award by online review site TripAdvisor. It awards establishments which receive consistent positive feedback from guests. Hilton Dundee received continual 4 point ratings in reviews from guests. Hilton Dundee/St Andrews Coast received the award due to its high ratings for excellence in food and beverage, staff friendliness and location. Stuart Cran, General Manager at the Hilton Dundee said, “I am thrilled that the Hilton Dundee has been awarded with the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2012. It is great to know that our guests are continually satisfied with their stay at the hotel and are rating us highly.”

Raconteur bar pops up…again Jamie MacDonald, owner of Bar Raconteur, together with business partner Chris Baldwin, have re-opened their ‘pop up’ bar on site at Restaurant Mark Greenaway in Picardy Place in Edinburgh after a successful trial last month. The business partners are also working with Chef Mark Greenaway.

Have you heard...

Martin Luney and Colin Church and their company Big red Teapot are about to open a third venue in Edinburgh called The Blackbird. It will open in autumn on the site of the former Old Toll Bar at 37-39 Leven Street. The 10-week refurbishment begins at the end of July. The two already own Treacle in Broughton Street and Hamiltons in Stockbridge.

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Putechan Hotel opens Faithful restoration for Greyfriars Bobby Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar on Candlemaker Row, off George IV Bridge, has undergone some restoration work. The pub, part of Nicholson’s Pubs, a subsidiary of Mitchells & Butlers, is housed in an 18th Century building and this greatly influenced the work that took place. A spokesperson told DRAM, “A lot of the work was concerned with stabilising the building and bringing the pub back to its best, as you would expect in a building that is two centuries old.” A fair amount of the

changes have also taken place in the non-customer facing areas. Says manager Gillian Newman, “The big changes have been behind the scenes, where we’ve installed brand new kitchens, and modernised all the amenities.” Although the historical significance the building holds, together with its fixtures remains. Gillian explains, “The bar frames just about every picture that’s ever been taken of the Greyfriars Bobby statue, so there’s been a real sense of responsibility in the work we’ve done.”

WWW.DRAMSCOTLAND.CO.UK RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS TOO!

n.b. bar & restaurant

Putechan Holdings Ltd unveiled its 13-room Putechan Hotel in Bellochantuy, Argyll, last month following an £800k refurbishment.

The hotel, formerly The Hunting Lodge, was closed for a year for the refurbishment.

Office Manager Louise Howden told DRAM, “The entire hotel has been refurbished in a cool, contemporary boutique hotel style, with a mixture of greys and other muted tones.

This included the 13 rooms, the Bellochantuy Suite, a wedding venue, and the 40-cover restaurant.” Putechan Holdings is run by two married couples, Mr and Mrs Andrew Groom, and Mr and Mrs Colin McCartney. This is both couples’ first foray into the hotel trade. Andrew Groom comes from an event management background, and Mr McCartney, asbestos removal.

Jamie Oliver opens in Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms Jamie’s Italian has just opened in Edinburgh’s historic Assembly Rooms. The 18-month project to restore Assembly Rooms to its former glory completed on 15th July, and Jamie’s now occupies three rooms, and seats up to 196 guests. the restaurant’s designers have retained many original features, but will also be adding some magic, including an “antipasti island” and a dramatic open kitchen.

On opening Jamie Oliver said, “I’m massively excited about the Edinburgh restaurant. It’s a beautiful, historic building and I just know we’re going to absolutely bring something special to the city. I’ve wanted to open Jamie’s Italian in Edinburgh for such a long time and finally it’s happening.”

Inverarity-Morton owner sees profits drop A. Bulloch (Agencies) the company behind Inverarity-Morton, saw pre-tax profits drop almost 30% last year, falling from £5m to £3.6m while turnover dipped by 6.3%. Wm Morton, one of its principal subsidiaries saw a fall in profits from £103,293 to £57,020, while Glen Catrine saw profits fall 25% to £2.37m. A major contributing factor say the company was the “highly competitive” Scottish market which saw “margins continue to be tight”. However it did say “The group is well placed to meet the challenges and remains committed to developing the group’s product range and market penetration.” A Bulloch (Agencies) is 99.9% owned by an employee benefits trust.

Rosehall House in Sutherland, a 20-room Highland mansion once frequented by Coco Chanel, could be in line to become a £6m boutique hotel, if planning permission is granted by Highland Council.

Perth-based architects Bell Ingram design have been appointed to carry out the restoration, which aims to retain much of the building’s original interior design.

The property has been uninhabited for more than 60 years. It is also said to contain Scotland’s very first bidet. The plans include some holiday apartments within the grounds of the building.

Company Director Iain Cram said, “Rosehall is thought to be the only property outside of France and Switzerland to contain a genuine Chanel designed interior and reputedly, Scotland’s first bidet.

“However, while it will be impossible to save all the features, we have a real chance to restore this cultural gem to something like its former glory. Our aim is to work very closely with planners to try to utilise every possible remaining feature of the building to ensure its conservation, as well as preserving the influence of Chanel as far as possible. We don’t know what the final interior design will look like, but we do know that it will have a strong nod to the 1920s era and the time when Coco Chanel lived there.” As for the bidet, it will also be included in the plans, according to Cram.

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COMPANY NEWS n.b. company

Expect to see new shiny new Wallaces Express trucks on the road. The company has just taken delivery of five new trucks and a further seven are on order. The investment is part of a £600k spend for the future.

Specialist wine company Enotria, has secured major new investment from BlueGem Capital Partners. ISIS Equity Partners have sold their shares in the company and BlueGem becomes the majority shareholder in Enotria, while senior management remain as shareholders alongside BlueGem. BlueGem Capital Partners is an independent and dynamic private equity fund, investing in midmarket companies based in Europe, with particular focus on UK and Italy. Their portfolio of companies includes Liberty, the wellknown central London department store.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has bought Corona Extra in a £12.8bn deal which sees control of the Grupo Modelo company moving to AB InBev. The company already owned just over 50% of the Grupo Modelo group, following the merger with Anheuser-Busch in 2008.

Molson Coors and Sky collaborate

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olson Coors and Sky have linked-up to help licensees boost footfall, reduce costs and provide an improved customer experience.

