DRAM September 2012

DRAM

265 DRAM MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2012 ISSN 1470-241X

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

david johnston • youth brands • loch lomond arms hotel DRAM 265.indd 1

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Helping people to run their own pubs for nearly 300 years...

So we’ve had time to develop exactly the right solutions and support for your business Belhaven's priority is always you and your pub business. Choosing to run a pub with Belhaven means from our experience you'll get the right support and have the benefits of being associated with the No 1 draft ale brand in Scotland, Belhaven Best. This, coupled with our industry leading training and flexible agreement packages, means you can hit the ground running your own pub business with us.

Established hotel business

Build business through food sales

Well known meeting and eating pub

Mackenzie’s, Aviemore

Burnett Arms, Kemnay

Queen Street Tavern, Forfar

A successful and well-established business with 8 letting rooms, an open plan dining area, main lounge bar and a beer garden to the front of the hotel.

5 year tenancy £18,000 minimum capital required Annual rent to be agreed Free of tie for wines, spirits and soft drinks

The Burnett Arms has everything going for it! There’s a good, regular, local customer base and because the pub is near to Aberdeen, you’ll make money from the letting rooms too.

5 year tenancy £14,000 minimum capital required Annual rent to be agreed Free of tie for wines, spirits and soft drinks

Are you a hands-on tenant with a great eye for detail?

If so, you could use your customer service skills to develop food and drink sales in this gem of a pub.

5 year tenancy £14,000 minimum capital required Rent is negotiable Free of tie for wines, spirits and soft drinks

Potential to increase turnover

Well-supported local pub

Opportunity to develop local trade

Flanagans, Elgin

Seven Oaks Roundhouse, Pumpherston

New Ship Inn, Grangemouth

Hands on pub for first time operator

Busy town centre pub

Good food and drink sales

An easy to run pub with a single bar. There is potential to grow trade from the fully-fitted kitchen and function room that are currently not used.

3 year tenancy From £12,000 minimum capital required Rent is negotiable Free of tie for wines, spirits and soft drinks

Hook & Eye, Stonehaven

This wet-led pub needs an enthusiastic operator who will build on customer service and offer Value, Service and Quality to grow the business.

3 year tenancy £14,000 minimum capital required Annual rent from £21,000 Free of tie for wines, spirits and soft drinks

A local pub that’s supported by the nearby community and could benefit from the introduction of food and a more varied entertainment offer to attract customers.

5 year tenancy £16,000 minimum capital required Annual rent from £22,500 Free of tie for wines, spirits and soft drinks

The Stag Bar, Dumfries

Sited in the pedestrianised zone right in the centre of Dumfries, The Stag is used by older customers drinking beer and lager.

Sport is popular and darts and dominoes teams often use the pub.

5 year tenancy £12,000 minimum capital required Annual rent from £19,000 Free of tie for wines, spirits and soft drinks

A single bar operation set on a busy road in the heart of a residential area. Regular entertainment, TV sport and pool all help to keep customers interested – but there’s room for more!

5 year tenancy £15,000 minimum capital required Annual rent from £24,000 Free of tie for wines, spirits and soft drinks

Bell Rock Tavern, Fife

The ‘Rock’ is the local meeting and eating place and has become a favourite food destination site all year round. This pub also has private accommodation, so you’ll have somewhere to live too!

3 year tenancy £23,000 minimum capital required Annual rent from £29,300 Free of tie for wines, spirits and soft drinks

We’re looking for Lessees who will 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

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DRI

265 259 DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME

P

ub Month has well and truly kicked off. The amount of coverage in the newspapers and local papers has been excellent.

By now pubs that have registered will have received posters and special beer mats. So here’s hoping you will all have thought up some interesting events for the last few weeks.

This issue Jason Caddy went back to the Paper Mill to interview David Johnston, while we both visited the Loch Lomond Arms for the design feature. That was mainly because this month we are launching the UK’s first dedicated internet TV channel for the industry - BarandPub.tv. It’s been a bit stop and start because it’s new to us too.

This month I take a look at the issues affecting brands that want to appeal to the 18-25 market. It’s definitely not an easy issue. See page 29 for all the info.

We’ve also got a piece on brand ambassadors – we feature some of the guys that promote Scottish brands around the world. And they mainly come from a bartending background.

This month we also have a piece on the newlyopened Hippodrome in London. Just a taster to let you see what is happening in the big smoke.

Finally, check out Round Up on page 34 to read about our cover story.

See you next month.

Susan Young Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com

CONTENTS

September

2012

FEATURES

14

REPRESENTING SCOTLAND GLOBALLY We meet the people behind the top brands.

18

A NEW CHAPTER Jason Caddy speaks to David Johnston.

23

LOCH LOMOND ARMS HOTEL Focus on the new £3m Luss hotel.

29

YOUTH - A CHALLENGING PROPOSITION We take a look at the challenges of marketing drinks to the youth market.

REGULARS

04 08 32

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,

Connich Bar opens

H

ilton Glasgow has announced the introduction of three new food and beverage outlets to the hotel. Connich Bar, Morblas Restaurant and Ti Tea Lounge are three new concepts for the city centre hotel, which opened nearly 20 years ago.

The first to launch was the Connich Bar, taking its name from the Scottish Gaelic word meaning ‘to encounter’. The bar has been transformed into a modern, relaxing and welcoming space, featuring stylish oversized arm chairs and banquette seating using a striking palette of orange and a more muted grey, combining the use of contrasting fabrics and textures. The venue is set across one level and features extensive seating, TV screens for news and sporting events, as well as a window wall allowing plenty of natural light. It was designed

by Central Design Studio. Following closely behind Connich Bar will be the new restaurant concept, Morblas, derived from the Scottish Gaelic words for “Great” and “Taste”, also launching shortly will be a new afternoon tea lounge, Ti. Simon Magnus, food and beverage manager, who will lead a team of talented mixologists, bartenders and waiting staff, said, “We are delighted to open the doors to Connich; the bar looks fantastic and we are confident that it will become a popular venue in city. We have created a much needed modern venue, and our new food and drinks menu together with the relaxed atmosphere should prove to be a welcome addition to the overall hotel experience.”

New look for 29 Roof Terrace The bigger Italy Despite owning Glasgow’s Little Italy on Byres Road for 18 years, owner Remo Crolla didn’t feel the need to expand his portfolio until recently. He has just opened outlet number two, Panevino on Argyle Street in the Finnieston area of the city, and has now been well and truly bitten by the acquisition bug. He told DRAM, “It may have been 18 years, but opening this new Italian restaurant has definitely sparked something in me, so I don’t think that it will be quite as long before I have a third

outlet in my portfolio.” At the heart of the 60-cover restaurant is a deli island – or Salumeria although there is no takeaway element. Remo explains, “The deli area is for cutting meats to order, but we have named it Salumeria so that customers don’t mistake it for a takeout deli.

We also serve 50 wines by the glass through the use of a special system where nitrogen is pumped into the bottles to preserve the wine, which is also acts a dispense system.”

Not a good month for…

Billy Peterkin…the colourful boss behind Glasgow lap-dancing club Seventh Heaven saw his club raided by police last month, and while police have confirmed that they raided a Newton Mearns house too, both under Proceeds of Crime Legislation, that house was not Billy’s but one belonging to Stuart Gilmore. Gilmore, bought the former Da Luciano’s, which was formerly operated by Billy, last year. Police have confirmed that, “A large amount of cash and valuable items including art and jewellery have been seized… and that a report will be forwarded to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.”

