DRAM February 2012

DRAM

258 DRAM MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2012 ISSN 1470-241X

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WOMEN WE LOVE

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BEER FOCUS

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THE RESIDENCE INN

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258

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME February is known as the month of love... and this issue we feature ‘Women we love’ in the trade.

These are just a few of the women who help make this trade the vibrant industry it is.

This month we have re-arranged the magazine,, and I hope you like the new look. We lead with all the news from around the trade with regard to new openings and refurbishments, followed by company news and brand news. Let me know what you think. You can also check the website for daily news updates.

Jason Caddy paid a visit to The Residence Inn in Edinburgh and also caught up with Anne and Gary Still of Whiski and Whiski Rooms, find out what they had to say on page 18. While you can check out The Residence Inn on page 24.

I take a look at beer and what the brands are doing to get the consumers attention. I think this is going to be a big year for beer, as brand owners take advantage of the tax relief offered on lower gravity beers.

See if you can spot our theme for this year’s awards in the magazine. Next month we will reveal all the categories and our full line-up of sponsors.

Editor

CONTENTS February

2012

FEATURES

11 14 18

WOMEN WE LOVE This month we take a look at women who are making their mark in the trade.

BEER: A REAL TALKING POINT Susan Young take a look at the recent launches.

THE WHISKI STILLS Anne and Gary Still one of Scotlands most successful whisky bars. Jason Caddy reports.

REGULARS

04 07 08 25

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

COMPANY NEWS BRAND NEWS All the latest brand news.

SUE SAYS Straight talking from our very own Editor.

FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 3

NEWS ALL THE NEWS ON PUBS, BARS, RESTAURANTS

Two new bars and restaurants planned for Glasgow Airport CM Design Consultants have been appointed by The Restaurant Group to develop and design two new bar and restaurants in the international departure lounge at Glasgow Airport.

The first project, due to open by Easter, is Caledonia a new contemporary bar and café.

It will feature the work of a number of well known

artists, craftsmen and designers to celebrate the best of Scottish design. One wall will feature a collage of Admiralty nautical charts from the Clyde estuary right up the west coast of Scotland.

The second project, Wm Beardmore & Co, is a more traditional design with some surprising twists, and is due to open in June.

Hilton Garden Inn has revealed that it has converted the former Mint Hotel in Glasgow into Hilton Garden Inn Glasgow City Centre. The hotel is one of the eight Mint Hotels across the UK and the Netherlands to join the Hilton Worldwide portfolio under the Hilton Garden Inn and DoubleTree by Hilton brand names. Hilton Worldwide has invested £1m in the new Glasgow hotel which now has 164 fully refreshed bedrooms, all featuring new fixtures and fittings including a spacious desk and an ergonomic chair. A new hi-tec Precor gym has been introduced to the property, doubling the size of the previous facility, offering the very latest in state of the art equipment for gym users. A guest laundry has also been introduced to allow guests the convenience of freshening up during longer stays at the hotel.

Have you heard...

Ask Italian will open its second Glasgow restaurant later this month. The new restaurant at The Park Inn follows in the footsteps of its Springfield Quay restaurant, which opened five years ago. This will bring the number of restaurants in the group to 100.

4 DRAM FEBRUARY 12

Gleneagles The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland has opened, what it is calling the “next generation of spa.” The new spa called ESPA Life features packages to address the stresses and strains of modern lifestyles. Encompassing holistic medicine, sports injury, physical therapy and personal training, the packages are carried out by the ESPA Life team of naturopaths, osteopaths, physiotherapists, traditional Chinese medicine acupuncturists and herbalists, personal trainers and spa therapists. Phew!

Campus and garage for Aberdeen If all goes to plan Carlo Citti and Donald Mcleod will be joining up again for a new venture in Aberdeen. The two, who worked together at CPL, plan to take on the former Warehouse and Basement premises in the granite city, and aim to put a Campus underneath a Garage. Carlo comments, “Both the Garage and Campus are strong brands. There isn’t a student who doesn’t know

about them.” The venue has a capacity of 1,000 and there are plans to use the venue for gigs too. Says Donald, “Of course we are excited about it and it will be good to bring an alternative live music venue to Aberdeen. I’m also pleased that the Garage will be on top!” Work will start on the premises at the end of this month, with the Garage and Campus opening at the end of March.

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Fire destroys Lido

Apex open new hotel in London

n.b. bar & restaurant

Rosemount Taverns has spent £100k on the renaming and refurbishing Lido in Troon burned tothe theformer ground earlier Jeanie Deans on Glasgow’s St Vincent Street as Barco. Two this month, after a firenew broke out business in the partners Richard O’Brien and Ilir Kapidani are tenants, kitchen area. The Buzzworks now operatingowned the bar which opened last month,. The new look Barco venue, one of the mosthas popular café/bars a fresh and contemporary style. Craig Bruce of Rosemount Taverns in Troon, opened three andto strip the whole place back to basics in order to toldyears DRAM,ago, “We had since then the 130 bring coverit up-to-date, venue hasthe floor, ceiling, walls and the bar too. The bar is proved to be a real success.

Kenny Blairand granite, with glass pillars, booths and a grey a mixture of marble of Buzzworks told DRAM, “It is completely pastel colour scheme.” Richard O’Brien and Ilir Kapidani have both gone. We don’t know exactly caused workedwhat together before at The Shack and The Garage. Richard told WWW.DRAMSCOTLAND.CO.UK the fire but it started above the kitchen. It is a total wreck and we will have to rebuild AND HOTELS TOO! completely from the ground up.” He continued, “Initially it didn’t seem so bad, I nTwo restaurateurs thought maybe we would have some from Edinburgh have water and smoke damage, because from been detained by HM the outside it looked fine. But within half an Revenue and Customs hour it was totally ablaze.”

(HMRC) after a It’s the second mishap to hit the group taskforce targeted the within a month. At the tail end of January restaurant trade in the they chose to close Scotts in Troon for 24 UK. 220 restaurants hours when it became apparent that a were investigated in winter vomiting bug had affected staff and Scotland with only two a few customers. Said Colin Blair, restaurateurs being Managing Director of Buzzworks, “The detained for failing to well-being of our customers is our number pay tax on earnings. one priority and we felt the need to close nJD Wetherspoon has the restaurant as a precaution until tests Apex Hotels, the Edinburgh based been granted planning had been carried out and Environmental permission to refurbish hotel group, is just about to open Health were satisfied that the viral and redecorate the its 8th hotel. The new hotel, which outbreak was not caused by a break down former Cross Keys Hotel cost £60m to redevelop, is located in the policies and procedures of the in Peebles, despite a in London in the Inner Temple area business.” number of objections. just off Fleet Street. Apex Temple, However one positive move is that the The pub is the third in as it is called, will have 184 group have brought a pub in Kilwinning the region for the contemporary bedrooms, a which they plan to develop. The former, company. restaurant, bar and gym. The Stag and Hound, an ex-Punch pub, has n Mark Greenaway at group which owned by been closed for a while. Says Kenny, “This No 12 Picardy Place entrepreneur Norman Springford, brings us back to our roots, but at the has been awarded is one of Scotland’s real success three Rosettes by the moment there’s not much more to say.” stories. The company operates the AA. The restaurant Apex City and Apex International in was the only one Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, and in Scotland to owns the Apex Waterloo Place be upgraded.

Said Hotel at the East End of Princes an AA spokesman, Street, the Apex European in “Restaurants serving Hotel chain Malmaison is to open in Dundee after taking a 35 Edinburgh’s West End, the Apex food of a three Rosette year lease on Dundee’s B listed Tay Hotel. The company also has City Quay Hotel & Spa in Dundee standard are worthy of the option to extend for a further 35 years. Work on the and also the Apex City of London recognition from well renovation of the historic 91 bedroom hotel, will begin this Spring and Apex London Wall Hotels. It beyond their local with the hotel due to open in May 2013. The work will include a recently received the accolade area.” sympathetic restoration of the original building alongside Small Hotel Group of the year at n The 18th century redevelopment of a former service yard to form a new glazed brick the AA Hospitality Awards 2010 – Torbrex Inn in Stirling will and brushed steel façade. The new hotel will form part of the 2011. re-open in April after a regeneration of Dundee’s waterfront area. major refurbishment.