Independent licensed premises that buy a Sky TV commercial subscription and drinks from Molson Coors’ portfolio can save up to a third on their Sky Ultimate subscription, and even get a price freeze on Carling until December 2013. In addition customers will be able to receive free WiFi. The discounts will be in addition to the current food

and location discounts offered by Sky. Simon Cox, wholesale business managing director at Molson Coors, said, “We all know the difficulties that the independent on-trade is facing and Molson Coors and Sky are committed to supporting the industry by helping to drive people into their local. Nothing does that better than the mix of great drinks and top class sport. We have joined forces to offer significant savings at a time when we know our customers are particularly price sensitive.”

Quartet of awards for Orkney Brewery The Orkney Brewery has scooped up four awards – including two golds - at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) Scotland Beer competition, held in Edinburgh at the beginning of July. The brewery’s 5.0 ABV Wayfarer IPA took the top spot in the Strong Bitters category of the, with the 4.5 ABV Golden Amber securing a first place in the Speciality Beers section. Bronze awards for the 10 ABV Dark Island Reserve and the 4.9 ABV Red Macgregor, in the Premium Strong Beers and Bottled Bitter categories respectively, added to the Orkney Brewery haul. Norman Sinclair, managing director of Sinclair Breweries Ltd, said: “To come away from such an important event with no less than four awards, two of which are gold, is quite an achievement and everyone at the brewery is immensely proud.

We always enjoy pitting our beers against the best in the country and view these awards as confirmation we’re maintaining our very high standards.”

Cooley Distillery has appointed Maxxium UK to distribute its Irish whiskey brands, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, Connemara Peated Irish Single Malt, Tyrconnell Irish Single Malt and Greenore Irish Single Grain earlier this month. Senior global marketing manager for Cooley Distillery, Stephen Teeling says, “We are embarking on a new chapter in the history of Cooley Distillery and welcome the partnership with the UK’s leading whisky distributor, Maxxium UK. We look forward to working together to grow the Cooley’s multi award-winning portfolio.”

C&C remains optimistic

Macallan outstrips market

Tennent’s lager sales overseas and in Ireland contributed towards a 47% rise in C&C’s export revenues during the three months to the end of May. But cider sales dropped 21% in the UK. Stephen Glancey, chief executive of C&C, said “Stephen Glancey, C&C Group CEO, commented “Despite a challenging quarter and tough consumer backdrop, we are confident that our resilient business model and strong brand market combinations will deliver continued earnings growth for the full year and maintain our business momentum.”

C&C in its interim management report said that it would still expect an operating profit of between £89.6m and £94.1m for the year to the end of March, in line with analysts’ consensus.

The Edrington group, the company that includes The Macallan and Highland Park in its stable, has revealed that the benefits of soaring demand for Scotch in emerging markets were nearly wiped out by falling sales in Europe. Turnover for the year to 31 March edged up by just 0.5% to £556.1m, compared with an 18% leap in the previous years accounts. Profits from the Macallan single malt grew by 40%, outstripping the market, while special editions of Highland Park helped the Orkney-based brand to grow its profitability.

Edrington boss Ian Curle also revealed that the company plans to invest in whisky production in Scotland and rum output in the Dominican Republic to keep up with demand from emerging markets.

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ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

BRAND NEWS

Whisky Auchentoshan presents...

Auchentoshan Presents… is back this year, with a series of events and partnerships with a collective of advocates who are contemporary experts in a variety of creative fields. One event has already taken place in Glasgow but there is still time to get yourself on the list for the next event in Edinburgh in October.

The events combine a unique whisky tasting with innovative workshops in the advocates’ field of expertise. These include advice on gentlemen’s grooming with a pop-up barbershop, a hidden dinning experience in a secret location, how to make a classically modern Old Fashioned and how to start a fashion label.Kirsteen Beeston, Head of Brands Marketing at Morrison Bowmore Distillers, said, “We’re really excited to be taking Auchentoshan Presents... into its third year with such a great team of advocates. The aim was to evolve the series by stepping up the sharing of intelligent ideas and conversation to create the perfect backdrop to introduce both new and traditional whisky drinkers to the world of Single Malts.” The Edinburgh event will take place on October 28th and is a Shacklewell Night. Claire Robertson one of the pioneers of London’s secret dining scene with Green Onions Secret Supper Club and more recently with Shacklewell Nights, will be creating a pop-up dining experience with whisky and food matching for Auchentoshan Presents… There will be a small charge for this event and you can register for it through the Auchentoshan website or Facebook.

Devil’s Punch Bowl unveiled Isle of Arran Distillery has just unveiled its latest offering the Devil’s Punch Bowl. And it is certainly a bit of a change from the range’s traditional offering. The provocative new release is named after the glacial hollow Coire na Ciche on Arran, which evokes a very sinister atmosphere and is only accessible by boggy footpaths and its packaging features a menacing image of a red and black devil. The Devil’s Punch Bowl is the first whisky from Arran Distillery to combine peated and un-peated casks and with a demonic alcohol level of 52.3% ABV.

New range from the Macallan This Autumn The Macallan is set to unveil its latest development on the brand with the introduction of an entirely new range, The 1824 Series, which is being launched exclusively in the UK. The 1824 Series is 100% matured in oak sherry casks from Spain, focusing on the brand’s natural colour, delivering the full bodied aromas and flavours for which The Macallan is recognised and famed. Ken Grier, Director of Malts, Edrington comments, “The 1824 Series will introduce a new approach to The Macallan in the UK market for single malt drinkers to enjoy, and underlines our ongoing commitment to leading innovation.”

CUTTY SARK ON STEROIDS Cutty Sark has launched Storm, the first permanent addition to the core range since the brand’s acquisition

by Edrington in 2010. Cutty Sark Storm has been crafted from older single malts along with grain whiskies.

Master Blender, Kirsteen Campbell, has used a greater proportion of malts from Scotland’s most celebrated distilleries to create a profoundly rich whisky. Although bolder and deeper, Storm is in keeping with the Cutty Sark philosophy of accessibility and versatility. The tension of Storm lies between the depth of flavour of the older malts and the vibrancy of the fresher grain whisky.

According to Jason Craig, Cutty Sark Brand Controller, “Cutty Sark Storm is like Cutty Sark on steroids. We are confident it will be well-received in the on-trade.”

Gin Darnley’s View Gin has launched a new addition to its range with Darnley’s View Spiced Gin - a small-batch London Dry gin with warming spice botanicals. The new Darnley’s View Spiced Gin is distilled with a total of ten botanicals with juniper, cinnamon and nutmeg coming to the fore. Darnley’s View Spiced Gin has been bottled at the unusual strength of 42.7% abv (alcohol by volume) to best present the new combination of warming spice botanicals. Owned by the Wemyss family from Scotland, the new gin was developed in conjunction with a team of gin experts including distillers, a gin writer and some of the UK’s most notable mixologists.