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

Lynnet Leisure has unveiled its new roof terrace at 29 on Royal Exchange Square – with the addition of a new Moet Chandon bar and four new cabanas. Says Assistant General Manager, Gary Ross, “Thomas Johnston was responsible for the design alongside Moet, and customers can now hire out the new cabanas, as well as take advantage of the smoking areas.” The furniture, kissing benches and the gazebo remain, and the decking has been rejuvenated.

Edinburgh restaurateurs Andrew and Lisa Radford’s new restaurant Timberyard is proving a hit with customers. The couple, who formerly owned Blue and The Atrium, opened Timberyard at Lady Lawson Street during the summer. They say that they have created “a new style of restaurant aware of sustainability and the environment.” To this end they are using ingredients supplied by small, local, artisan growers, breeders, producers and foragers.

They are also planning on having a crop growing patch, and a curing and drying area in the restaurant space. Son Ben is heading up the kitchen, while his younger brother Jo is assisting with the management and in charge of the bar, and sister Abi is helping with all aspects of social media and photography. A real family affair.

Graham Blaikie has extended his offering at The Mercat Bar and Restaurant to include a dedicated whisky bar in the basement. The Edinburgh bar owner has always something up his sleeve and, after refurbishing The Mercat, he decided to turn his attention to the basement. He said, “We’ve sourced 60 whiskies for our new bar and we’re aiming to increase this to around 300 in the near future. We’ve increasingly witnessed more of our local and overseas customers asking for advice and looking to try different and rarer types of Scottish whiskies. We also want to fully support promoting our national drink. Very often we overlook the true treasures we have on our doorstep.”

Montpeliers has spent £250k on a revamp of Tiger Lily on Edinburgh’s George Street.

Assistant GM Stephen Mackenzie told DRAM, “The refurbishment has been subtle and mainly confined to the bar areas on the ground floor.

We have brought the lighting up-to-date, introduced some new furniture. The gantries have also been updated to reflect what is happening with mixology right now, producing more and more from basics, like aging our own Vermouths and making our own punches.

There are also now new mini bars scattered throughout the floor to make table service easier, such as when we assign a mixologist to a party of people.” Montpeliers Development Director David Johnston added, “We have essentially added another layer to Tiger Lily. It’s all about staying relevant. It was the Showgirl of George Street according to The Scotsman, and you can’t be a showgirl and not keep up your appearance.”

The area beside the entrance has been augmented by higher furniture, posing tables with tall bar stools and fitted seating.

Says MD David Wither, “Since we have improved this area it has been much more popular.

For some reason people like sitting higher up.”

The mid-section has some new bespoke seating too. Instead of the wicker-styled furniture there are classically styled seats in dark green leather.

The refit was orchestrated by Jim Hamilton.

n.b. bar & restaurant

Revamp for Tiger Lily

The De Vere Group has unveiled plans for a £20m 120-bedroom hotel on the site of an empty office block near the Western General Hospital at Crewe Toll in Edinburgh.

A bar and restaurant, plus a health and leisure complex, including a 20-meter swimming pool, also form part of the development.

It will be one of 15 new ‘village urban resorts’ the company is planning to add to its 63 existing sites across Britain. The company has also requested permission from Edinburgh City Council to build 270 parking spaces at the site. As well as its plans for Edinburgh it is rumoured that De Vere has set its sights set on another site next to the BBC and STV headquarters at Pacific Quay in Glasgow.

Prestwick’s mansion house hotel, Adamton House, has closed down after going into liquidation. Owners, the Angel Group, a London based property company had been in the middle of a programme of restoration, to reinstate some of the buildings original features.

Alison and Duncan Donaldson, owners of the Moncrieffe Arms in Perth, are launching Community Spirit. They are offering local charities the chance to hold events at the venue free of charge. Said Duncan, “I see this as a great opportunity for groups that are perhaps less in the public eye or which don’t have much in the way of resource, to come and use our facilities to fundraise.”

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STOCK UP ON SOMETHING

special

Award Winning Whyte & Mackay Special uses a unique triple matured process, which guarantees a smooth, mellow and distinctive character.

Stock up on the fastest growing* Blended Whisky in Scotland.

GOLD MEDAL WINNER at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2012

enter the lions den at whyteandmackay.com *SOURCE: CGA MAT JULY 2012 ON TRADE SCOTLAND

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06/09/2012 30/08/2012 16:47:26 10:59

Pictured from the left: Colin Beattie, Leslie Young and Bob Doris MSP.

NEWS n.b. news

Bar staff throughout Scotland are being invited to attend an epilepsy training course at Oran Mor, following the decision by Colin Beattie, the man behind the establishment, to work with Epilepsy Scotland to ensure that staff know what to do if a customer takes a seizure. A date has been set for a special training day at Oran Mor, which is free, and which will give all bar staff the opportunity to find out what to do in the event of a customer or a colleague having a seizure. Colin Beattie is piloting the novel customer care scheme in his West End pub. Staff are trained to spot seizure-related behaviour and offer appropriate first aid. This pioneering project assisted by Bob Doris MSP and charity Epilepsy Scotland, is the start of a city-wide awareness initiative for the licensed trade. Colin said, ‘This is an exciting opportunity to ensure all our staff, whether behind the bar or on the front door, can deal confidently if anyone has a seizure. I believe there is more to being a good publican that just serving quality refreshments, we have a duty of care too.”

Epilepsy Scotland chief executive Lesley Young said, “This type of training is long overdue and we commend Colin Beattie for his vision and hope Glasgow’s licensed trade will soon adopt his example.”

The training will take place at Oran Mor between 10am and 12 noon on Wednesday 7th November. All welcome.

Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street is turning into a real Asian treat with a raft of restaurants offering Japanese, Korean, Chinese, panAsian and Thai food. The newest entrants are OKO and Thairrific. OKO started out in Ingram Street – and was originally set up by Stephen Ellis and Jim Kerr of Simple Minds, but now Danny Donaldson runs the show.

Edinburgh pub operators slam pop-ups and Spiegeltent Edinburgh pub operators estimate that this year’s Edinburgh Festival has been the worst on record due to the Edinburgh City Licensing Board’s decision to award an excessive number of licences for ‘pop-up’ bars, some of which have been for huge venues.

Operators have already met to discuss the festival fiasco which also saw George Street’s trade decimated because of the Spiegeltent.

Said one operator, “All the licensing rules seem to go out the door when it comes to the Festival. There is a moratorium on licences for 11 months of the year and come the festival, it is a free for all!”

The DRAM spoke to half a dozen of George Street’s key operators, and restaurateurs, all of them saying that they had been adversely affected by the Spiegeltent. To add insult to injury the operators who have signed up to Essential Edinburgh also subsidised the Spiegeltent with Essential Edinburgh putting in the region of £25K towards the facility.

Explains Essential Edinburgh Chief Executive, Andy Neal, “We had agreed to create a festival hub on George Street, following the feeling that George Street missed out the previous year. We wanted to do something to bring people back and we estimated

that if we attracted between 4,000 and 7,000 extra people it would have been enough footfall for everyone to have benefitted. Unfortunately due to various reasons, including the Olympic effect, which saw tourists stay away, and others stay at home, some venues on George Street were adversely affected by the Speigeltent as their customers liked the novelty of the Spiegeltent.”

He continued, “Ideally next year the whole of George Street could be a festival hub. We have already discussed this. Obviously we are going to take what we have learned this year, and hopefully get it working for everyone next year. Our sole aim is to support businesses, and we are fully funded by them.”

He added, “It was also not fair that festival venues were able to keep tables and chairs outside until midnight, whereas bars and restaurants still had to bring their in at 10pm. Hopefully next year that courtesy will be extended to everyone.”

Pop-up bars included the Pommery Champagne Cafe Bar in the Signet Library, the Havana Club Mojito Embassy at George Square Gardens, Innis & Gunn at 32 Potterrow, Bar Raconteur at Restaurant Mark Greenaway and many more.