The new-look Inn, to be known as ‘The Inn at Campbeltown...

Torbrex’, is now owned

by Ross and Michelle The Royal Hotel in The Royal when it Henderson, who also Campbeltown is nearing the re-opens will have 23 own the Birds and the end of a major refurbishment rooms, three suites, a Bees. The Inn will feature as is The Ugadale Hotel at function room, oyster and a Malt bar, serving real Machrihanish. Both hotels seafood restaurant and a ales, whiskies and wines, are operated by Kintyre bar, while The Ugadale will and a Dining Room with a Development Company and have 22 rooms, as well as a menu showcasing locally are expected to re-open malt whisky bar and fine sourced ingredients. shortly. dining restaurant.

Dundee to get a Malmaison

FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 5

FOR ALL THE CATEGORIES AND SPONSORS SEE NEXT MONTHS ISSUE.

n.b. company news news

nAG Barr has revealed a sales increase of 12% in the final three months of the year attributing the success to “well executed sales plans.” Pepsi owner Britvic, also saw good sales. Its first-quarter revenues rose by 2.4% to £295.2m in the period between October and Christmas day, helped by a 5.8% increase in carbonated drinks sales in the UK. nMitchells & Butlers (M&B) has reported strong trading over Christmas and New Year as food sales boosted takings. The company cited mild weather and a strong demand for casual dining as two key factors.

Sales at restaurants and pubs (open more than a year) grew 4.4% in the 17 weeks to 21 January. nJD Wetherspoon saw improved sales over Christmas. The chain said that like-for-like sales in the 12 weeks to 15 Jan increased 3%, which was up from 1.1% in the previous quarter. However Tim Martin, has warned that their expansion plans may have to be scaled back if more tax hikes ensue. The group revealed that its profit margins fell in the second quarter of its financial year due to the rising cost of VAT, alcohol duty, and higher food and drink costs, which they were reluctant to pass on to consumers.

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Diageo has seen a 12% rise in pre-tax profits to £1.8bn, although the company has said that sales in the UK are falling behind other European countries. Smirnoff saw sales increase 8%, while Captain Morgan grew by 25%.

Rosemount Taverns has spent £100k on the renaming and refurbishing the former Jeanie Deans on Glasgow’s St Vincent Street as Barco. Two new tenants, business partners Richard O’Brien and Ilir Kapidani are now operating the bar which opened last month,. The new look Barco has a fresh and contemporary style. Craig Bruce of Rosemount Taverns told DRAM, “We had to strip the whole place back to basics in order to bring it up-to-date, the floor, ceiling, walls and the bar too. The bar is a mixture of marble and granite, with glass pillars, booths and a grey pastel colour scheme.” Richard O’Brien and Ilir Kapidani have both worked together before at The Shack and The Garage. Richard told

NEWS

FALL OUT OF RANGERS DEBACLE COULD COST PUBS Scottish pubs and hotels, particularly those in the West of Scotland, could suffer the ongoing ramifications of the Rangers debacle. As the DRAM went to press the club was trying to ward off administration but if the worst came to pass, some of Scotland’s pubs and hotels could take a massive hit as will the rest of the Scottish economy.

In, fact some licensees feel the hit could be far greater than the down turn experienced from the smoking ban. Said one, “The implications to the Scottish economy and the pub trade could be huge. Tennent’s don’t sponsor the old firm for the good of their health, they sponsor it because there is a commercial benefit. After all there are around 960,000 Rangers fans in Scotland.”

It’s not just pubs that will suffer, although it is estimated that 70,000 Rangers fans regularly watch their team play at the pub, hotels will too.

For every home game, according to the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, 1,000 hotel rooms are booked – that’s a minimum of 18,000 rooms per annum. And that’s before counting the spend of the 39,000 adults that go to home games.

An Inverness publican said, “It will have a long term effect on the licensed trade. Pubs that do show sport are always rammed during an old firm.”

It’s not just the fact that there would be no old firm games, but there is also the fact that there would be no Rangers travelling fans either which would impact on towns outside of the central belt.

Said one licensee with multiple venues, “If Rangers cease to play it will have a massive negative effect on business. There will be knock on effects too. Will Sky invest in Scottish football if Rangers are not playing? Their fan base accounts for 49% of Scottish football supporters, the largest of any Scottish club.” He concluded, “An old firm game can mean up to £20K for one of our pubs, it would be very difficult to make up that deficit.”

However some trade figures feel that the demise of Rangers would have no, or little effect on the trade, saying, “When an old firm game is on, actually a lot of people who might come out to the pub, don’t.” As they say, “Every cloud has a silver lining.”

Another strong performance from Greene King Belhaven owners Greene King Interim Management Statement for the 37 weeks to 15 January 2012 revealed that retail like-for-like sales were up 8.2% and food like-for-like sales up 11.1%, in the last seven weeks, with core brand ownbrewed volumes up 7.4% Rooney Anand, Chief Executive, said, “This was another strong performance driven by the strength of our business and our continued commitment to providing unrivalled value, service and quality to our

customers.

“It is clear that even in these difficult times, customers still look for enjoyment and some respite from the financial pressures they are facing. We GREENE KING INTERIM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT

retail

food

core brand

8.2%

11.1%

7.4%

37 weeks to 15 January 2012

saw record Christmas bookings and our like-for-like sales in Christmas week were up 17%.

Food sales were £1.7m on Christmas Day alone, and we sold 365,000 Christmas meals in December, another record for Greene King.”

“In Brewing & Brands over the last seven weeks, core brand own-brewed volume was up 7.4%, with year-to-date volume growth now at 2.9%. This compares to the UK ale market, in the five months to November, down 6.1%.”

CHRISTMAS BOOSTED TENNENT’S VOLUMES 12% C&C has revealed that its flagship Scottish lager brand Tennent’s saw falls in both volumes and revenues in the three months to the end - November. Volumes fell 15.7% while net revenues were down 3.2%. However the company said “While the reported volume and net revenue movements in Tennent’s are weak, the underlying economic performance of Tennent’s in the quarter was robust.

Channel performance follows the same trends evident in the first half results. The Group’s pursuit of value in the off trade continues to be a significant negative for overall brand volumes and net revenues but positive for operating margins. In the independent free trade in Scotland, the brand continues to excel. On-trade volume decline of 1.3% for the nine months ended 30 November 2011 represents good share gain in the lager category in Scotland; net revenues are up 3.7% for the same period. It has also revealed that Tennent’s volumes for December 2011 in the Scottish on-trade were up 12% in the month.

FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 7

BRAND NEWS ALL THE LATEST BRAND NEWS

Beer

Vodka

Musical chairs on the vodka front After losing the distribution of Russian Standard to Whyte & Mackay, First Drinks has revealed that it is now to distribute Green Mark, the No. 1 vodka brand in the Russian market and Polish brand Zubrówka Bison Grass Vodka both owned by the Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC). Zubrówka has been distributed by Marblehead in the UK for the past 13 years, and Marblehead Business Development Director Dave Steward told DRAM, “We will still be working with the brand until July 2012 and we have enjoyed building the brand in the UK. With sales of 25,000 cases Zubrówka is the No. 1 flavoured vodka in the UK and we have ensured the UK is the No. 2 Export market for Zubrówka globally. It has been a pleasure working with owners CEDC in Poland.”

He continues, “We wish them well, but for us it is onwards and upwards. We entered a strategic partnership with Proximo in the UK last year and we are working on Kraken Spiced Rum, one of the fastest growing rum b r a n d s .

We are also developing a portfolio of wholly owned brands including Skipper Rum and Davna Czeri Vodka.”

It’s not the first time that Marblehead have

built a brand in the UK. They initially were responsible for bringing Absolut here, seeded Maker’s Mark in, and Wyborowa too.

Although Green Mark is the No. 1 vodka brand in the Russian market and one of the top vodka brands in the world, with annual sales of approximately 10m 9 litre cases worldwide, it is not widely recognised in the UK. Chris Mason, Managing Director of First Drinks, comments, “The new vodkas are an excellent fit within our existing portfolio, complementing our current brands. We have a strong track record of building premium brands and have big ambitions for 2012.”