Cider 2012 is an important milestone for Kopparberg as it is celebrating the 130th anniversary of the Kopparbergs Bryggeri – the only place where Kopparberg is made.

To mark the occasion Cider of Sweden is launching a new Limited Edition glass into the UK trade.

With strong premium cues that tell the story behind Kopparberg, the new glassware is now available to order. Kopparberg has been doing things in its own special way for 130 years. Raise a glass to the next 130. Skål!

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BRAND NEWS

Molson Coors has launched the next instalment of Coors Light’s ‘Closest to Cold’ UK advertising campaign. The ads depict the continuation of Jean Claude Van Damme’s quest in the Rockies, trying to get ‘close to the ice cold refreshment of a Coors Light’. Coors Light has grown over 40% in the off-trade this year, outperforming the overall lager market which has seen a 2.8% decline. On-trade performance was also strong over the same period with 14% growth in a market that has declined 0.7% year to date.

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

Speciality

Beer

Aperol will be stepping up its activity in Scotland this summer following on from its record breaking “Largest Aperol Spritz Toast’ which took place in Venice at the end of June. The Guinness World Record attempt saw 2,657 people join in the social spirit of Aperol Spritz eager to clink their glasses to make history, and they did creating a new World Record.

All attendees dressed in orange T-shirts, and stood in the formation of an Aperol Spritz glass as they took their positions for the world’s ‘Largest Aperol Spritz Toast.’ The brand will open the Aperol Garden situated within the famous Spiegel Terrace positioned directly outside of the newly refurbished Assembly Rooms on Edinburgh’s George street.. The main bar will be open to the public daily between the 3rd and 27th August, serving up the refreshing, sparkling and fruity Aperol Spritz.

Grolsch launches new £1.3m ad campaign

RTD

Grolsch has launched a new £1.3m advertising campaign which ties in with a full brand redesign including a dynamic and fresh look for the iconic swingtop bottle, the brands glassware and the launch of a new 330ml bottle. Marketing support includes a four month exclusive partnership with Sky to include sponsorship of three of its film channels as well as digital advertising.

The Sky sponsorship includes TV spots with the strapline “Big Bold Grolsch, Character speaks louder than words”, the adverts demonstrate that Grolsch is a beer that’s ‘big on the inside’.

Simon Pick of Molson Coors, its UK distributor, said, “World beer is a burgeoning section of the market and this campaign will help Grolsch take full advantage. The campaign reaffirms the brand’s Dutch heritage and film is a great way to underline the beer’s sophistication to a new audience.

Our investment will help Grolsch remain a premium choice of beer for drinkers in a competitive marketplace.”

To complement the launch of the campaign, Grolsch has commissioned a feature film called The Fourth Dimension, created by Vice Film. The UK premiere of The Fourth Dimension will take place at the International Film Festival in Edinburgh this month.

Hooch Back and Reef refreshed

Vodka

Global Brands is taking licensees back to the future by re-launching lemon RTD Hooch, after the company signed a licensing agreement with Molson Coors Brewing Company to distribute Hooch in the UK’s on-trade. Available in 500ml bottles, Global Brands has evolved Hooch for the 21st century consumer. Now designed to be served over ice, Hooch Alcoholic Lemon Brew is being marketed as a competitor for fruit beers and ciders. Global Brands’ Marketing Director Simon Green, said, “For retro brands to be re-launched successfully, they must draw on positive associations of past times by retaining the brand’s authenticity, whilst also connecting with today’s consumers who are seeing the brand for the first time. Hooch delivers on all points as it has a loyal following, and the new, ‘over ice’ serve is popular with the current generation of drinkers.” Meanwhile, Global Brands has also given its still RTD Reef a £400k refresh which includes a new neck label.

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Polish vodka Zubrowka will benefit from a new marketing campaign launched by First Drinks, after the distribution deal for the brand formally transferred to First Drinks on 2nd July. The campaign will target 25 to 40 year olds and ‘on-trade influencers’ with a new look based on the illustrations of artist Kristjana S. Williams. Rolling out the 18-month campaign, Hayley Aldous, Senior Brand Manager, Vodkas, said, “We’re tremendously excited to have Zubrowka in our portfolio and, with the striking new campaign rolling out in coming months across digital, social media, experiential and throughout on trade, we’re confident of attracting a new drinker to the brand, while retaining those who already make Zubrowka their vodka of choice.”

Wine Enotria have invented a new term ‘wine mixologists’. They have been testing the credentials of bartenders around the country getting them to use their creativity for wine cocktail making. The competition saw teams of bartenders compete at heats in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh with the final being held on the 17th July at The Point.

The winning team will receive a fabulous three-day trip to Sicily, with the runners up receiving dinner at a top Scottish restaurant.

SIMPSINNS: MAKING SUCCESS LOOK SIMPLE

LICENSEE INTERVIEW

THE WINNER OF THIS YEAR’S BENROMACH AWARD FOR SUCCESS, SIMPSINNS, IS OWNED BY MALCOLM AND KAREN SIMPSON. SUSAN YOUNG CAUGHT UP WITH MALCOLM RECENTLY TO DISCUSS HIS BUSINESS SUCCESS

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ifteen years ago Malcolm and Karen Simpson bought their first outlet, then called ‘The Bruce’ in Loans, Troon before they renamed it The Old Loans Inn. Today, the couple, under the banner of SimpsInns, still owns The Old Loans Inn but have added The Gailes Hotel, The Waterside, plus two other venues and a golf company to their portfolio.

The latest company accounts reveal that the net worth of SimpsInns has doubled in the last five years and Malcolm is predicting that the company’s turnover will double once more over the next year or so.

Today Malcolm has mastered, he tells me, the art of “standing back and letting other people from the group manage” which is a far cry from the days when he would micro-manage every aspect of the business.

He says: “The team call me ‘hover finger’. To be fair, if I was to try to put anything through the till it would take me a while. I am blessed with a very strong team, many are long-term employees; for instance the head chefs at Gailes and Loans have been with us for 15 years and 12 years respectively.