Gilligan takes top job at Tennent’s John Gilligan, previously Sales Managing Director at Tennent Caledonian Breweries has been appointed Managing Director of the business, while Steve Annand, formerly Commercial Managing Director at Tennent Caledonian Breweries, has been appointed Head of On Trade Sales at sister company, Magners GB. Jim Young, formerly Head of Business Development at Tennent Caledonian Breweries, has been appointed as Sales Director while Paul Condron, currently Head of Brand Marketing at Highland Spring, will join the company next month as Marketing Director following Sandra Mitchell’s promotion to C&C Group Marketing Director.

John Gilligan told DRAM, “I’m delighted.”

Alcohol sales in Scotland dropped by 4% between 2010 and 2011. The recent statistics unveiled in The Scottish Health Survey also reveal that the average number of units consumed weekly by both men and women has fallen since 2003. For men, the average usual weekly consumption in 2003 was 20.3 units compared to 17.5 in 2009. For women the figure fell from 9.1 units in 2003 to 7.8 in 2009.

Despite this positive news, the Scottish Government is pressing ahead with its minimum pricing policy, as well as, plans to drop the drink-drive limit to 50mg of alcohol instead of 80mg per 100 per 100ml of blood. Former Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said, “I welcome the drop in sales of alcohol in 2011, however sales are still at an unacceptably high level and are still around a fifth higher than in England and Wales.” But a new study funded by the Foundation

for Liver Research, which was was led by Professor Roger Williams, who was footballer George Best’s surgeon, suggests that this could be because of our water. The study looked at hospital admissions for alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in England and compared them with the type of tap water available. Areas with a soft supply – which has low levels of magnesium – witnessed ALD rates 21% above the national average while those with hard water had rates 13% below the norm. The report said, “Scotland’s drinking water is almost uniformly soft and there is considerable experimental evidence implicating magnesium deficiency in the [development] of alcohol-induced liver damage.”

Supplementing our water supplies with Magnesium could also cut alcohol related deaths.

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BRAND NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

Vodka

Stolichnaya celebrates 50 yrs To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its very first flavoured vodkas, Stolichnaya Premium vodka has launched new flavour variants Stoli Hot and Stoli Sticki. Based on Stoli’s original Pepper and Honey & Herb flavours introduced in 1962, the brand has remixed the recipes to achieve the perfect original taste. Both flavours will be available this month.

“The brand is thrilled to reintroduce pepper and honey flavoured vodkas with Hot and Sticki. These spirited and timeless remixes are the perfect complement to our existing premium flavoured vodka portfolio,” said Val Mendeleev, CEO of SPI Group. “We hope our

fans will enjoy these delicious and versatile offerings in a variety of mixed drinks.”

Eileen Livingston, marketing controller of Maxxium UK, added, “Original flavours are an important part of the growth strategy for Stoli within the UK. This is a priority market for SPI Group and reinforcing our heritage as the original flavoured vodka pioneer is key to the development of the brand. We are confident the trade will appreciate the unusual flavour profiles of Hot and Sticki and work with these original variants to create the most original cocktails”.

Whisky Bowmore Single Malt whisky has teamed up with John Wright, the UK’s leading foraging expert, and chef Gill Meller, both from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s TV series, River Cottage, to launch a series of seafood and dessert recipes to match perfectly with Islay’s first Single Malt. Created especially by the duo using forageable ingredients, the recipes and collaboration are designed to further cement the whisky’s natural partnership with food and the outdoors. Kirsteen Beeston, Head of Brands at Morrison Bowmore Distillers, said, “We’re really excited to be further establishing Bowmore’s relationship with food and the outdoors with the foraging activity. The partnership with Gill and John is a great fit for the brand, we hope the recipes will inspire consumers to enjoy whisky and food in a fresh and innovative way.”

anCnoc Releases Second in the Series from Peter Arkle Collaboration anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has just unveiled the second in the series of limited edition releases from its collaboration with internationally renowned Scottish illustrator, Peter Arkle. The partnership launched in April this year, and has seen Arkle develop an exclusive range of limited edition designs for anCnoc; each based on a unique aspect of Knockdhu Distillery, home of the single malt in Huntly, Aberdeenshire. anCnoc’s eagerly anticipated new edition is inspired by Arkle’s visit to the distillery’s warehouse. Arkle found this tranquil, dark space to have an enchanting atmosphere – almost magical – with “an incredible sense of time passing”. This is conveyed in his evocative black and white illustration on the bottle, showing

rows of casks disappearing into the darkness.

The New York-based illustrator comments, “I am delighted with this new release. My illustration aims to capture the essence of what makes the whisky so special – time, as the sense of time passing was almost tangible inside the warehouse. I hope that drinkers get as much enjoyment from my design as they do from the magic inside the bottle!”

Gillian Gibson, anCnoc Brand Manager comments, “We are incredibly excited to release the next in the series of anCnoc’s limited edition campaign. Peter’s unique design gives our drinkers a sneak peek into our warehouse, while the whisky inside makes for a delicious dram – an ideal choice to add to any whisky lover’s collection.”

It was one small step for man, but one giant leap for the whisky industry… when Ardbeg recently launched a daring experiment in space. Now the brand has launched a limited edition 12 Years Old Single Malt Whisky called Ardberg Galileo to mark Ardbeg-crafted molecules being blasted up to the International Space Station to test the effects of near zero gravity on the maturation process.

They will spend at least two years in space interacting with charred oak in near zero gravity conditions. The results will be compared with a control sample currently maturing on Earth at Ardbeg’s Islay distillery. The experiment was unveiled earlier in the summer at Edinburgh’s International Science Festival, and is believed to be the first of its kind.

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BRAND NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

Beer

Liqueur

Guinness paints the town black Diageo has unveiled a new global advert called ‘Paint The Town Black’ to launch Guinness’s annual Arthur’s Day celebrations, which take place on Thursday 27 September.

The ad is inspired by the spirit of Arthur’s Day, an annual music event since 2009 that celebrates the founder of Guinness, Arthur Guinness with 55 different countries around the world involved.

‘Paint The Town Black’ sees a sleepy village prepare for an extraordinary celebration, as people come together and begin to paint everything with a black distinctive liquid, before raising a pint to Arthur Guinness.

Guinness Senior Brand Manager Chris Wooff said, “We wanted to create an advert that brought to life the remarkable spirit of Arthur’s Day and encouraged people from around the world to be a part of the annual celebrations by raising a toast to the man behind our iconic pint, Arthur Guinness.”

Arthur’s Day will see international acts in small pubs and intimate venues including performances from the likes of Texas and Amy Macdonald.

Lager

Tennent’s Captures Scotland to a ‘T’ Tennent’s has canvassed Scots to put into words how they feel about their nation as part of a new campaign to create the ultimate Scottish pint glass on the back of last year’s ‘Cities to a T’ campaign. It resulted in six glasses packed with the best and most humorous quotes from each city that were then distributed and sold across the country.

To support the new campaign Tennent’s recently toured the country with a ‘Scotland to a T Booth’ allowing people to express their views in person on video at one of six locations - Glasgow, Edinburgh,

Dundee, Inverness, Aberdeen and Irvine.

The best words, phrases and quotes submitted through the Scottish tour will appear on Facebook and eventually take pride of place on the Scottish glass – with glasses launched in bar in time for St Andrew’s day celebrations.

Tennent’s Sponsorship and PR Manager Elaine Forbes said, “The ‘Cities to a T’ campaign got a fantastic response from the Scottish public, with thousands of entries resulting in some wonderfully quirky, unexpected and hilarious content for our 6 city glasses.’