William Carey, President and CEO of CEDC, said, “We believe First Drinks Brands will contribute to further expansion of Green Mark which, as an authentic, high quality vodka from Russia has great sales potential in the UK. We also look forward to strengthening the position of Zubrówka which is our key export brand and has already won recognition in the UK market”.

In addition to Green Mark and Zubrówka, CEDC’s Kauffman, an ultra premium vodka brand will also be joining the First Drinks portfolio.

In the on-trade, vodka growth is up 7% year on year.

8 DRAM FEBRUARY 12

It’s been a busy month for HEINEKEN brand Foster’s.

First of all it revealed its new ‘First Call’ advertising featuring a very hairy back, and now it has announced plans to unveil new episodes of its speciallycommissioned internet comedy series, The Fast Show every Thursday for six week from February 16.

The never–seen-before series of quick-fire sketches will be available exclusively on www.fostersfunny.co.uk, the website that hosted the highly-acclaimed Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge and Vic & Bob’s Afternoon Delights.

Miguel Fresca launches in on-trade San Miguel is to launch its first major brand extension in the UK with Miguel Fresca. This new lager, which they suggest serving with a wedge of lime, has been developed as the result of a strategic partnership between Carlsberg UK and Mahou-San Miguel of Spain. The lager which comes in at an ABV of 4.4% is packaged in a 330ml bottle. Its launch is being supported by a £6m marketing campaign.

HEINEKEN has announced that it has extended its 15 year partnership with the James Bond franchise. The next activity will support the launch of the new film SKYFALL.

WEST Brewery has brought out a new draught lager called simply WEST. The new 4% ABV lager is being rolled out to the trade and is already being sold in bars across Glasgow.

Companies cut the ABV of Beer AB Inbev led the way last month by cutting the ABV of Budweiser, Beck’s and Stella to 4.8% from 5%, now Molson Coors has revealed Cobra is to reduce in ABV too. The ABV of packaged Cobra is moving to 4.8% from 5%. Adrian Davey, MD of the Cobra Beer Partnership told DRAM, “The quality and smooth taste of Cobra is our first priority and we believe this change improves and enhances it.” He continued, “Furthermore the duty saving will fund additional investment in the brand.” Other brewers are expected to reveal similar reductions over the next few months. Atlhough promoted as health initiatives, the lower ABV also improves the health of the brewers bank balances, with UK duty savings for Stella alone, in the off-trade, estimated to be around £8m. As for consumers, as long as the taste doesn’t change, I can’t imagine they will notice!

SCOTLAND’S BEST BEST SERVICE. Belhaven have been voted ‘Scotland’s Best Beer Supplier’* by the trade for the past three years running. Best known for our dedicated sales force and our friendly, professional telesales team, we offer delivery via our local depot network and provide in-house, expert technical service back-up. What’s more, the quality of our service doesn’t stop there. Since we only ever use Belhaven dedicated draymen, delivery after delivery, you’ll soon get to know them as well as we do.

BEST BEERS. It’s official. We only brew the best at Belhaven – all of our beers are crafted using only the purest local ingredients and draw on nearly 300 years of brewing heritage.

Belhaven Best has a market share of 38.7%**, making it the No 1 ale in Scotland – by some distance. Belhaven IPA came out best in taste tests when consumers were given the choice.

Our latest addition - the smooth, deep, distinctive Belhaven Black - is set to become Scotland's best stout.

BEST RANGE. Belhaven offer unrivalled choice. We bring you the best from around the world from the most loved global brands to the best of the new boutique and local brands.

In addition to offering Scotland’s No 1 Lager, we have recently also added the UK’s No 1 Lager to our already extensive range of both standard and premium lager offerings.

We supply the best range of keg and cask ales - in the cask ale category alone, we have over 50 permanent products - and we bring you the top brands in draught and bottled ciders, wines, spirits and minerals.

BEST GET SOME IN. CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBERS Aberdeen: 01224 896 826 • Alloa: 01259 728 510 • Dumfries: 01387 259 466 • Dunbar: 01368 862 323 TECHNICAL SERVICES 0700 023 5767 www.belhaven.co.uk *The Dram, 2011 **CGA, Oct 2011

BRAND NEWS ALL THE LATEST BRAND NEWS

Beer

Whisky

Putting the ‘buzz’ back into stout A new stout aimed at putting ‘the buzz’ back into the market has been launched by Belhaven.

Belhaven Black is described by the company as a “new deluxe stout which has been crafted to provide a taste of something different for fans of deeper, darker ales.” It has an ABV of 4.2%.

Belhaven Brewery Director George Howell expects his latest creation to appeal to discerning pub goers looking for a premium pint with provenance and something different from the norm.

He said, “Belhaven Black is a quality stout that provides

publicans with the perfect opportunity to give their customers exactly what they want – choice.

“Until now there has been a lack of choice for stout drinkers, so we are fully expecting its arrival on the bar to create a bit of buzz and give people good reason to get back to their local.”

The launch will be supported by POS in outlet, including branded glassware, drip mats, bar runners and posters.

Belhaven Black is now available in keg and will be available in cask from June.

Beverage Brands has launched Equator, which the company say is the “first drink to be launched in the UK which delivers 0% alcohol, 0% calories and 0% sugar with the quality, taste and appeal of a premium beer.” Equator which is packaged in a 330ml bottle embossed with a map of the world, aims to take a slice of the growing £32.8m no/low alcohol beer market.

Brand support will include trial-generating promotional activity, a digital campaign and pr activity in men’s lifestyle magazines.

Gin

A proposal?

Come the end of the month, Hendrick’s Preposterous Proposal Throne will be pop-up at a variety of London locations offering ladies an opportunity to pop the question and make an honourable man of their evasive partner. But although the throne isn’t coming to Scotland the brand did run a couple of tongue in cheek courses at Dragonfly in Edinburgh. To celebrate the topsy turvy scenario, which allows women to propose on 29th February, under the heading ‘Hendrick’s Unusual Month of Reverse Courtship’ the brand ran two events. One offered guidance for ladies wishing to woo and the other to gentlemen hoping 10 DRAM FEBRUARY 12

to avoid their advances. Talk about hedging their bets? The first event was the ‘Ladies School of Nuptial Conquest’ which taught the forgotten arts of courtship so that cunning ladies could seduce the gentlemen in their sights. While the other one the ‘School of Scoundrels’ taught men how to best avoid these advances in a polite and refined way.

Cigar Malt Reserve The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve launches this month. The new expression aims to please both whisky enthusiasts and cigar aficionados alike and will be available on general release. It has an ABV of 44%.

Richard Paterson, Master Distiller of The Dalmore comments,

“Many of our fans were disappointed when the old Cigar Malt left the range in 2007, so we set about creating an even better whisky that would allow those fans to experience a great single malt that has been specifically crafted with cigar pairings in mind.”

Scottish company, Isle of Mull Whisky, launched in late 2010 by two friends, Neil Morrison and Calum Maclean, is making a concentrated effort to drive forward activity in the on-trade after a strong first year. The company, which produces the Isle of Mull’s only blended whisky, is now targeting licensed premises with their whisky which is distilled and bottled at Gordon and MacPhail.

New look for Bowmore Bowmore, has been given a new look with new packaging and a refreshed bottle design. This redesign follows a hugely successful 2011 performance with continued growth for the brand.

The design of the bottle has been enhanced, with the label featuring a sleeker look to ensure back bar standout and differentiation and the new bottle is made of a lighter weight glass and the new cartons are completely recyclable.

The launch of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year earlier this month also sparked a series of whisky launches.

Gordon & MacPhail launched a 60-year-old single malt whisky Glen Grant 60 Years Old which was distilled on 2nd February 1952, four days before the Queen took the the throne, the whisky was bottled on 2nd February 2012 at cask strength, making it exactly 60 years old. Only 85 bottles have been released and will retail at around £8,000.

While John Walker and Sons released a 60 year old malt called Diamond Jubilee which was bottled at Royal Lochnagar Distillery, which is owned by Diageo, on the edge of the Queen’s Balmoral Estate. And the cost of a bottle a cool £100K!