“We are looking to radically grow our senior team to support our growth plan, with two appointments confirmed with key industry players. Adam Cosgrove, joined us from The Grand Central, Glasgow as group operations manager and Kevin MacGillivray, formerly executive chef at The Marine Hotel in Troon. Kevin, who is currently president of the Federation of Chefs Scotland and a former Scottish Chef of the Year, has taken over the role as Group Food Operations Manager.

“We currently have a team of approximately 200, growing to 250 by the year end with our next development scheduled for opening.”

When Malcolm and Karen first opened The Old Loans Inn they already knew about gearing and P&L’s because of their time working with Whitbread, but they didn’t have a lot behind them when they started. Says Malcolm: “We genuinely started with nothing, and when I think about it, I am amazed that the bank got

behind us, a bit of a leap of faith!”

Today, the company is in the nice position of being relatively cash rich. In fact they chose to self-finance the first phase of their most recent development, The Waterside at Seamill, West Kilbride.

Malcolm said: “I think the bank was a bit taken aback when we decided on this route, but it demonstrated our confidence and self-commitment to drive the business even in tough times.”

The Waterside, if you don’t recall it from our design feature a few months ago, is a New England/Cape Cod styled restaurant and bar with a stunning water’s edge location. It’s bright and airy and looks out over Arran. Today it also has a fabulous outdoor area, and three wee beach huts have been built – mainly as storage for the outdoor furniture, but it adds to the overall appearance.

Next up is the Si! Shack… a beach bar with garden dining and “posh” take-away seafood offering. There are also plans for a standalone Beach House for honeymooners, part of the plans for the second phase of wedding suite and bedrooms.

Malcolm comments: “I am very pleased with how successful The Waterside is performing, and we now have outlets right along the Ayrshire coastline through Ayr, Troon, Irvine and Seamill, which cover from South Ayrshire up to North Ayrshire.

“The Si! Shack will not just be a beach bar restaurant and upmarket take-away, but we have plans to provide tourists and visitors with an information service promoting all of Ayrshire and Arran’s fabulous assets via our own touch screen technology. I believe that if we help create awareness of how wonderful Ayrshire is, then this in turn will grow visitor numbers - the pie gets bigger and we all benefit!”

It’s to this end that he has become involved in an initiative called ‘Taste Ayrshire’ an initiative to drive and promote Ayrshire as a genuine food destination. Explains Malcolm: “Originally it was the idea of a gentleman called Nissim Chilton, but sadly Nissim passed away before it came to fruition. A group of local businesses progressed the idea and this included local producers, suppliers JULY 12 DRAM 13

The Waterside

and hospitality providers, namely SimpsInns, Buzzworks and Costley and Costley.

“We have all committed time, money and resources and are working closely together, and with support from the public sector, we aim to drive awareness of the fantastic food and hospitality that is abound in Ayrshire.”

You would think that with the next phase of The Waterside just about to begin, Malcolm would have enough on his plate, but no, SimpsInns has just bought a new venue.

“We took over The Riverside Inn just south of Ayr three weeks ago. It’s a lovely little country pub and restaurant set in 11 acres of the most beautiful Ayrshire countryside, enveloped by the River Doon and rolling hills. It’s a fantastic location right on the main A77 route heading to Turnberry just as you leave Ayr. “We have an exciting and ambitious vision for The Riverside going forward, which will certainly put Ayr on the map and we hope will be a big attraction with both locals and visitors to Ayrshire.”

But after Si! Shack at the Waterside, the next SimpsInns venue to open will be Si! Café:Bar:Restaurant. This is their new development of Mediterranean style eatery and bar with a second restaurant on the upper floor called Si! Italia. This new venue on the Kilwinning Road in Irvine, replaces what was formerly The Golf Hotel and SimpsInns hope to be open and trading by the end of the year.

He continues, “When you think about it we really are pretty blessed. We have a strong and loyal customer base and very strong team in some fantastic locations. My vision is to create a brand in SimpsInns, but not in the traditional sense of replicating units, but have different offerings yet all driven with the same ethos of service and value under the SimpsInns umbrella. It is not about having units that all look the same or offer the same product. Our success is attached to our loyal customers using us for all different experiences and because of the confidence in the brand values of service and customer care.”

Malcolm isn’t averse to hefty spends even when times are tough, though he will do his homework. “We don’t spend money or make an acquisition without consulting the management team, they all have input into the decision-making process and help us weigh up the pros and cons of each project.

“Not long ago we invested £100,000 in renovating The Penthouse at the Gailes, just the Penthouse. In fact, you wouldn’t recognise The Gailes now, a completely different offering to what it was only a few years ago. The Old Loans Inn was originally a traditional coaching inn called The Bruce, nothing more. In 2008/9 the original structure was demolished and replaced with a brand new 20-bedroom hotel and restaurant, contrasting the modern boutique style of The Gailes. The Old Loans Inn still retains all the charm of a traditional Scottish coaching inn but designed with all the mod cons that are essential in a modern marketplace.

That project was completed just over three years ago and opened in time for the 2009 Open Golf Championship at Turnberry.

“At the time people thought we were insane…the recession had just kicked in…! But we kept our heads down, controlled 14 DRAM JULY 12

our costs, revisited the business, and streamlined,” explains Malcolm. “We knew where we were going. Roll on three years and our bank certainly got a shock when we were able to finance the redevelopment of The Waterside ourselves, subsequently giving them reassurance enough to continue supporting the expansion plans with the developments at Si! and the second phase of The Waterside.

Discussing the learning gained with the new opening of The Waterside at Seamill, Malcolm said, “We not only had a new building to launch, but we had also engaged a brand new team.

It was hard work getting the offering just right, but we learned volumes from that, so we have already started recruiting a new team for Si!. Our aim is to have at least a third of the team established, trained and with six months experience in our product and offerings. This will ensure our operating ethos is firmly in place from day one.”

Efficiency and economising also play major roles in Malcolm’s business philosophy. “Our business today is much more competitive, a lot of the fat has been cut out of the business,” he says.

“We, as all businesses, need to be much more efficient and leaner to survive. On a real positive note, we are building and developing business at a much more competitive price than say three years ago, just as we are having to provide an offering at less than we were in the past. It means the professional service providers have to do likewise to allow development to happen.

From architects to lawyers, builders to engineers, we all must cut our cloth accordingly to stimulate realistic growth. We strive to maintain our margins where we can, and our team works hard to achieve this. We haven’t driven prices up, but we have grown turnover and in this difficult climate I am cock-a-hoop about that.