Disaronno has teamed up with the actress Emilia Fox to preside over a programme of cult classic BAFTA winning films, showing publicly at Picturehouse Cinemas around the UK from the 11th September to the 2nd October 2012. The series kicks off in London with a screening of the film The Graduate, introduced by Emilia, with Disaronno cocktails being served.

Emilia is looking forward to sharing her favourite BAFTA winning films over the next two months: “I am delighted to be working with Disaronno on this wonderful project. The films are timeless cult classics and I’m really excited to curate a selection for the audience to enjoy whilst also sipping on Disaronno cocktails.”

Other films in the series touring the UK include Dr. Strangelove, Dead Poets Society, A Room with a View and Little Miss Sunshine. Tickets can be bought for screenings by visiting www.facebook.com/Disaronno.

Cider Bulmers is running a national outdoor and press and digital campaign which celebrates the brand’s 125 year history, starting this month.

The ‘In The Beginning’ campaign - which will feature the strapline, ‘Great British Cider since 1887’ - is one of two halves. The first dates back to the year when cider-making pioneers Percy and Fred Bulmer made their first cider in Hereford in 1887, telling the story of how Bulmers was first made, through to celebrating its home in Hereford.

The second part of the campaign will position Bulmers in modern times, celebrating everything Bulmers drinkers appreciate about the brand today.

Lawson Mountstevens, Managing Director – On Trade at HEINEKEN said, “We want the new campaign to celebrate the way Bulmers brings modernity, relevance and innovation to the cider category in the 21st c e n t u r y, w h i l e sharing o u r unrivalled heritage as a cider pioneer.”

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the only swedish you need to know

Reasons to stock up: 42% of consumers are new to the brand in the last 12 months.*

High growth each year (67% in 2011) across a broad consumer base of men and women.*

65% of existing consumers are drinking Kopparberg more frequently than 12 months ago.*

Kopparberg is an aspirational brand that consumers believe is fashionable and a cut above the competition.

*Gusto / Pathfinder Research 2011

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06/09/2012 16:51:02 05/09/2012 14:39

MAMONT VODKA CHALLENGE Following gruelling heats in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow, Mamont Vodka crowned Rosie Paterson, from The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh, the winner of the 2012 Mamont Vodka Challenge at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh on the 10th September.

WINNING COCKTAIL RECIPES From Tusk till Dawn

The Ginger Mammoth

Smoke pine needles in a glass 50ml homemade clove syrup 4 dashes lavender bitters 60ml Mamont Vodka Add ice and the mixture to the smoky glass Twist and strain in a martini glass with a smoked pine needle garnish

Grind the freshly chopped ginger Add ½ shot lemon juice Add ½ shot vanilla syrup 50ml Mamont Vodka Shake and pour in a tall tumbler Top with Ginger Beer

Mamont Vodka – available through Inverarity Morton

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John Gilligan Managing Director Tennent’s

THE BLOG SPOT

W

hen I picked up The DRAM and saw that my old colleague John Gemmell had a “blog” I thought that’s something I’ll never experience. However, much to my horror, Susan had announced that it would indeed be yours truly who would be writing the next blog in DRAM. I recently became a sexagenarian (it means I’m 60 years old before you all start!) and next year will see me 35 years in the Licensed Trade. I love this business, it’s given me a great life and allowed me to help my family too. Too many changes to mention, but there are still numerous characters around in our business, thank goodness!

The past is consigned to history but I’ll NEVER forget my first job as a Trainee Salesman with Dryburghs in the same team as guys like Uncle Bob Taylor, Bobby Smith (now of Radio Clyde), Gerry McGhee, Archie Green (the Quiet Man) and the unforgettable Big Campbell Forsyth.

We had some great times, lots of laughs and sold some beer along the way.

We had a depot manager called Wullie Murray who wore a bunnet and smoked a pipe all day.

His sole objective was to make things as difficult as possible for everybody in Sales or “those useless *&**&^^%^*!” as he preferred to call us. Life was always interesting at Dryburghs.

My 15 minutes of fame came when I was delegated to get cans of Dryburghs Heavy to Brian Barnes’ caddy at Dalmahoy.

This was to stop Big Brian from drinking a product that shall remain nameless. It was during The Scottish Open sponsored by Dryburghs, it was live on telly and Brian actually won it, but not before he had MARKED HIS BALL ON THE GREEN WITH A CAN OF BEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you even begin to imagine this happening today?

It was a brilliant company to work for and selling a non market leader meant we had to offer that wee bit of difference, i.e. madness! My old gaffer was a wonderful man called James V Boyle and, long before computers, Jimmy knew his territory inside out. He was respected by all his customers and used to base everything on “give a square to get a square deal” - a lovely man and a great salesman. It’s a style that still works today. One of the first sales calls I ever made with Jimmy was to see Raymond McCrudden, another gentleman of our trade and still active in the SLTA today.

Looking forward, I see exciting times ahead for us all as we encounter greater demand for excellence from customers and consumers.

The biggest difference between now and then is without question the huge investments made by operators in their outlets. There are fantastic standards throughout Scotland in many, many licensed trade outlets.

In addition to this, the training and development on offer means we will see an increasing number of young people choosing our trade as a proper career, with decent working hours and salary packages.

It’s an urban myth that people don’t like change.

Everyone loves change if they feel a benefi t and believe it will help improve their lot. There is more consumer choice now than ever before, and suppliers are constantly being challenged to improve our portfolios.

The world belongs to activists and I take my hat off to all the people in all the Trade organisations who have worked tirelessly over the years to help promote and defend our business. Two people in particular have been around for all or most of my time, and I’d like to give a wee mention to Paul Waterson and Eddie Tobin for their sheer determination and for never falling out of love with this business.

We face many hurdles in the years ahead but ideas or initiatives like the upcoming Pub Month are a wonderful opportunity for us, as suppliers, to work together for the greater good regardless of who supplies which outlet. The reality is we need to get people into pubs and enjoying the fabulous products and facilities on offer, across the country. My thanks to Susan for allowing me to write my first, and last, blog.

I’m off to update my passport for a trip to Annan................

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REPRESENTING SCOTLAND GLOBALLY A Brand Ambassador role in the drinks industry can see you travelling the world, and it’s great to see so many bartenders take on the role. It’s a great job, particularly if you are young and enthusiastic about brands. Here we give a run-down of some guys and girls who are spreading the message not just in the UK, but throughout the world. We’ve concentrated on Scots, and thanks for everyone on Facebook, who sent us their recommendations. As we’re concentrating on Scots unfortunately those who were not natives of Scotland weren’t included. That includes the lovely Patsy Christie and David Cordoba, both of whom have added to the Scottish experience. In some instances they have answered our query and in a few cases we have put together the biog.

STEPHEN MARTIN

Luxury Brands Ambassador Diageo Reserve Brands - Scotland I think like any good BA I’m not from a corporate background. I have absolutely no academic qualifications, never/briefl y went to university and went straight into the hospitality industry when I was 17. As soon as I was old enough to serve drinks I jumped straight behind the bar and developed a passion for spirits, for bar culture and an unquenchable thirst for pleasing people (mainly my customers). Like anything your passionate about, you naturally develop skills, and one of the most wonderful things about alcohol, and life, is that you can never stop learning and discovering.

In an ever evolving industry you have to keep learning or you become stagnant. The fantastic thing about the industry is you can mould a successful career on dedication, innovation and raw passion. You don’t need grades. When the opportunity to represent Ron Zacapa and Ketel One in Scotland became available I jumped at it as these are brands that have always been close to my heart as a bartender. Also the liquids are incredible!

What would I call a bar? First and foremost an establishment that takes their product seriously whatever that may be, they consider their trade a profession and a craft. They employ bartenders who make you feel comfortable in their presence.