WOMEN WE LOVE FEATURE BY JASON CADDY EVERY YEAR WE DO A FOCUS ON WOMEN WE LOVE IN THE TRADE. LADIES THAT ARE MAKING A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION AND HELPING TO GROW THEIR RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES. THIS YEAR’S COLLECTION IS NO EXCEPTION.

Senga Campbell Campbell Inns South Ayrshire Senga Campbell has been in the trade since 1991 when she and husband John bought The Railway Hotel in Auchinlech, and created Campbell Inns.

Initially she took over the responsibility for the food side of the business, and the day to day running of the business, as hubby John concentrated on his other businesses, combining her efforts in the pub business with bringing up three daughters. Last year, they decided to take back one of their premises which they had originally leased out, The Dumfries Arms in Cumnock, and Senga oversaw all the interior design. Today, the Dumfries Arms is a testament to her attention to detail. The luxury 26bedroom hotel, with a 250 capacity banqueting suite, cocktail bar, restaurant and private dining room, is lovely. As for slowing down and enjoying the fruits of their labour, says Senga, “I enjoy going on holiday but the stress of leaving the business is sometimes too much. But we both get such a buzz out of the hospitality business that I can’t imagine doing anything else!”

Sandy Gourlay Oran Mor Glasgow Sandy Gourlay has been General Manager of Oran Mor in Glasgow for the past seven years, and has helped make the venue one of Scotland’s leading cultural centres. Not only is the outlet known as a great pub, but it is also renowned for the quality of the theatre produced there through its innovative Play, a Pie and a Pint performances. But Oran Mor is much more than just a pub or theatre, it also is a work of art, with a spectacular auditorium which is utilised for weddings and functions. It’s Sandy job to steady the ship and she is very much owner Colin Beattie’s right hand woman. With more than 100 staff reporting to her,

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Jacqueline Fennessy and Catherine Hardy (Pot and Kettle Ltd.) The Left Bank, The Two Figs, The Bungo Bar Glasgow The latest addition to Jacqueline and Catherine’s business is The Bungo bar on Glasgow’s Southside, which opened at the end of 2011. A £250,000 investment transformed the former Fotheringay Bar into a sleek,

contemporary bar over a ground floor and a basement. Says Jacqueline, “This is just what this area needed, although we soon realised it would need more than a lick of paint and the first phase of the refurbishment took some nine weeks to complete. We’re also planning to develop the basement space for functions etc. in the next month or so.”

The couple have been in business together for some 20 years, initially as colleagues at Big Beat in the early 90s, leading to their first step on the ladder in the form of the leasehold at Glasgow’s 13th Note. The couple’s ethos is ‘great cocktails, food and design in a relaxing vibe’ and this is rolled out across all of their Glasgow outlets, the others being The Left Bank on Gibson Street and The Two Figs on Byres Road. They also like to play hard, and at the time of DRAM going to press the business partners were enjoying a relaxing break in the Gambia.

FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 11

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WOMEN she is in charge of operations, controlling the budgets, overseeing the buying and is also very much front of house. In fact she has her finger in every pie! She has a keen interest in music and has one son, but her role at Oran Mor doesn’t leave her much room for socialising.

Michelle Henderson The Birds and the Bees Stirling Michelle Henderson is one of the driving forces behind Stirling establishment the Birds and the Bees.

She met hubby Ross when she worked as a barmaid there, but before joining Ross in the business she ran her own company. And bringing Michelle into the business, says Ross, was one of the best decisions they ever took as her involvement in the pub added a new dimension to the business, particularly when it came to attracting families and couples. Today around 1,500 meals are served every week, and turnover is in the region of £1m. Michelle is very much hands on, despite having four children! And she constantly comes up with fresh ideas to grow the business.

The two now have another challenge.

They are currently refurbishing an 18th century Inn in Torbrex which is set to open in April as The Inn at Torbrex.

When completed it will be a familyfriendly inn with a Malt bar and dining room.

Lynn Mortimer Lynnet Leisure Lynn Mortimer is Managing Director of Lynnet Leisure, the business that her father James founded.

She is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Mortimer empire, which has been more of a challenge over the past 12 months following the death of sister 12 DRAM FEBRUARY 12

Donna. This year the family have set up the Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Charitable Trust and the first event a Ladies Lunch is already sold out. The next event will be a ball in June. As well as running their own charity the Mortimer’s over the years have been very philanthropic and have helped raise millions for other deserving causes.

Meanwhile their business empire continues to flourish. The latest addition is Apartment 29, at Royal Exchange Square (see design feature) which has just opened. They are still planning to build a hotel in Glasgow city centre, but the planning and negotiations with historic bodies are still ongoing.

Ailsa McCallum Johnny Foxes and The Den Inverness Ailsa McCallum is General Manager at Johnny Foxes and The Den in Inverness, where she came on board as assistant manager in 2005, followed by a brief stint as deputy manager before being made general manager after just nine months. Says Ailsa, “I love the challenge of working here and there is never a dull moment. In the last few years, and as well as the day to day running of the operation, I also co-ordinated the set-up of the bars and restaurant at the Eden Court Theatre after we acquired them, quickly followed of course by the addition of The Den back in 2009.” Ailsa began her trade career with Caledonian Heritable in Edinburgh, aged 22, before returning to Inverness – she hails from the Black Isle – a few years later. She loves the sociability of the industry as well as working hands on and motivating her 30 staff always to excel at customer service. So what does the future hold for Ailsa? “I see my future here and the current challenge is the tough times we’re all facing in the trade, but it’s exactly that, a challenge, and we as a business are rising to it.”

WE LOVE Suzanne McGuire Vespbar Glasgow Suzanne is just as much at home tending to the needs of passengers at 35,000 feet as she is serving customers on ground level in Vespbar, the Glasgow bar she runs with partner Jim McLaughlin (aka DJ Jim Da Best). She explains, “I have worked for BA serving First Class customers for 17 years, which I still do part time, and I have brought my experience in this field to the bar.” Vespbar opened in September last year and combines elements of old school Glasgow with influences from many of the destinations she has touched down in over the years. She explains, “Our ‘metres of pizza’ is an idea we got from New York’s Italian quarter and, as far as we’re aware, aside from some restaurants there, and one in Milan, we are the only people serving up this concept.”

Suzanne has of course lessened her flying time to spend more time in the bar where, she feels, her and Jim complement one another. “Jim’s a promoter and a DJ, so he concentrates on that side of the business, leaving me to pour my know how into the customer service side, which I’m loving,” she says.

Maroulla Nicholas The Glynhill Renfrew The Glynhill Hotel in Renfrew has been in the Nicholas family for the past 42 years, after Harry Nicholas opened the hotel in 1970.

And his daughter Maroulla, who owns the hotel with brothers Daso and Ross, has been in charge for almost two decades. In her role as Managing Director she has seen the hotel continue to prosper, and today it has 145 bedrooms, leisure

facilities, a carvery, a 350 capacity function suite and a bistro with some 170 employees.

Maroulla started working with her father in 1981, working her way up to Financial Director and then Managing Director, and after her dad died in 1997, she focussed on the hotel, almost to the exclusion of everything else.

Today, Maroulla is slightly more chilled, with a partner, and her passion for shoes undiminished.

Louise Ralston Grill on the Corner Glasgow Louise Ralston joined Living Ventures’ Grill on the Corner in Glasgow in 2009 as G e n e r a l M a n a g e r, having previously worked for Malcolm Binnie’s Townhouse Restaurant Group as GM at the Wheelhouse restaurant in Falkirk. In the three years that have followed, Louise has orchestrated several landmark changes to the business, like growing the staff from 20 to 70, and taking the operation from an average of 600 covers per week to 3,000.

She says, “I also oversaw a new design, warming up the interior with lots more wood, plus an extended offering beyond just food that now includes drinks parties and whisky tastings, corporate events and charity fund raisers. The Grill is also at the top of the company sales table and leads the way in social media with a record number of

followers on Facebook.” Louise believes that you need to be one step ahead of the game in order to be a success, and is continuing to release her inner interior designer, as she’s currently hatching plans for further design enhancements to the Grill on the Corner, to be implemented later this year.