We will continue to expand and grow but we will not expose ourselves to over gearing, risk is risk, but it has to be calculated.”

If that wasn’t enough, SimpsInns also bought over a golf tour and travel company, Wilkinson Travel Services. Since then, they have seen business grow by 70% with most of the business coming from the difficult US market. It has been a real success story in its own right over a short period of time.

“Our golf and travel business is doing really well in a very difficult marketplace. I am delighted with its success, although it appears to be diversifying from our core product. In reality it dovetails very well with our current involvement in the golf market at each of our hotels,” says Malcolm.

Malcolm concludes, “My whole team is passionate about what we do. I may originate the ideas and sow the seed but without doubt our team, especially the senior managers, have a real skill in taking the projects forward and driving continued success.

With double digit figure growth in our existing units and our new outlets performing ahead of budget we are cautiously optimistic on the year ahead.”

SimpsInns certainly doesn’t believe in doing anything in half measures!

C

ongratulations to all the winners and finalists at this year’s DRAM Awards.

Our Olympic theme saw all of them being recognised on the stage, and with medals and framed certificates too. You can see the full list and their pictures on the following pages.

Every year the quality of the entry gets better, and it makes it a very difficult task for the judges. This year, as well as visits from the judges, all of the finalist outlets received mystery shoppers too. What was really evident was the professionalism and passion of the licensees who took part. They are a credit to the trade. Licensees are amongst the hardest working entrepreneurs out there, and they deserve recognition for this.

And in many cases it is a team effort. So well done to everyone involved.

Cat Harvey of Real Radio did a great job getting through the categories, she herself said that she had a real affinity for the licensed trade. The next evening she herself was up for an award and in fact her and copresenter Ewen Cameron won the Radio Breakfast Show of the Year gong.

This event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors, and I would like to say a huge thank you to them. Now we have to start thinking about next year’s theme... our 18th year!

Photography by Stuar t Wallace and Alan Rober tson

DRAM AWARDS 2012

DRAM

“Congratulations to SimpsInns from everyone at Kylemark Corporatewear suppliers of staff uniforms to Scotland’s leading hospitality operators.”

Tel: 01292 618344

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PUB OF THE YEAR

FINALISTS THE CERES INN, FIFE THE COMMERCIAL HOTEL, WISHAW YE OLD ANCHOR INN, LARGS

GOLD WINNER: THE FORT HOTEL, BROUGHTY FERRY

The judges said: “The Fort Hotel is a well run pub that is a real focus for the community at large.

From beer festivals to music festivals this pub puts it all on for their customers. First class service, combined with good pub grub and a spotless environment was a winning combination.” Pictured in main photo (l-r): Marion Black, Paul Flemmington, John Black, Fiona Flemmington and Denise West, Commercial Director at Media Scotland.

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DRAM LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

David Urquhart, Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail received the Lifetime Achievement Award from DRAM Publisher, Susan Young.

David has spent 40 years serving the Scottish licensed trade, and helping to build Gordon & MacPhail, the family business, into one of the best respected whisky companies in the world.

It is one of the very few, if not the only one, that has a retail outlet, wholesales, exports, bottles and distills. He is a past President of the BEN, and is current chair of the Elgin BID, as well as being a director of Forres Events, which has just won the European Pipe Band Championships for the next three years. His family and colleagues came and surprised him too. (pictured below) Congratulations David.

DAVID URQUHART, GORDOn & MacPHAIL

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The judges said of the gold winner: “This company is a real success story. It has doubled its net worth over the last five years and the company is set to double its turnover this year. Last year it opened The Waterside, a fabulous bar and restaurant near Seamill, which has been a great success, and the company is set to open a new venue in Irvine later this year.” Pictured (l-r): Stephen Rankin UK Sales Director Gordon & MacPhail, Malcolm Simpson MD SimpsInns, David Urquhart Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail.

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GOLD WINNER: BON ACCORD, GLASGOW

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The judges said of the gold winner: “With a range of more than 300 whiskies ranging from nips at £2 to a dram at £150 this pub has something for novices and whisky enthusiasts alike. The owner is passionate about whisky and has created a very strong whisky club.”

Pictured (l-r): Thomas McDonagh, Bon Accord, Maria McDonagh, Paul Hunnisett Head of Sales for Europe at Morrison Bowmore.

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Your fruit and veg partner www.seasonalproduce.co.uk

Will Rudd Davidson are delighted to be Project Engineers for SimpsInns

Seasonal Produce, proud suppliers to the Finnieston Bar, Glasgow.

DRAM cocktail bar of the year 2012

Congratulations to Malcolm, Karen and Team on winning the Benromach Award for Success at the DRAM Awards 2012

At Seasonal Produce we supply the finest quality fruit & vegetables to the catering trade, working closely with you, our customer, our aim is for you to see us as not just a provider but your fruit & veg partner.

TEL: 0844 871 6131

Everyone at BII Scotland would like to congratulate THE GRILL ROOM AT THE SQUARE on their recent triumph at the 2012 DRAM awards

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Wishing SimpsInns continued success in all their venues and ventures

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GOLD WINNER: THE GRILL ROOM AT THE SQUARE, Glasgow

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The judges said of the gold winner: “The service at this venue has the wow factor. From the meet and greet to customer service in all areas. All departments embrace the ethos, from the waiting staff to the kitchen. The chef even took time out one busy evening following a customer’s request which was... wait for it... how to cook the perfect poached egg!

The team at The Grill Room work as a well oiled team.” Pictured (l-r): Michael Robertson GM at The Grill Room at the Square, Alice Cardwell-Hodges Client Development Director of the BII.

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AWARD FOR BEST LATE NIGHT VENUE

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The judges said of the gold winner: ”This venue goes from strength to strength. Over the last six years its performance has improved year on year, attracting customers from all walks of life. In a competitive environment the Maggie Mays team have evolved their offering and they have built the venue into one of the best live music venues in Scotland.” Pictured (l-r): Mark Lappin Owner of Maggie Mays, David McGowan National Commercial Development Manager for Diageo GB.

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Malcolm Simpson – MD SimpsInns “I really enjoyed the night and I was delighted to have won the award for success.

I couldn’t stay too late because I had a meeting with the Queen the next day. So this has been one of the most eventful weeks of my life.”