Bartenders who despite using the most advanced kits, the most bespoke glassware and the best ingredients money can buy, they remember that all of that is redundant if one is not humble, approachable and welcoming. I loved tending bar through the years but as anyone will tell you it’s not a job, it’s a way of life. I do love my work and as the famous saying goes ‘if you love your job, you will never work a day in your life ever again’.

IAN LOGAN

International Brand Ambassador Chivas Bros Fourteen years ago when I started with Campbell Distillers(Pernod Ricard) I never thought I would be in the position I am today, sitting in the office getting ready for a trip to Paris and Whisky Live to be followed by the US, Belarus, Russia, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan in the next few months. The whisky industry has been very good to me opening new doors and offering new opportunities all the time, there is nowhere I would rather be. I became a Brand Ambassador in 2002 working for John Dewar & Sons then returned to Scotland and Chivas Brothers(Pernod Ricard) in 2004 to take up the role I have today as International Brand Ambassador. I work across the whole range of whiskies we produce but the vast majority of my time is on The Glenlivet where I am also Curator of the Whisky School. Every day at CBL we are working with people from across the globe and it is a privilege to share with them the passion and belief we have in our whiskies, too see the smiles on their faces as they fall in love with whiskies and discover their own favourites. The job has taken me to many corners of the world and many events come to mind, favourites include meeting a group from Mongolia while in Taiwan hosting the global launch for The Glenlivet XXV(25yo). The shock on their faces seeing a 6ft plus, redheaded Scotsman in a kilt in the world’s tallest building was fantastic, as was hand feeding antelope in a game park in South Africa these will live with me for a long time. In Scotland I remember an amazing night at Ballindalloch Castle where we had over 500 colleagues from Ricard in France for dinner in a marquee on the lawns of the castle.

One of these days I need to write a book!”

SHERVENE SHAHBAZKHANI Bacardi Brand Ambassador

Shervene is one of the few female brand ambassadors. She joined Bacardi last year after a number of years behind the bar in Edinburgh and recently has returned to work in London. However she was introduced to the world of mixed drinks while working at Rick’s in Edinburgh, despite being the Floor Manager, and when she became GM of The Voodoo Rooms, also in Edinburgh, she really developed an appreciation for the drinks side of the business. She says she is “inspired by the culinary side of cocktails”, and she often uses “compotes, reductions, and gazpachios to mix with spirits rather than liqueurs.”

A typical week for Shervene would include training sessions, cocktail demos and train journeys. She says, “Each day is very different and you have to be on the ball at all times.”

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BRUCE HAMILTON

Drambuie Brand Ambassador Scotland

While studying at University in Edinburgh, I learned more working behind the bar at award-winning boutique cocktail bar Rick’s than in the classroom. After graduation I realised that the traditional nine to five was not for me and turned my favourite hobby into an extraordinary career. My passion for bartending has fuelled my work for more than a decade and saw me take up roles at bars in Edinburgh including Bramble, Tigerlily and Dragonfly.

My bartending career took off, ultimately leading me to compete in the 2008 Appleton Bartender of the Year Competition in Jamaica. After taking 16 months out to travel I decided to step out from behind the bar and joined Drambuie to represent and share my knowledge of the brand to the trade and consumers. I think a background in hospitality helps being an ambassador, because you begin to understand how businesses and bars work and what they require from brands, and how the brand can best facilitate the bars. It also helps you understand how bartenders perceive brands and what they like and don’t like about what they do and how they engage themselves with the trade. Once you begin to understand these aspects it makes it easier for you to put together the right programs to engage both trade and consumers in your brand. I enjoy the training or educating of both trade and consumers, its getting the chance to engage with people and see their reaction to the Drambuie brand. Changing the perception of Drambuie is the hardest aspect of the job, but having a chance to work on Drambuie which has been re-launched recently with a new image and being involved in the new direction Drambuie is going is great. I suppose the most fun for me is running a few, new, side projects that is not only interesting for me, but seeing other employees within Drambuie getting excited about these projects is great. If I had bar what would I call it? Hmmmmmm... I have always enjoyed Whisky so for me maybe Penicillin or Blood & Sand. Two great drinks with interesting names that I think could suit a bar.

CRAIG JOHNSTONE

Bruichladdich Brand Ambassador The best thing about being a Brand Ambassador is the fact that in this line of work every day is a school day. Over the last decade I have been honoured to work for many whisky brands. Even whilst studying Astrophysics at Edinburgh University, I was always convinced that my future lay in the whisky world.

My first foray into the whisky world was as a tour guide at Glenkinchie. Customer service was king and still is the most important consideration in this line of work. I found out very quickly that for every story I delivered in a tour, I got at least 2 new anecdotes back, and at least one new question to ponder over and investigate. After 5 years at the distillery, I travelled Canada talking Scotch, and now I am learning even more about my trade with the masters at Bruichladdich. To connect with people all over the world and share the stories of how our whisky has gathered it’s flavour and it’s soul is a massive privilege. There is nothing more rewarding than standing up in front of people, (whether 10 trade staff in a bar, or 200 whisky enthusiasts in a warehouse at Bruichladdich) and leading them through a master class connecting them with the spirit through laughter, stories and conversation.

Without a doubt bar experience is beneficial. There are many skills learned tending bar that are transferrable to all walks of life. In fact, I think that bar experience would benefit almost anyone. The ability to hold conversations with complete strangers, organise and hold a room to the enjoyment of the majority and keep everyone relaxed are skills that we find invaluable as we advance in our careers and our everyday lives. Then there is the behind the scenes work: setting up and tearing down of a working bar, as well as the cashing up and stock taking are all jobs that the customer never sees, the work that is rarely rewarded, yet the work that is crucial to the overall experience and enjoyment of the most important person in the bar environment: the customer.

My proudest moment until May 2012, it would have to be playing Wembley.

A master class for 100 people before England vs Switzerland gave me the opportunity to stand up and say the immortal lines: “Good evening Wembley...”, before leading a group of fans through a line up of 5 single malts. An electric atmosphere! This was surpassed this year at the Islay Festival. We hosted the Bruichladdich Young Guns master class - 200 people, in a warehouse, on Islay: the atmosphere was charged with anticipation, the air heavy with the Angels’ Share and the glasses charged with some cracking cask samples. It gives me goosebumps to think about it.

What would you call a bar? “Connections...” as every product in a bar has the ability to connect people through their stories and the stories of the people who made them.

DARYL HALDANE

Global Brand Advocate - Highland Park Daryl Haldane, or Daz, as he is affectionately known, joined Edrington in January 2012 as the first ever Global Brand Advocate for Highland Park. Bringing an extensive range of experience from across the hospitality and drinks industry, Daryl’s role is focused on driving brand awareness and distribution across the globe and reinforces the ongoing commitment to brand education in key markets.

Prior to joining the Highland Park team, Daryl worked with Diageo’s Reserve Brands as a brand ambassador for over four years, specifically focused on cross category training around the UK. (He appeared to have a lot of fun in this role!) This covered a variety of functions from brand education to product development predominantly in the UK on-trade. A seasoned bartender and competitive mixologist, Daryl has first class skills and understanding of the dynamic trade environment as well as a strong appreciation of bar operations.

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REPRESENTING SCOTLAND GLOBALLY DUNCAN MCRAE Hendrick’s Brand Ambassador

For me, the role of Hendrick’s ambassador to Britain is one of the most fortunate positions I could ever find myself in. There are many reasons why I could say I love my job but, for me, three things really stand out.