Lisa Wishart Lisini Pub Co Uddingston Lisa Wishart is Managing Director of the Lisini Pub Co which owns various outlets, mainly in the Lanarkshire area. These include the very popular Angels Hotel and The Parkville in Blantyre. But last year the group purchased Dalziel Park – a country club set in 250 acres, which includes a hotel, conference centre and golf club.

The company restructured, in order to facilitate the growth, and Lisa heads up the company, particularly the financial side.

Before joining the family pub business Lisa was a PE teacher, and an avid hockey player, in fact she played for Scotland. But juggling a family life, as well as a pub company with 250 employees, doesn’t leave that much time for much sport now, although owning your own golf course might come in handy. Lisa is married with one son, and a black flat coat retriever called Paddy – so at least she still gets plenty of walking in, and has been known to enjoy the occasional night out.

BEER:

A REAL TALKING POINT FOR SUSAN YOUNG REPORTS have to admit that I can remember the days when the two key beer brands in Scotland were Tennent’s and McEwan’s and their advertising campaigns were legendary. Roll on two decades, and Tennent’s and McEwan’s (although both are under different ownership) are still there, but in the last few months there are a host of new names to add to the Scottish repertoire and best of all the new additions are ales!

First off the blocks was Belhaven IPA – which obviously was launched to take some of Deuchars IPA market share; then C&C, owners of Tennent’s, challenged Belhaven Best with the launch of Caledonia Best, and just last month Belhaven decided to take on Guinness (probably the biggest target of all) with the launch of Belhaven Black. But not one to rest on their laurels the Caledonian Brewery have launched 2.8% Copper Ale, and I anticipate there is going to be a run on lower gravity ales following the government’s tax incentive to brewers.

Now they do say it is more difficult getting new customers than “WHEN IT hanging on to old ones, and some may say that it is easier to go take market COMES TO share from a successful brand, especially when that CREATING brand is the only one in the market, than create a AND MAINTAINING totally new beer category (for some reason SPA springs to mind!) . So it has really come as no surprise BRAND LOYALTY, NO that finally Tennent’s are taking on Belhaven, and that ONE DOES IT Belhaven has taken on Deuchars and Guinness… The only puzzle is why has it taken so long?

BETTER Belhaven customers no doubt will know that for years THAN (since about 1979) Belhaven has had a contract with GUINNESS” Tennent’s which resulted in Belhaven Best and JIM ANDERSON Tennent’s lying side by side on the bar as Belhaven distributed Tennent’s, and also put it into their own pubs, but that trading contract has come to an end.

Perhaps in anticipation of the contract ending, C&C created Caledonia Best to compete directly with Belhaven Best in the Scottish market. C&C are actively incentivising customers to stock Caledonia instead of Belhaven.

And probably for the first time ever, Scotland’s leading ale brand Belhaven Best, has some competition in the market. Competition is good for the licensees, and it’s good for customers. Both brands are going to have to be visible to both trade customers

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14 DRAM FEBRUARY 12

and consumers if they hope to gain or hang on to market share. Increased marketing activity will encourage people to talk about the two brands, and the more people talk about beer the more chance they will come to the pub and try it. There’s also a good chance licensees are going to get more marketing support from the brands, as they seek to get and keep people on board.

As for Belhaven Black, well there’s nothing like going for gold, especially in this Olympic year. David v’s Goliath comes to mind. But knowing Scots if the products tastes good, then there is every chance that Scottish stout drinkers will try Belhaven Black.

That’s if its owners, Greene King, decide to put some marketing spend behind it. After all Guinness advertising is iconic as is the brand to such an extent that licensees are possible scared to take it out. That would probably be an ‘ask’ too far.

Says Jim Anderson of The Anderson in Fortrose, “When it comes to creating and maintaining brand loyalty, no one does it better than Guinness. Their propaganda machine has been churning out seductive claims and dreamy imagery for centuries, and despite recession, depression, prohibition and the Troubles, this dark, weak, expensive, slightly-sour drink has continued to call most of the marketing shots in a modern world that’s looking increasingly for light flavours and free rides.”

He continues, “The awesome power of Guinness’ brand loyalty is best experienced in pubs which don’t carry it.

I should know — I’ve run plenty of them. When a punter is told there’s no Guinness Stout – and this has happened to me hundreds of times over the past 30 years – they will first turn around, arms outstretched to address the general rabble with something like, “What? No Guinness? What kind of pub is THIS?”, then turn back to the bar and ask either for a heavilybranded lager (Stella, Budweiser etc.) or a heavilybranded spirit (Smirnoff, Jack Daniels etc.) I honestly can’t remember a single instance in which the punter asked if I had a different stout. Now, that’s brand loyalty, when the actual product is less important to the user than the status attached to the product.”

2012 But says Belhaven Brewery Director George Howell, “Until now there has been a lack of choice for stout drinkers, so we are fully expecting its arrival on the bar to create a bit of buzz and give people good reason to get back to their local.”

The raft of new products has also been welcomed by wholesalers. Says David Urquhart, Joint MD of Gordon & MacPhail, “For producers to stay ahead they have to be better, produce a great product and be innovative, in order to stimulate the market. Youngsters these days are more adventurous, inquisitive and want to try different things. Knowledge is also so readily available particularly because of the web.”

He continued, “Statistics show that the volume of beer sales is dropping, but there is no doubt that people are prepared to pay more for quality products. People are pushing the boundaries of what they are prepared to try, looking for new products and new flavours, and different styles to suit different moods.”

Says Scott Arnot one of the directors of Lebowskis agrees, “It’s good to see that beer companies have upped their game, particularly when it comes to ale.

We have found across our three units, ale is becoming more popular with our drinkers. Our customers have a real interest in what they are drinking and like to try a variety of beers. They ask questions and our younger guests don’t always want to drink continental beers which often have high ABV’s.”

He continues, “It is refreshing to see a wider variety of beers out there. We try to stock a variety and that includes beers from West, Willam Bros and Lomond Breweries.”

While Allan Cunningham of the Ben Nevis comments, “It is really good for the beer sector and the category, and will be a door opener to let people see other beers that are out there. The new additions to the bar will encourage them to try new beers. Obviously the new beers are not for ale connoisseurs, but for more mainstream consumers and bar owners are keen to offer their customers new brands to try.”

Frank Murphy of the Pot Still is also keen on the new developments. He told DRAM, “I think this can only be a good thing! With the core brands changing it will get people looking at what is sitting on the bar. I think it will get people talking and it will hopefully make people more aware of the choice out there.”

He continues, “It seems that the more beer pubs I visit I notice a real move with the times and that they are all taking a step towards the Americanised way of things. There is more choice and definitely something different on offer.”

While most licensees are keen on the changes none would be drawn on whether they thought Belhaven Best or Caledonia Best was best… and it is probably too early to say how well Caledonia has been received.

Steve Annand, commercial managing director for Tennent’s, said at the launch, “We produce the nation’s favourite lager, we produce the nation’s favourite cider, and it’s our ambition to have Scotland’s favourite beer.”

While Belhaven boss Euan Venters is confident that Belhaven Best can hang on to its crown. He said, “We are committed to maintaining Belhaven’s position as “Scotland’s Best” and will continue to enhance our product offering and customer service levels to consolidate that position”.

It’s not just interesting on the Best front. The government’s decision to lower the taxation on lower gravity products has given the brewing industry a real boost. Stephen Crawley, MD of Caledonian Brewery comments, “Beer is the lower alcoholic drink of choice. Although we can’t say it is good for you, it is certainly not as bad as some other products. And lots of people are passionate about cask. The government has given us this opportunity and we are taking it, and investing in new products.”

The first one from the Caledonian stable is 2.8%. Says Stephen, “It tastes fantastic. It has plenty of flavour and we have had some very positive responses from publicans. The challenge for us is the issue of ‘social responsibility’. This allows people to have a beer rather than a soft drink.

And cask drinkers probably know more about ABV than other drinkers, but it is really up to the publican and their staff to explain. The key thing for licensees is that they can sell it for between 15p and 20p cheaper a pint. That’s a good saving for customers.”