Catherine Hardy – Co Owner Left Bank/Bungo “Thank you so much to all the staff at DRAM. We were delighted to win the award for Gastro Bar- of the Year. It came at the right time because we recruited our new head chef Gayle just 10 months ago. She has been a real asset to the team here.”

Graham Suttle – Owner, The Finnieston “I had an absolute ball. The venue looked stunning.

The food was great, and my beef was cooked very well. The DRAM awards are definitely a notch above any other awards ceremony I have ever been to. Sheboom were great, I though they were a really nice touch. We were also of course delighted to take home the Gold for Cocktail Bar of the Year and Silver for Best New Bar.”

Michael Robertson – GM The Grill Room at The Square “I thought the Olympic theme this year was very well thought out, it ran throughout the night without being over powering. It was a honour to be nominated for the Customer Service award let alone win and it is proof of all the hard work that goes on here. It is a real testament to the staff.

We are all delighted.”

Paul Hislop – Co Owner, Sugar Cube “I really enjoyed the awards this year. Compared to previous years I really liked the venue, and loved the theme that ran throughout the night. I thought the stage looked great, and I loved that there was recognition for all three finalists. I was delighted to be nominated for two categories, and win Best Use of Social Media. It is a real accomplishment when we have only been open just over a year.

Cat Harvey was really funny and everyone seemed to have a great time.”

John Mustard – Operations Director Saltire Taverns “The DRAM Awards were amazing this year! I had an absolutely fantastic night. Can we do it again next week?

The Olympic theme was great as everyone was a winner.

It also wasn’t too overpowering, as sometimes themed ceremonies can take over the awards The food was fantastic and the awards were really well presented. It has been a few years since I have been, but I think the ballroom at the Grand Central Hotel is stunning, a great venue.”

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GOLD WINNER: BEN NEVIS, GLASGOW

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The judges said of the gold winner: “It’s not just the pub that is dog friendly with plenty of treats for its canine customers, the clientele itself is ‘dog friendly’. And of course they are dipping into their pockets to purchase the Ben’s own doggie calender, which has been created to raise cash for charity.” Pictured (l-r): Elaine Scott Licensee at The Ben Nevis, Martin Cassidy Sales Manager of DRAM.

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GOLD WINNER: SUGAR CUBE, GLASGOW

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The judges said of the gold winner: “This company has one of the best visited websites in the licensed trade as well as 10,000 followers on facebook. The team at Sugar Cube certainly work hard at keeping the website and facebook up to date with photos, videos and audio links.” Pictured (l-r): Paul Hislop Co Owner of Sugar Cube, Gordon Young Publisher of the DRUM.

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The judges said of the gold winner: “Jamie is one of the most enthusiastic bar managers around.

He is full of energy, has a very positive attitude and a smile for everyone. He believes that the work place should have a sense of fun, and puts a lot of store by communication. Add to that a big personality and you can see see why he received the accolade Foster’s Bar Manager of the Year.“ Pictured (l-r): Alasdair Moore Regional Sales Director of Heineken UK, Jamie Wray GM at Artto Hotel.

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GOLD WINNER: JAMIE WRAY, ARTTO HOTEL

The judges said of the gold winner: “Strata has been a success from day one. It ticks every box by offering fantastic food, excellent service combined with a great new look! The staff dedication here is obvious from the moment you enter to the second you leave, and the customer reviews to date have been excellent.” Pictured (l-r): Richard O’Donnell GM at Strata, Philip Kilpatrick National Accounts Manager of Kopparberg

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CONGR ATULATIONS TO JAMIE WR AY OF THE ARTTO HOTEL GLASGOW FOR WINNING THE FOSTER’S MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARD 2012 In keeping with the Foster’s theme of enjoyment and fun, it is fitting that Jamie Wray won this year’s Foster’s Bar Manager of the Year Award. Jamie knows what it takes to ensure the Artto Hotel is successful and is dedicated to ensuring all customers have a memorable NO WORRIES occasion when they visit the Hotel located at the bottom end of Hope St, opposite Central Station.

Heineken UK would like to congratulate Jamie on being a worthy winner of this year’s award.

Alasdair Moore, Regional Sales Director for Heineken UK commented, “The success of outlets in the on trade depends on the hard work and dedication of the people who look after the customer.

It is definitely a GOOD CALL to award the Foster’s Bar Manager of the Year Award to Jamie.”

Pictured: Alasdair Moore Regional Sales Director of Heineken UK (left) with Jamie Wray GM at Artto Hotel

Foster’s Lager Sells 1.8 millon pints a day in the UK CGA MAT Sept 2011

Maxxium UK congratulates Alasdair Shaw of Bath Street Pony, The Maxxium UK 2012 Bar Apprentice of the Year.

Wayne Collins Mixxit Global Manager, pictured left with Huw Pennell Managing Director of Maxxium UK, right, presents the 2012 Bar Apprentice of the Year to Alasdair Shaw of Bath Street Pony Wayne Collins – Mixxit Global Manager at Maxxium UK – led eight of Scotland’s brightest young bartending talents through an in-depth training programme. Everyone who completed the course passed their final exams, qualifying as Mixxit Bar Apprentices. Well done to all of them.

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The judges said of the gold winner: “The guys at the Finnieston created a phenomenal cocktail – it wasn’t just the presentation, it was the taste and the whole idea behind it. It epitomised the care that the team take when it comes to cocktails. It is truly deserving of the title Cocktail Bar of the Year.” Pictured (lr): Dean Evans, Assistant Bar Manager of The Finnieston, The Kraken Hunter, Scott McKenzie of Marblehead.

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GOLD WINNER: THE FINNIESTON, GLASGOW

The judges said of the gold winner: “Alasdair stood out from the very beginning. He was very passionate and inquisitive during training. He showed real professionalism and received the highest scores for both the written exam and cocktail.” Pictured (l-r): Wayne Collins Mixxit Global Manager at Maxxium UK, Alasdair Shaw of Bath Street Pony, Huw Pennell Managing Director of Maxxium UK.

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GOLD WINNER: ALasDAIR SHAW, BATH STREET PONY

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GOLD WINNER: THE ANDERSON, FORTROSE

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The judges said of the gold winner: “What a great pub… it pays homage to everything good about beer. From the variety on offer – more than 150 bottled beers, to the passion of the man behind the bar. CAMRA called it a ‘a beer-drinkers mecca’ and we agreed.” Pictured (l-r): Jim Anderson Licensee of The Anderson, Tom Cullen Regional Sales Manager of Molson Coors.