1. My diary reads like a plot to a bizarre work of fiction. In the past week alone I’ve gone from presenting strategy and creative to the 5th Generation of Family descendants from the founder of William Grant & Sons to getting 12 of the UK’s finest to shake the ultimate Ramos Gin fizz for 12 minutes on a fast train from London to Glasgow using an egg laid by a Hen named Henrietta that I hand raised specifically for the role. In between the two we presented a show on the history of Gin in literature at the Edinburgh festival and spent a day foraging in the botanical gardens with a botanist in search of ingredients. 2. If it wasn’t for amazing levels of enthusiasm amongst bartenders and bar owners in their search to provide amazing, well informed and memorable drinks experiences, to visitors to bars and restaurants then my job simply would not exist. 3. Hendrick’s Gin! I’m really proud of the liquid itself and William Grant & Sons are an incredible company to be a part of. The family really get involved in the brand - which gives it a very special feel! We don’t advertise, and the somewhat madcap antics we get up to are a testament to the privileged position I find myself in. It is refreshing and really motivating being able to take risks and have the full backing of everyone involved. In terms of the benefits to the job of having a background in the bar industry...I was lucky enough to work with the people that I did – from my first forays into the industry under the guidance of Stuart McClusky at Dragonfly (now owner of The Bon Vivant), to working in three different bars with Ryan Chetiwardana – I’ve been lucky to have been challenged and inspired in equal measure since day one. If I hadn’t had a background in bars, quite simply I wouldn’t be doing this job today!

On Scotland… Whilst on the one hand the Scots have a pretty dire reputation when associated with alcohol, the opposite is true when it comes to the premium drinks world. Globally, the industry is littered with people that cut their teeth in the bar industry in Scotland, which is testament to just how “right” the atmosphere in the Scottish bartending community must be for building the strong foundations upon which knowledge and passion can be built. From bars like Blythswood Square, Bramble and the Bon Vivant(‘s) to Scottish bartenders like Mal Spence, Jamie Mac consistently gaining recognition on the global competition stage – Put simply – Scotland is quite a big deal right now.

ANDY GEMMELL

Global Whisky Ambassador for Bacardi Global Brands I have been in my new role of Global Whisky Ambassador for Bacardi Global Brands, taking care of Dewars Whisky and their Single Malts for a few months now (he was previously with Maxxium UK).

The reason I moved into the role was that the role has changed from what it used to entail. Before an ambassador basically turned up, did a tasting, and went home. Now there is more involved from trade advocacy programmes to drinks strategies and new product development. It has almost become half marketing half training. I also now get the opportunity to run a team and make a real difference to being able to give the right message not just about our brands but also about our national spirit. Whisky is always where I knew I would end up. My role is Global now so you can imagine the travel that is involved. It is amazing but tiring at times. It gives me a great perspective about how people treat Scotch in different markets such as how the Chinese mix theirs long with Green tea but that’s better than Irn Bru I suppose. The ambassador role is a powerful one because you are the face of the brand so with great power comes great responsibility. What would you call a bar? If I had a bar I always wanted to call it Angels Share but unfortunately there is a great bar in NY with the name, so maybe The Cabinet... as in drinks/cocktail.

TOM JONES

Global Ambassador for Johnnie Walker Diageo’s Tom Jones shares his name with the crooner famous for songs such as What’s new Pussycat? Delilah and most recent Sex Bomb, and he has definitely heard every joke going... He has just returned to the Diageo fold, having spent two years working with Morrison Bowmore as their European Whisky Ambassador, promoting their Single Malts and also their Japanese Whiskies to an international audience. Prior to joining Morrison Bowmore he had worked as a Brand Development Executive for Bulleit Bourbon, and has been involved in many high profile events including the Classic Malts Cruise, The Brit Awards and the Johnnie Walker Golf Championship at Gleneagles. Since re-joining the team as Global Ambassador for Johnnie Walker, Tom has been on quite a journey of his own hosting numerous media, sales force and journalists visits around Scotland; taken to the skies in a helicopter and to the lochs on a speedboat, even traversing the Western Isles in a yacht - mentoring Johnnie Walker, all the way. To add to that, he has also visited:- India, Dubai, Nigeria Cyprus, Greece, USA, Dominican Republic, Romania, Czech Republic, introducing the House of Johnnie Walker and our way of mentoring, to sales staff, distributors, customers and consumers.

As far as his most amazing event, Tom says, “In Dubai I did a Johnnie Walker Platinum label tasting 150 floors up in the Burj khalifa - could this be the highest Scotch tasting to date? The gauntlet is thrown down!”

Says Tom, “I love this job because every day is different, I get to meet wonderfully diverse people and share in their passion for Johnnie Walker and indeed all Scotch Whisky.”

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STRUAN RALPH

Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador - Southeast Asia Being a brand ambassador is an honour and a pleasure. The hard work and often long hours are more than compensated by the satisfaction of representing this fantastic family of Distillers.

Bartending, as preparation for a further career in the drinks industry, is perfect. Bartenders and drinks industry professionals all share a certain affinity which I think comes from their hard working nocturnal existence. We also share intimate knowledge of what consumers actually want. When I graduated in Chemistry, I had already been bartending for 5 years. I looked at the jobs I could do with chemistry, they didn’t appeal as much as the jobs I could do with wines and spirits, they were far more interesting, and offered the chance to travel the world and meet incredibly interesting people. So I did a diploma in Wine and Spirits and then a masters in Marketing.

Many distilleries are great at making whiskies but the challenge then is to sell them and in such a way that encapsulates every potential market around the world. I find the global market for spirits a fascinating reflection of global financial and consumer trends. It also represents a great challenge. This job is very rewarding and

challenging because I get to speak to different passionate people about whisky every day. It’s the perfect preparation for this job. How better to know your market than to have done that job for so long (12 years). Bartenders are so unique, they crave knowledge and information on every product they use or consume. I have always felt that to truly embrace the on-trade, you should have shared in the experiences that a bartender faces on a day to day level. I think the back bone of any market we wish to embrace is the bartenders, they have a captive audience and thrive on inspiration and novelty. It’s also a pleasure to work with professionals who share an interest in the way things are made and the way they are served. The fact that the Glenfiddich distillery is still family owned and we still have people who have been making the same whisky for the past 50 years makes a big difference. I aim to reflect this in my every day job and encapsulate the craftsmanship of these unique individuals.

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From brand news to licensee interviews, bar tours to drinks advertisements old and new, and also an opportunity for you to upload your own videos to the channel.

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For enquiries contact 01506 602 516 LICENSEE INTERVIEW DAVID JOHNSTON NOW WEARS MORE THAN JUST HIS MONTPELIERS HAT SINCE OPENING HIS OWN OUTLET, THE PAPER MILL, JUST OUTSIDE OF EDINBURGH. JASON CADDY CAUGHT UP WITH HIM FOR A CHAT.

D

avid Johnston has been in the licensed trade since 1987 when he joined the Caledonian Hotel. Today, aged 41, he is probably best known for his involvement in the Montpelier Partnership where he has moved up through the ranks to become Development Director. But as well as his responsibilities there, he now has a further string to his bow, having just opened The Paper Mill in Lasswade, his first venture with business partner and longterm Montpeliers colleague, Karen Calvert.

Says David, “As well as Karen I have three other partners in The Paper Mill. There comes a point in life when you have to realise that you can’t be good at everything. Knowing what you are good at is as important as knowing what you aren’t good at – and your business colleagues should complement you. I have worked with Karen Calvert for 20 years and she’s my rock, taking care of the number crunching while I am more operations. My three other partners own the building and each one brings a whole different skill set to the table in addition to Karen’s and mine.”