Now that 2.8% has been launched, Caledonian are planning a raft of other new beers to keep the trade and consumers interested. Says Stephen, “Between now and the end of the year we are planning at least four new permanent beers. The next one will be out in March.”

Tom Cannon the man responsible for marketing the beers for Caledonian comments, “Consumers do want to know more about ABV than before, and by providing more information consumers can make the right choice for the right occasion. Our next new beer has an ABV of 4.5% and a strong orange and coriander taste. It’s called Dutchman and probably will do best in style bars.”

He continues, “We believe there is a much brighter picture in this sector now. For too long there was too little change and now it’s about to explode.”

I think he could be right.

FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 15

Neil Aitken Business Development Manager Europe of Glenmorangie presenting the couple with their award. Also pictured Duncan Stewart and Maya Jethwa.

The

WHISKI Stills LICENSEE INTERVIEW ANNE AND GARY STILL OWN AND OPERATE TWO OF EDINBURGH’S MOST INNOVATIVE WHISKY OUTLETS. THEY KINDLY TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES FOR A CHAT WITH DRAM’S JASON CADDY. nne and Gary Still are like two peas in a pod. Not only are they 20 years married and co-owners of WHISKI on Edinburgh’s High Street, Glenmorangie Whisky Bar of the Year 2011, and the WHISKI Rooms around the corner on North Street, but they met studying the same computing course at university. They are also both self-confessed workaholics.

Gary, originally from Aberdeen, moved to South Africa as a child before returning to Scotland in 1986, where he met Dumfriesborn Anne while the two studied for a BSc in computing at Edinburgh University. The couple then spent the next sixteen years working in both the IT and finances sectors before their first foray into the licensed trade in the form of WHISKI in 2006, followed by the WHISKI Rooms in 2011. Gary explains, “My father was a chartered accountant and after we graduated we moved to London where we ran our own business consultancy and, as a kind of natural progression, worked for numerous financial companies in the IT sector and at the Stock Exchange.”

But even at the tender age of 21, the couple had a glimpse into what was to become their future, when Gary took Anne to see a pub that was then on the market in the capital. “To be honest we always had a hankering after running our own bar/restaurant,” says Anne. “Even as penniless 21-year-old students, Gary took me to see a bar on Rose Street that was for sale and said that he wanted to buy it. I told him straight, ‘don’t be ridiculous,’ but I suppose even way back then, we wanted to deviate from IT and into the hospitality industry.”

WHISKI opened back in 2006 with 150 whiskies and it now has over 300, but events could so easily have taken an all together different turn, as Anne explains. “We first acquired the lease for what was to become WHISKI from Punch Taverns, and we ran it as Clever Dicks (a name that the couple were less than fond of).

But this kind of unit wasn’t at all what we were looking for to begin with. You have to remember that this was a time when boutique hotel market was absolutely booming, although this was a crowded market and it became obvious that we were going to have to consider something a bit different if we were going to start our own pub business.”

She continues, “Gary eventually came to me with the sales particulars for the unit that was to become WHISKI on High Street and we decided that we’d take the lease, and after two years we bought the freehold. After some hard negotiating and chipping away at Punch we eventually got the deal that we wanted and stamped our identity on it. Prior to us taking over the reins it was lucky if it sold two nips a week, but through a combination of passion, effort and new menus with lots of fresh food, we eventually turned the whole operation around. We hit the ground running by introducing 150 malts and went about delivering an accessible whisky bar in the city centre at a time

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FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 17

The new Whiski Rooms and below Anne and Gary Still.

when the whisky market was really beginning to take off.”

Fast forward four years, via much blood, sweat and tears, the couple then decided to take the plunge with outlet number two – which in part came about on the back of comments and suggestions from the regulars and non-regulars alike at WHISKI. Explains Gary, “WHISKI really gave rise to the WHISKI Rooms as our customers began to enquire about where they could buy the various whiskies that we stocked so we had a brainwave of a bar and whisky shop combined, and what better location than around the corner from Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, in the shadow of the castle with stunning views over the city to boot. Apart from something vaguely similar in Paris, what we created in the WHISKI Rooms is really something quite unique, certainly in Scotland.”

He continues, “We originally planned two units, until we discovered once the refit was underway that the former bank at number 7 North Bank Street was available and we negotiated a deal to add this too. It was all a bit of a risk as we didn’t have planning permission, appropriate ventilation or a licence. This was all a bit traumatic as I recall and we were really quite on edge during this whole period, but like all good plans, it came together in the end.”

Gary and Anne really do put their heart and soul into their business, and their passion and enthusiasm really shines through whenever they talk about the outlets and their continuous efforts to attract new and repeat business, like the Ardbeg Embassy, an Ardbeg branded area at the back of WHISKI. “It’s the only one of its kind in the on-trade and we are just finalising an Ardbeg menu which will go live at the end of the month and feature food made with and complimented by the whisky,” Gary explains. “We see this as a stamp of quality rather than a sponsorship arrangement, as we paid for and designed the area.

We are brand neutral and have a great relationship with all the major whisky companies. Our latest coup, however, has to be a tasting by Whyte and Mackay’s Master Blender, Richard Paterson, aka The Nose, who’s coming along in April for a whisky tasting,” The couple are under no illusion that times are tough and, according to Anne, there is a necessity for all owner/operators to be creative. She explains, “It’s tough going out there at the moment, and there is a lot of competition in the city centre with businesses like Nando’s, Wagamama, Prezzo, Jamie Oliver and the like, coupled with more consumer choice in the lunchtime trade 18 DRAM FEBRUARY 12

sector which tends to be value-led, like 2-for-1 deals, and that is something that we just don’t do.”

Anne continues, “As far as our offering goes we had done our research so we got it right and since we have lived and worked in Edinburgh pretty much the whole time since we were students, we also knew the market and what consumers wanted, like home grown produce, for example. Scottish providence is a huge consideration for us and this is reflected in the majority of our products. Scotland’s larder is fantastic and should be celebrated and our customers are always telling us that this is as important to them too.

Customers are also more savvy and brand aware, plus they go out a lot less during the week, and TV cookery programmes and express supermarkets don’t help much either, as people are being actively encouraged to stay at home.”

But the Stills don’t count themselves in this number. Says Anne, “We have always been a sociable couple and enjoy going out to see what’s happening out there and we want our operations to reflect out own tastes and experience and, quite simply, be the kind of place that we would frequent. It was also immensely important for us to create an environment that wasn’t too male dominated as we wanted it to be equally as inviting for females and families.”

Living and working together wouldn’t suit everybody’s temperament, but like their recipe for business success, the couple say that the knack to harmonious living and working is equally as formulaic. Anne explains, “The secret to a successful business partnership is not doing the same things as you get in each other’s way – this was our initial experience and where we went wrong. Now we both have designated areas that we concentrate on. For me it’s very much the back office, accounts, promotions, dealing with suppliers etc. Gary is more on the operations side and of course our IT experience comes in handy where systems etc are concerned. One thing that unites us is our strong work ethic and the fact that we never switch off.”

When they do occasionally take time out, Gary is a keen golfer and they also have an Australian Labradoodle called Rocky, so called because of his brownish red colouring, and the couple’s faces light up when they talk about him.

So what about future expansion plans? “We have our sites set on a location in London,” says Anne, coyly, “but it’s still early days.”

Freephone 0800 037 1155 for more information

LAUNCHING FEBRUARY 2012 For trade use only

Smoking kills

DESIGN FOCUS: APARTMENT 29, GLASGOW

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ynnet Leisure certainly know how to surprise you. The latest addition to its Royal Exchange Square premises is a modern, light and airy space in the eaves. What was formerly the company’s office has been turned into Apartment 29. And it is as different from the rest of the 3-storey 19th Century blonde sandstone building as it possibly could be.

It would be fair to say that Apartment 29 is not like any other space in Glasgow. Lynnet invested £500K in the transformation of the former offices into what is now described as a “New York style loft”.

The space, which adds 2,500 sq. ft. to the private members club, has been designed with weddings in mind and has a capacity of 100.

Says General Manager, Michael Robertson, “Originally we wanted a break out space for our wedding parties, but the space will be used for other functions and perhaps dining too.”