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Repertoire The judges said of the gold winner: “The food at Left Bank really benefits from having an imaginative chef who is not afraid to take a combination of flavours and create unique dishes. This creates real interest for the customer and a culinary experience.” Pictured (l-r): Gayle Fizzle Head Chef at Left Bank with Lynn Kelly, Editor of Repertoire.

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GOLD WINNER: LEFT BANK, GLASGOW

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The judges said of the gold winner: “Tom has worked his way up and now not only looks after customers but a team of sales reps too.

His dedication to ensuring that his customers are kept informed and involved is first class, and the training that he provides is considered amongst the best in the business.”

Pictured (l-r): Tom Clarkson, Forth Wines, Karen Lowe of Saltire Taverns.

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SALES REP OF THE YEAR

The judges said of the gold winner: “The Fort Hotel provides a real quality experience. It’s not just the pint that is first class, its cellar is too. Add to that excellent service and quality surroundings and you can see why it came out on top.” Pictured (l-r): Marion & John Black owners of The Fort Hotel, John Gilligan Sales Managing Director of Tennent’s.

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GOLD WINNER: THE FORT HOTEL, BROUGHTY FERRY

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CONTACT 0141 950 2575

Congratulations to Malcolm and Karen from SimpsInns Ltd for winning the Benromach Award for Success 2012.

Wishing them all the best for the future.

Ayrshire Glen, Killoch Farm, Galston, Ayrshire KA4 8NL

E: sales@ayrshireglen.co.uk T: 01290 553524

Luxury Dairy Ice Cream using the milk from its native herd of award winning Ayrshire Cows

We would like to wish the Finnieston Bar congratulations on their Gold DRAM Award for 2012 1574 Dumbarton Road Scotstoun, Glasgow G14 5DB

2344 Dumbarton Road, Yoker, Glasgow G14 0JX

Pro Sound Services Concerts Events Festivals Theatre TV Film

In partnership with Maggie May’s Glasgow

Congratulations to everyone at Sugar Cube Nightclub for their 2012 Gold DRAM Award!

Providing sound services for gigs & events.

Unit L3, Clyde Workshops, Cambuslang, G32 8YL 38 DRAM JULY 12

Tel: 07802612483 Email: info@prosoundservices.com www.facebook.com/Pro.Sound.Services

Contact us

SUE SAYS F

inally time to draw breath after the 2012 DRAM Awards. I can’t believe just how far we travelled... from Glasgow to Fraserburgh, to Aberdeen, Inverness, Largs, Broughty Ferry, Dunkeld and so on. I would like to say a massive thank you to my fellow judges and mystery shoppers who really put in the effort and the time. This year Glasgow scooped the majority of the gongs, but going back over a few years the score now stands at Edinburgh 20, Glasgow 19... with Ayrshire doing pretty well in the poll too.

instead disturbed a very pregnant event organiser.

Apparently it’s all on CCTV! Well it wouldn’t be the DRAM Awards without a bit of drama!

The Ben Nevis being awarded Dog Friendly Pub of the Year is well deserved. It was actually this pub that put me in the mind to do the category. I had no idea the category would be so popular. By far this award received the most entries. The following day, we went there for lunch, only to find a succession of dogs arriving all with plastic medals on! There was even a deputation sent to the office! As we said, it’s not just the pub that is dog friendly... the customers definitely are too! Although Cat Harvey did have an extreme problem keeping a straight face when she was rehearsing the awards ceremony... the lines she was coming away with… a round of appaws, raise the woof...

Pub Month is fast approaching. It will cover the whole of September, and I would really love as many pubs as possible to get involved. With the demise of Rangers, which is really going to hit publicans where it hurts, any positive PR to get people back into their pubs should be applauded. This is a great opportunity for pub owners to get locals into the pubs and get some free publicity... so look out for further details in your local papers and in the Daily Record and Sunday Mail.

There is going to be a dedicated website too.

Like most DRAM Awards it was not without its drama – from Phil McHugh bringing along his real Olympic torch, to a couple of people toppling off the stage... and of course the inevitable table that decided to over imbibe – this year that award goes to the boys at Strata. As you can see from the picture above they DID enjoy themselves. But they should also get an award for sheer audacity – they kept stealing my chair away from the top table! Only one guest had to be removed by security towards the very end of the evening, and then there was the nude gentleman... on a promise... but visited the wrong room! And

A survey by Drinkaware claims that almost two-thirds of people aged 30-45 drink alcohol to help them relax after a stressful day. A fifth of men and nearly one in six women said they drank every day or most days of the week. I’m in good company then!

Scottish ministers have vowed to lower the Scottish drink-drive limit “as a priority”. Despite the fact that the casualty rate from drink driving has fallen by 17%.

Scotland has the 8th lowest rate or road fatalities out of 41 countries surveyed and our statistics and no worse, or better than England. I’m really not sure why it is a ‘priority?’ Shouldn’t we be talking up the fact that people are generally not drinking and driving?

And as 90% of people charged for drink driving are men, it really shouldn’t apply equally to women! How about that Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill?

Every time that you buy a bottle of one of Edrington’s brands is worth remembering that this company is owned by the Robertson Trust. This charity made 746 donations worth a total of £14.7m in 2011-12 - isn’t that brilliant!

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DESIGN FOCUS: THE FOUNTAIN

BY JASON CADDY

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he Fountain, on Edinburgh’s Fountainbridge, had pretty much gone south before the Shilling Group threw it a ‘six-figure’ lifeline earlier this year in the shape of an extensive refurbishment.

The Edinburgh pub had suffered from a lack of investment and ceased trading as a result until The Shilling Group, which also operates the city’s Bar Kohl and The Golden Rule, sent in the outfitters, architects and builders at the beginning of April for a seven-week stint.

The interior hasn’t changed all that much structurally, although the décor is a world apart from what it was, as general manager John Duncan explains. He said, “The outlet had bit of a chequered past. It was rather grotty with nicotine-stained orange walls, a red carpet that had seen better days and and pool tables. It was your basic boozer. Now, the design has enhanced all the building’s original natural pluses.”

And there are many of these, namely the sash windows, shutters, high ceilings and pillars that have all been accentuated in the design. Responsibility for all of this lie jointly between Manchester-based design company NoChintz and Edinburgh architect’s GLM. How does it all fit together now in this corner unit?