So, after years of honing his skills in urban outlets, why did he decide on a sleepy village on the outskirts of Edinburgh? David explains, “When the site was first brought to my attention by a friend I wasn’t overly sold on the idea. It was pretty run down and it was in a market that I wasn’t that familiar with. But after time, the riverside setting won me over, plus I was looking for a fresh challenge. It soon became apparent to me that the hinterlands of Edinburgh - the outlying areas - offer a huge opportunity for stylish, confident bars and restaurants - we saw it as a market place full of opportunity. What we have delivered has been so well received by both locals and people travelling from the surrounding areas. We’ve also had amazing support from Molson Coors in the shape of Tom Cullen, Alisdair Hamilton and Julia Bone who have all been massively supportive, providing an impressive personal and motivated approach. They are brilliant guys and in a company of that size, the service is refreshingly personal, and they are so positive and motivated.”

David credits his earlier experiences – both good and bad - as invaluable in igniting what has become a lifelong passion for the trade. He explains, “At the age of 18, I reached what was, as far as I was concerned, the pinnacle of my career, working behind the bar at the S&N owned Grosvenor Bar. I loved my life and I suppose, looking back, the job appealed to the show off in me, it was like being on stage and I played to that. But I foolishly thought there was nowhere to progress to, so I went to College and got a couple more Highers to I could apply to Napier University’s Design Course – and to my utter surprise I got accepted.”

But events were about to take an unexpected turn, when David was made an offer that would change the course of his life. “Two days before I was about to start the course Gordon Fuller offered

A NEW CHAPT

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me the Assistant Manager’s job at the Grosvenor. Looking back I don’t know whether or not this was a blessing or a curse at the time, although I took it, and everything in my life was altered forever. This was a man who had shown belief in me and told me that I was actually good at something, so I kicked study into touch and so began my career with S&N,” he explains.

This was a springboard into what would shape the next few years of his life and career, as it wasn’t long before he was moved to an outlet where he had little choice but to hit the ground running.

He says, “Gordon quickly moved to The Merlin in Edinburgh, and he took me with him where I spent two years as Assistant Manager.

Gordon was David Wither’s assistant, and I was his. So I see myself as third generation, and this is how I served my time – an apprenticeship in beer, people, and how to handle myself. I worked my way up in real pubs, not the kind of what I call ‘bar/bistros’ that you get today. There was a pub mentality and you had to be able to handle a testosterone-filled bar that was five-deep at lunchtime.”

Although it wasn’t long before David’s ambition and creativity conspired to give him the taste for something different in the form of a brand new challenge. He said, “When David Wither opened Montpeliers he approached me and Gordon to come on board.

This happened at exactly the right time as it so happened that we both wanted out of S&N’s blueprinting, flatpack bar ethos, where rolling out a tried and tested formula was everything.”

He continues, “David leased the Bristol Bar in Edinburgh, which we developed into Iguana, and I was appointed GM at the age of 24. I thought I knew everything at this age, and this place was the epitome of busy. I was there for 18 months and had an absolute ball. Then came Indigo Yard and I was moved there, even though I didn’t want to go as I loved working at Iguana.”

But, as he explains, nothing could prepare him for what he was about to become an integral part of bar that arguably changed Edinburgh’s barscape. “This was a monster of a bar, and Edinburgh had never seen anything like it, so looking back it’s little wonder that there were queues right around the corner every weekend without fail. It was such a terrific time and this sort of a buzz only happens every once in a while.”

He continues, “I do think that this is kind of thing is cyclical and it will happen again when someone who is really switched on comes up with a great idea that we, as operators, will all wished that we had thought up, and there will be another step change in the industry as a result.”

Although David does recognise that the industry is changing rapidly and that to come up with something that people are going to buy in to is not so easy. He explains, “There is a lot of splintering going on with the internet and so on. Time was you used to know what was fashionable – like turn-ups, for example, now it’s like anything goes.

“Similarly, you can have the greatest idea in the world, but it is only as great as how it is received. The market has to be right. You also have to take people slightly further than they can handle, so it’s aspirational. But not so much that it’s out of reach. There is a limit to what one human being can absorb.”

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LICENSEE INTERVIEW CONTINUED coming back to is how invaluable an apprenticeship is. “You can’t substitute hands-on experience, and can’t do it any other way in my view. Until I find another person who has worked their way up the ranks as I did, I suppose I won’t ever be fully confident.

On saying that we mentored some great guys in Montpeliers, like Jamie McComb through Iguana, who is now the Ops Manager. You work hard and learn from your mistakes.

“In the wider world, I think that we took the wrong turn when we got rid of apprenticeships.

There is nothing wrong with being mentored, and it seems like absolute insanity to me that we no longer have those kinds of structures in place any longer for younger people to learn from.”

David’s Montepeliers career didn’t come without its fair share of turbulence along the way, however. He explains, “A little-known fact is that I left Montpeliers about ten years ago to go into business with a family friend who owned Edinburgh’s Byzantine on Victoria Street. His vision was to develop it into a live music venue and to cut a long story short, it didn’t get off the ground. I lost around £30k” It was David Wither, the man who, along with Gordon Fuller, greatly influenced David’s formative career, who threw him a lifeline at this low point. “I knocked doors and spoke to everyone and began getting offers after a week or so. But David Wither approached me after hearing about my predicament. As well as being by far the best offer, it was also like coming home to family. I have absolutely no regrets.”

This is typical of the good grace and non-defeatist attitude of a man that takes adversity in his stride, and always with good humour. The day of the interview was typically hectic with his baby

son knocking him off kilter before the working day had even begun.

He said, “Just before I left this morning my baby son decided he needed the toilet all down the front of my suit. In the hurry to get washed and changed I came out with mismatched trousers and suit jacket!”

David got married to Elly two years ago and they had their son last year and she says that she was like a whirlwind blowing through his life. “I call it the Elly Effect – she is in no way a defeatist and her can do attitude to life is amazing. I thought I was a workaholic but I have nothing on her. She even encouraged me to learn to drive, something I’d never have imagined.”

Although at first he never imagined he was on her radar when she came to work for Montpeliers.

“I met Elly two years ago when she was working with her sister in Ricks, and I had no idea that she was even aware of me. It was her sister who got us together in the end up. Elly then became Brand Marketing Manager, so I became her boss when the marketing department came under my remit, and we had to make a pact to not discuss anything to do with work. This is no longer a problem as she now works in national sales for Flow Hospitality training.”

So what about the future? Perhaps we should be consulting his mother, an astrologer, but one project David does have his sights set on is another outlet along similar lines to the Paper Mill. “I’d love to take on another challenge soon. I looked at one in East Linton recently that’s also near to a river – perhaps there is a pattern forming here!”

And funnily enough, after getting married, having a child, opening his business and learning to drive, learning to swim is the last thing he has to check off on his to do list.

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2011 Winner: Alessandro Pizzoli of The Kensington Hotel London with his inventive cocktail, Luxzara.

2012 Luxardo Masters of Maraschino Invitation to Enter

Luxardo will host its competition for the first time at the Boutique Bar Show Glasgow on Tuesday 23 October.

Top prizes include a visit to the scenic home of Luxardo in Italy, hosted by Matteo Luxardo and the Luxardo family.

Judges will include the UK Bartenders Guild, BarLife and Luxardo, who will assess the new cocktails based on taste, skill and the perfect balance. Matteo Luxardo adds “I was extremely happy to judge such highly talented mixologists in London last year, and we are excited to create this brand new 2012 Scottish competition with its own prizes.

Luxardo Maraschino is a key ingredient in classics like the Aviation and Martinez, and we are looking forward to new maraschino mixes which are set to be classics of the future.”

Closing date for entries is 5 October. Please enter via www.barlifeuk.com

For trade enquiries please contact Cellar Trends Ltd - Tel: 01283 217703

As the Main Contractors of

LOCH LOMOND ARMS HOTEL we would like to wish Alastair and the team every success in the future.