As you enter Apartment 29 there is a long galley with a counter 20 DRAM FEBRUARY 12

clad in marble. “This” explains Michael, “will be where reception drinks will be served. Instead of having four waiters with trays, guests will be able to pick a glass of bubbly up as they go into Apartment 29”.

As you turn the corner into the main area you are greeted with a dazzling display of white. Nord have taken the walls on the right hand side of the long rectangle room, back to original stone and have painted them white. This contrasts with white wood panelling that lines walls on the left hand side of the room. But again the designers have been clever, behind the wood cladding, which is reminiscent of US style clapperboard, is a large dry storage area.

Says Michael, “We wanted to make use of all the available space.”

The attic style roof has large skylights which let in a lot of light, and many of the original beams have been exposed and painted white.

While the floor – light oak – adds to the airiness of the room. And unlike some venues the flooring is not all laid the same way, which

Would like to wish every success to all at Apartment 29 in Glasgow.

Bluevale Structures Ltd specialise in all types of refurbishment, steel construction & facade retention works.

39 Bluevale Street, Glasgow G31 1QQ. T: 0141 550 3248 E: bluevale@btconnect.com adds width.

The full-service bar is white and very minimalist and the posing table and large dining table tables are also a glossy white in fact they were made especially for the new venue. Both the posing and the dining tables have stunning legs with a bulbous feature – you want to run your hands over it.

The sofas and chairs are quite minimalist in shades of silver and black, and the occasional stools are black and the occasional tables are black too. There is no artwork to speak of, but the fibre optic lighting has been designed to swathe the room in colour at different times of the day, and for different occasions. There is also a chic changing room for the bride at the far end of the room, with an ensuite toilet.

Michael comments, “Apartment 29 is a fantastic boost to our existing offering at 29 and will considerably enhance our members experience at the club.”

www.satelliet-browns.co.uk Satelliet-Browns are proud to be furniture suppliers29. to the Proud to supply the furniture to Apartment latest Di Maggio Group venue Amarone, Edinburgh.

FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 21

Protocol are pleased to be associated with the supply of furniture for Residence Inn by Marriott and wish them every success for the future.

Protocol Ltd Unit 2 Bankside Park, 28 Thames Road Barking IG11 0HZ Tel: 020 8591 6770 Website: www.protocoluk.com Email: sales@protocoluk.com

22 DRAM FEBRUARY 12

DESIGN FOCUS: THE RESIDENCE INN he Residence Inn by Marriott is an extended stay hotel that opened late last year, taking pride of place in Edinburgh’s plush new Quartermile Development. Incorporating several residential, leisure and retail outlets in a mixture of old and new buildings, this burgeoning stylish quarter of the Capital can be found on the site of the old Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

The Gladedale Group manages the new sleek glass building spanning seven storeys with a total of107 rooms on behalf of the Marriott group, and head of sales and marketing for the company, David Martin, explained the concept, “There are 620 Residence Inns across North America and this is the first in the UK, and only the second in Europe, after Munich which opened last October. We specialise in extended stays, everything from a week to months or years, although we can cater for shorter stays, too.

What sets the European contingent of Residence Inns apart is the contemporary design as oppose to the more traditional look across the Pond.

“As an extended stay hotel, it’s all about a home from home and this has been reflected in the design as customer requirements are very different when they stay for five nights plus.

Each room is larger than the average hotel room, complete with its own kitchen and 30% of our inventory is one bedroom suites. Our ethos is work, relax, cook, sleep and adding further value to each stay like a complimentary breakfast, Wi-Fi, laundry, gym and meeting room facilities.”

Starting with the lobby, which uses its limited space rather economically by housing the reception area, lounge, bar, shop and breakfast area, a sleek and stylish tone is set, the brainchild of Ica, the design company based in East Kilbride.

There is also sense of economy throughout the hotel in terms of utilising space and resource effectively, as David explains. “We only have 19 staff in total as long stay guests tend to require less hotel services like cleaning and breakfast, preferring to make their own arrangements, and there are obviously less check in and outs at reception.”

To this end, the bar doubles up as breakfast bar, which is folded away underneath and pulled out on demand.

The colour scheme is predominantly muted colours, with a blend of mushroom tones, beiges, greys and whites. Marble tops have also been

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effectively used on both the bar and the raised table opposite, which also has sockets for laptops. Some of the standout design touches have to be the oversized circular lampshades. These range from light grey almost transparent material, to black wicker shades that are fairly unique.

The flooring comprises both sandy coloured ceramic floor tiles and dark grey, interspersed with a get carpet with yellow flecks and a zigzag pattern, which injects a bit of fun into the design.

There are also two alcoves opposite the bar. One houses a two booths made from what looks to be a beech wood frame, with an array of differently designed of light shade hanging down over the seats. The upholstery is a mixture of a green patterned back and a gun metal grey leather seat, with the other seating a mixture of high stools in yellow leather and light wooden chairs.

In the other alcove is a corner couch in a grey/green colour in front of which is a low wooden coffee table and large and grey and yellow patterned rug and wall-mounted plasma screen, epitomising the home from home ethos.

There are three types of rooms in the hotel: the studio, the superior studio and the one bedroom suite, and there are various configurations of each.

But despite the varying shapes and sizes, they all do share common design elements.

The furniture, for example, is upholstered in a light green velvety material, the wallpaper white wallpaper with its feint retro pattern and the light wooden floors, all work very harmoniously, and the rest of the walls are painted in neutral shades of white. As in the foyer, there are various photos of Edinburgh landmarks in dark wooden frames, and they brighten up the design. The kitchen areas have a utilitarian design with clean lines in grey white with stainless steel appliances. Bathrooms are also fairly plain and functional in white tiles, and some of the deepest shower cubicles that I have ever seen.

I also have to mention that some of the rooms have balconies with amazing views across the castle, and beyond the city, and of course over the streets of the Quartermile Development below.

The feedback from the hotel’s guests has been immensely positive so far, and I can see why, as its relaxed atmosphere, plus friendly and professional staff meshes with a cool, crisp and classy design.

FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 23

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t’s been a busy month on the social side of the business. It kicked off with the Royalty Burns at Oran Mor, presided over by Colin Beattie. I had most entertaining dinner companions including Dr Jeff Palmer, formerly in charge of brewing at Heriot Watt, and Angus Meldrum. They inspired me to write about beer this month.

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This was followed by Grand Central’s inaugural ball to commemorate its official opening a year ago…I can’t actually believe that was a year ago. Congratulations to Laurie Nicol and her team. It was also lovely to meet her husband Paul who is also in the licensed trade. We’ve confirmed that this year the DRAM Awards will be held again at the Grand Central.

Then it was off to the BEN dinner, a record turnout, and a great opportunity to catch up with everyone. The Thistle did an excellent job, and hats off to Budweiser who seemed to have ice-buckets on every table! I went with Reserve Brands and met their relatively new chief Nick Temperly and PR Manager the lovely Lauren Bajdala-Brown, who was formerly with Imbibe, so she already knows a lot of the Scottish bar tenders. They were quite surprised at the scale of the event, and enjoyed meeting everyone. I particularly enjoyed the first speaker. Although I don’t think I would like to meet him in court. The food was also good, although one of my guests Alastair Roy, who happened to be sitting beside the kitchen door, got various parts of meal on him. Apparently it became a standing joke. Sorry Al! See roundup for all the pics.

I also caught up with Kenny Blair of Buzzworks at The Ben, only to speak to him a few days later following the fire at Lido.

He told me it hadn’t been a good month.

First of all they had a winter vomiting bug at Scotts, followed by the fire a week later, and then someone crashed into his car. Well they say things come in three’s, so hopefully it will only get better. He also told me that customers had been very supportive posting lots of positive things and good will messages on facebook.

Our awards are taking place on 2nd July, and this year the theme will be the Olympics. But no, you can’t come in your running gear. It’s more of a gold, silver and bronze idea. This year for the first time there will be awards for all the finalists.

The other piece of good news is that because the Daily Record and Sunday Mail and all the S&UN regional newspapers now come under the umbrella of Media Scotland, there are plans to roll out the Pub of the Year award across all the regional titles too. We’ve also got something else up our sleeves which I am hoping will help drive football over the summer months. I know the DRAM is a trade magazine, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to help you promote your businesses to consumers, and it has never been more critical to come up with ways of generating footfall. Watch this space.