You enter through an entrance at the apex and bar runs along the right-hand side wall as you enter, opposite which is a wall of windows. Beyond this, and through an archway, is a raised area which is mostly reserved for customers wanting food. The bar used to run the whole way into the second area pre the refurbishment, as John explains. “The bar has effectively been chopped in half, so that the gantry overshoots it, and on these shelves there are foodstuffs, given its proximity to the food area.”

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walls, with white painted ceilings, and the odd splash of teal, like the movable ladder resting on the exposed part of the gantry for the hard-to-reach shelves.

This all harmonises nicely with the light, and kind of distressed-looking, wooden floor. The pendant lighting combined the wall lights make for a calm and soothing atmosphere.

The natural wood tables and chairs blend well together with the red chesterfield sofas and Queen Anne chairs, and there are also some splashes of greenery here and there with the inclusion of some flowers and plants.

And the interior design isn’t without its quirks. There are some interesting reclaimed brass taps now being used as coat hooks on one wall, an old-style open suitcase containing a framed picture and art deco style black and white tiles placed around the base of the bar. The toilets are also a bit of a curiosity, according to John. He said, “Initially, we wanted to swap the ladies toilet with the gents, then we decided just to pinch a little bit of space from the gents instead.” Inside, the male toilets have a Victorian look, with door knockers and signage and some vintage sink units, while the male toilets have a barber’s curiosity cabinet and shaving mirrors.

This is my kind of design as they haven’t gone to town on clutter, preferring a less is more approach.

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DESIGN FOCUS: THE LONGHOUSE

BY JASON CADDY

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hen the Buzzworks Group unveils a new project it’s always a Red Letter day, so I was eager to take in what the Ayrshire-based pub company had done to The Longhouse in Kilmarnock.

The Blair brothers’ penchant for quality was apparent straight away with lots of heavy well finished wood, well upholstered furniture and a considered design and refit that cost in the region of six figures.

It’s over two floors with one long ground floor space housing the bar and 80-cover restaurant and a smaller upper floor with a space for private functions and/or staff training. THR3 Design was employed to bring the project, mainly cosmetic, to life. Kenny Blair explains, “We had to be mindful of the age and make-up of the building as it’s fairly old and long in shape. It wasn’t a fullscale job in that there were no real structural changes, as we concentrated more on adapting what we had and

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“Wishing all at Buzzworks every success at the Longhouse”

“We would like to wish Buzzworks every success in their latest venture, The Longhouse” 47-55 PEEBLES STREET, AYR TEL: 01292 265532 FAX: 01292 261029 46 DRAM JULY 12

redecoration. We also made the kitchen slightly bigger. The whole thing took about six weeks to complete.”

The triumph behind what is at first glance a bold design is that they may have adapted and worked from a former design, but it feels new nevertheless. The people of Kilmarnock are also appreciating the turnaround at The Longhouse, as it was almost full of lunchtime trade when I visited.

What first struck me about the interior is how warming the colour palates used made the long, narrow-ish space. The entrance leads into a small reception area with a desk, behind which is some extraordinary wallpaper, that has been used fairly extensively. It was, Kenny told me, imported from Holland and, funnily enough, it does have something of the psychedelic about it, creating a 3-D optical illusion of raised concaves. That was what my eyes told my brain, but I’m sure it varies from person to person. Other than that, all that’s left to say about it is that it is shiny and gold and silver in colour.

Through into the main body of the space, and the layout is straightforwardly a bar to the left, horse-shoe booths along the opposite wall, underneath small windows. The bar stops for a servery, while the booths continue, giving way to a raised area at the far end, with dining tables and chairs. Just before this, is an area with high circular posing tables and chairs, and, the now trademark Buzzworks gas fireplace inserted into the wall, this time surrounded by mirrors.

At the near end and just behind you once you’ve entered is an alcove with its own table that can be reserved either for private dining or larger parties. Plain green/grey painted walls are made more interesting by the lampshades which are made from ambercoloured glass droplets.

The bar stands in the same place as it always had, but has been completely rebuilt from new wooden bar top down to the wooden jigsaw bar front, peppered with mirrored tiles. The back bar is

also built with mirrored shelves and some LED lighting. The bar stools are made from a heavy oak, upholstered in a mustard vinyl material, with a wooden parquet floor skirting the bar. A mushroom-coloured carpet with half circle patterns has been used elsewhere.

The wall along which the booths sit contains a mixture of exposed brick and stone, and there are also wooden beams across the ceiling, and all are hangovers from the bar’s former life. Both dovetail neatly into the new green/grey painted walls, wallpaper etc. The booths are upholstered in dark green leather with a fern pattern embossed along the top and a shiny bottom that looks like it has a plastic or vinyl covering. The rest of the free-standing wooden tables and chairs are heavy with quality, and the upholstery on the chairs is more of the same, plus some more velvety striped textures too. In amongst the exposed brick are shelves, some mirrored, with vases displayed, and there’s more vases just below the windows on the shelving at the back of the booths.

Further in, and just before the narrow raised dining area is what looks like a dance floor, although I was assured it is not, on account of a cluster of huge glitter balls hanging from the ceiling. These stand out the most in the design, coupled with the large circular reflective brass metallic lampshades hanging above the booths, and other tables. And this kind of low-level lighting only contributes to the effect of the wallpaper.

The overall look and feel is one of quality, exacting standards and the principles of wine, food and cocktails, like in the entire Buzzworks portfolio.

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTS

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ROUND UP

Everyone seemed to enjoy the 2012 Dram awards as you can see from the pictures above.

All the pictures from the night are available online at www.dramscotland. co.uk/awards DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING PUBLISHED BY MEDIA WORLD LIMITED UPPER FLOOR / FINNIESTON HOUSE / 1 THE STABLES YARD / 1103 ARGYLE STREET / GLASGOW / G3 8ND t. 0141 221 6965 e. dram@mail.com web. www.dramscotland.co.uk Editor: Susan Young • Chairman: Noel Young • Production: Gareth Neil Advertising Executives: Martin Cassidy, Emma McDonald • Editorial: Jason Caddy • Administration: Cheryl Cooke Published by Media World Ltd. Subscriptions: DRAM is available by subscription for all other qualified persons involved in the Scottish Licensed Trade at the rate of £48 per annum including the DRAM Yearbook. The publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. Any transparencies or artwork will be accepted at owner’s risk. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. © Media World Limited 2012. Printed

by Meigle Colour Printers Ltd. 50 DRAM JULY 12