Nicola Sturgeon has revealed that she met with Senior figures in the European Union who have told her minimum pricing for alcohol is in principle “entirely compatible” with EU law.

She had what her spokesman described “very good productive discussions” on the issue of minimum pricing with EU Health Commissioner John Dalli, senior officials and others in Brussels. However, for it to comply with EU law, legislation on minimum pricing would have to meet certain key tests - such as being shown to provide a clear public health benefit. I wonder how they will do that and how long it will take? Don’t get me wrong, I’m in favour of minimum pricing. I just can’t believe it has taken so long to get it off the ground. All talk, no real action.

I was in the Scottish Parliament building recently for the judging of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards. The Glenlivet triumphed in the first round of judging featuring in each of the three categories of the prestigious awards. It was a mammoth task, I think we blind tasted around 52 of Speyside’s finest malts. Visitors to the festival will be the final judges. It was also great news to hear that at the time of the judging, and that was only a few days after the festival launched – they had sold around £70,000 worth of tickets. What a great success story.

Talking of whisky we have decided to run our Whisky Speed Tasting events monthly from March. So many pubs have shown interest, and we always get very positive feedback from our guests. If you want to get involved give Lynn a call at the office on 0141 221 6965 – either from a brand front or pub front. And yes Frank, I have put the Pot Still on the list!

Top to bottom: Nicola Young with Russell Sharpe; Colin Beattie with Angus Meldrum and Laurie Nicol with husband Paul.

FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 25

Get Get tto o tthe he Point Point

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For more information and brand support visit caledonianb beer eer.com /2.8 or telephone 0131 346 2603

WHEN DID WE GET SO BORING?

BY JIM ANDERSON aybe we’ve always been boring. Or stable, reliable, traditional, steadfast, stalwart or any number of euphemisms that describe a people for whom change is frowned upon. Because, as a culture, we like things just the way they are.

Or do we? In the beginning, there was real ale. Then came kegs, lager and smoothflow. Next came Watney’s Red Barrel, CAMRA and micro-breweries. In a mere 20 years between 1960 and 1980, the UK beer scene went from throwing wooden spears to slinging AK-47s. And then it got boring again. Why? Whilst maintaining our staunch stand as traditionalists, we in the UK also love new things — but only if they don’t ask us to stray too far from our comfort zone. We love fashionable clothes as long as we don’t have to lose weight to wear them. We love ethnic food as long as we can get chips on the side. And we love exploring any new place where there’s a hot shower and the barman can speak English (bad news for Scotland!).

Likewise, we’ve been more than willing to embrace any new fad that the beer world has to offer, that is, as long as none of it tastes too... well... different.

In the past ten years there has been a toe-curling relapse into familiar flavour territory in an industry that elsewhere is expanding quicker than Gordon Ramsay’s ego. While Holland, Belgium, Australia, France, Canada, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway and other countries look at old recipes with new eyes and explore untraditional ingredients and flavour combinations, we’ve had our mid-life crisis and now prefer to return to the comfy chair to live out our lives in familiar surroundings. True, a handful of Scottish brewing companies are trying to push the UK beer envelope – Brew Dog, Innis & Gunn (well, maybe it’s slightly less than a handful) — but they’re finding that feeding adventurous palates abroad is more fulfilling than trying to rouse the natives from their slumber.

I guess hadn’t realised how bad things had gotten until I went back to the States recently.

Students of American brewing know that British ales were the first to catch the attention of seminal microbreweries such as New Albion, Anchor and Grant’s. Top-fermenting and quick to brew, recipes for styles like ESB, Scotch Ale, IPA and Porter were adapted for use with local ingredients. Add a sprinkling of American curiosity for new flavours, and these centuries-old beer styles morphed into something new and wonderful.

Technology-addicted America was happy to adopt pressurised kegs as the standard dispense of draught beer in the 1960s, and real ale survives today only as a curiosity in brewpubs and adventurous specialty beer bars. As a result, America has joined the rest of the planet (except the UK) in packaging its best draught beer in kegs.

We walked into our first of many (and I mean many), randomlyselected bars, this one in Brooklyn, and were greeted by no less than 10 microbrewery beer taps – half of them local, most of them representing beer styles that that are unfamiliar in the UK, all of them ranging from 5% - 10% and not one of them was a nationallyadvertised lager. Far from it – at this one bar alone, there was Apricot Beer, Imperial Pilsener, Honey Nut Brown Ale, Black Chocolate Stout and more.

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In other words, not boring.

We went on to visit Philadelphia, Chicago and Indianapolis, and were met (particularly in Philadelphia) with more of the same. Miles and miles of taps offering well-brewed, interesting-tasting microbrews whose names contained only the occasional bad pun.

Even the most-faceless sports bar offered a variety of draught microbrewed Altbier, Witbier, Weizenbock, Milk Stout or Triple IPA to choose from. And more striking was that restaurants – from the average grimy pizza joint to the sparkling Michelen-starred temple – had bigger beer lists than wine lists!

To put the icing on the cake, we noticed that that some UK breweries save their most-exciting beers for export: we didn’t see a single Behaven Best pump, but had no trouble finding their Scottish Stout (7% ) and Wee Heavy (6.5% ) in bottles. Are we being denied varied beer experiences here by breweries, or has our taste for a narrow range of flavours doomed them to go elsewhere to hawk their specialty beers?

Back in Blighty for our final night, we decided to hop on a train to Brighton as part of our goal of visiting the UK’s top sea-side resorts before we die. (Pathetic, isn’t it?) After a trip to the Pier for a cup of jellied eel and the obligatory gut-wrenching ride on a salt-pitted roller-coaster, we strolled back into town and stepped into a cosylooking pub for a pint.

Fresh from our two-week orgy of beery delights, I wasn’t particularly tempted by the ranks of insipid real ales competing for the title of Blondest, Blandest and Weakest, nor the vast array of factory-brewed keg lagers distinguished from one another only by their advertising campaigns. Frustrated by the difference in draught options to those in Chicago just 24 hours earlier, I scanned the cooler for something festive. Ah, yes, there we are, tucked in the back corner.

I asked the barman for a couple of bottles of Duvel. Just then, a young couple strode up to the bar beside me. The bloke threw back his head and declared, mightily, “I’m gonna drink as much alcohol tonight as I can hold — lager and lime, please.” I turned to them and smiled weakly, as one does when faced with ambition even loftier than ticking Skegness off the bucket list. Spying my bottles of Duvel, the bloke asked me what they were. “This is a Belgian ale,” said I. “If you want to reach your goal tonight, maybe you want to try this – it’s 8.5%.”

His jaw dropped and his pupils dilated as he began looking at the bottles, then at me, then back at the bottles, like some dumbfounded cartoon character. “Have you ever had it before, mate?” he asked. “I’ve been drinking this stuff for years,” I answered. “It tastes fantastic, but the best thing about this beer is you get to spend less time in the loo and more time at the bar with your girl.”

The barman congratulated me on my choice. The publican unknowingly thanked me for making him twice the profit of the typical lager purchase. And I could have been mistaken, but I’m pretty sure the bloke’s partner shot a wink at the guy who wasn’t ordering a boring beer.

Jim Anderson is co-owner of The Anderson in Fortrose, and had trouble finding good beer in Blackpool, too.

FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 27

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FEBRUARY 12 DRAM 29

ROUND UP

Gordon Bell President of The Ben pictures with his father.

2012 BEN DINNER

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: Carol Anderson Advertising Executives: Martin Cassidy, Emma MacDonald • 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. 30 DRAM FEBRUARY 12

IT’S BETTER TO BE BELHAVEN

Do you like to create a warm welcome? – Can you make your pub the best in the area so that customers will want to visit over and over again?

If the answer is yes, you should run your own business with Belhaven.

We’re looking for Lessees who’ll go the extra mile to please customers.

We’ll give you all the training to get you started and there’s a choice of agreement types too.

Welcome to our world. You’ll find it’s better to be Belhaven.

0845 607 5331 www.belhavenleaseapub.co.uk