Units 9 & 10 • Lomond Trade Centre • Bowie Road • Lomond Industrial Estate • Alexandria • G83 0TL Tel: 01389 757118 • Fax: 01389 757368 22 DRAM SEPTEMBER 12

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DESIGN FOCUS: LOCH LOMOND ARMS HOTEL

BY JASON CADDY

S

ir Malcolm Colquhoun, Chair of the family-owned Luss Estates Company, doesn’t do anything by halves, and certainly this is the case when it comes to the refurbishment of the Loch Lomond Arms in Luss. He hasn’t stinted on the spend, some £3m, and everything apart from the facade has been renewed.

The 14-room hotel, in the village of Luss, was previously leased out, but in a bid to revitalise the whole estate Sir Malcolm decided to have the estate run the hotel itself.

It re-opened last month and General manager Alastair Borland told me, “The design was to appeal to everybody. What was here before was, frankly, an embarrassment. The Luss Estates Company has been going for generations and Sir Malcolm Colquhoun wanted to update the place and pull everything up, so to speak, so that he can leave the estate in the best possible shape for the next generation.”

He continued, “Previously it was tenanted out and much of the former fabric of the building had decayed – even to the point where part of the roof was missing. The whole renovation took around two years to complete and the façade was retained, with the rest of the interior being pulled down. In its place we have hopefully re-create the ambience of a pub that’s been tastefully done.”

So what’s it like? The new whitewashed exterior is clean and inviting and the main door off the main road leads you into a small reception area with stone flagging. Off this to the left is the library, reserved for more formal dining. Wood panelling, and traditional dining tables, which probably once graced country houses, as well as copious stuffed birds in glass cases, and of course a small bookcase, make up the space that is the library.

Alastair explains, “The designer, Serena Williams-Ellis, toured reclamation yards over the course of a few years in order to lay her hands on a lot of the antique furniture that has been used.

And the birds, which are all antiques, are more than 100 years old, and come from the estate itself.”

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RODGERS BUTCHERS Purveyors of Fine Meats

Proud suppliers to The Loch Lomond Arms and wishing them every success in the future www.rodgersbutchers.com 103 Sylvania Way Clyde Shopping Centre Clydebank G81 2RR Tel: (0141) 952 9558

180 Byres Road Glasgow G12 8SN tel: (0141) 334 9724

staircases, panelling and we spent time getting the right people to ensure that we followed through on this.”

Leading off to the right from the reception area is firstly the bar, which also boasts wood panelling, high bar stools and wooden furniture. In fact the stone flagging, wooden flooring, duck egg blue painted walls, new panelling and period fireplaces all make for a fresh take on a traditional look. The bar is fairly simple in design terms with the same colour blue panelled front, and a back bar comprised of plain back wooden shelving. The bar and eating area are separated by a fire place in the dividing wall which is open at both sides, so you can see through it. The chairs have also been upholstered in a tweed material, as well as in a variety of other colourings in harmony with the walls. The ceiling is fairly low, but there are plenty of windows throughout. Just beyond the bar is another dining area, slightly less formal than the library.

The tables here are more suited to parties of four or six, but this may change as Alistair explains, “Since opening we have seen a lot of couples come through, so we may rethink the layout of the tables.”

An outdoor area is accessible from both the bar and the library, and there’s also a separate annexe housing a wedding and conference facility. Upstairs the bedrooms are all individually styled and have been named after a different Scottish clan. From four poster beds to attic bedrooms, the style is very traditional with nods to modernism in the shape of the ultra-chic bathrooms.

They are charming and romantic.

However there is a common theme running throughout the building in its public areas …birds. Every variety imaginable, and if they are not beautifully presented in glass cases, they have been superbly painted or drawn.

So far, according to Alastair, the feedback has been immensely positive. “It has been so well received and we’ve had lots of positive comments from customers, who tend to hail from Helensburgh during the week, whereas it’s more passing tourist trade at the weekends. There is a lot of competition in the area, but we are holding our own on the brand front, with the accent on locallysourced products, such as meat from J. Rodgers, including a lot of Scottish brands on optic, Loch Fyne ale and 40 whiskies.”

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DESIGN FOCUS: HIPPODROME, LONDON

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very now and again a place really captures your attention, and this year the Hippodrome Casino in London, has certainly done that. It’s definitely worth visiting if you are down South.

The Leicester Square venue, formerly the Hippodrome Theatre, launched in July, after a 30 month and £50m plus renovation by father and son team Jimmy and Simon Thomas. Today the Hippodrome has 3 floors of gaming, an 180 seat cabaret theatre - The Matcham Room, a 150 cover restaurant - The Heliot, four private dining rooms, five bars, and a two-level smoking terrace and for luck there is a floor around the bar paved with real pennies.

Says Simon Thomas, “We have restored one of London’s iconic buildings to its former glory, reinstating hundreds of original features and creating a unique destination in the heart of London’s West End. There is nowhere else like it in the world.”

We will challenge the long-held conceptions of casinos in the UK as either too expensive for the normal man on the street, or tucked away in back alleys in the wrong part of town. In fact we’re determined to not only challenge them, but redefine the way in which London, and its visitors, celebrate an evening out.”

The Hippodrome was originally opened in 1900 by the renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham as a circus variety theatre, it featured a 100,000 gallon tank in which polar bears and sea lions would swim. Works in 1909 enlarged the stage and advanced the proscenium to suit the theatre for variety rather than circus use and, from 1912, revue-style performances. Harry Houdini performed there and the venue staged the country’s first ever performance of Swan Lake. In the 1950s the Hippodrome was transformed into the legendary Talk of the Town, and featured stars including Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland and Tom Jones. After various different reincarnations, including a nightclub under the management of Peter Stringfellow, in 2008 the venue returned to its roots as a circus venue for burlesque cabaret La Clique, which closed in 2009.

Owners Simon and Jimmy Thomas vowed to do as much as they could to repair the damage that the building had suffered over the years and have restored many original features through careful research and painstaking attention to detail. Planning permission to renovate the building and restore many of the original theatre’s features – including hundreds of pieces of plasterwork – began as far back as August 2006. Work to strip out the building lasted nine months from April to December 2009, with shell construction work beginning January 2010.

Paula Reason, the architect behind the Hippodrome’s transformation, said her team’s biggest challenge were the “unknowns’ in tackling a building that had been covered up and pulled apart again for more than 100 years.

“At each turn it has unveiled something new, both good and bad.

Some of the more awkward lumps of masonry have become pointers, from the original architect Frank Matcham, as to what the original scale and form the building had.” A combination of different historical references from original drawings, newspaper articles, posters and programmes also helped the conversion.

Says Paula, “There had to be a balance between the requirements of gaming, live performance and the bars and restaurant- the challenge was that they all connect into the main central auditorium and contribute to the atmosphere of the whole place.”

The entire project has also been guided by the UK’s foremost Feng Shui expert Paul Darby “to make the building luckier for owner and visitor alike.”

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BY JIM ANDERSON

WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?

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very licensee has pondered this question a hundred association with a pre-fabricated group of Irish lip-synchers times. And every day, there seems to be a different of unclear sexuality. Can you imagine what it would be like if answer: Your staff? The HMRC? The pubco? Your insurance companies like Churchill, Direct Line or Privilege customers? The bank? resorted to marketing tactics that have nothing to do with Or maybe you’re working for the big breweries. After all, their product? Oh . . . erm . . . never mind. they’re the ones competing for your bar space, promising When Diageo convinces the trade that a pub can’t be a to deliver you punters if you’ll only do them a small favour. pub without their low-profi t beer, they’re guaranteeing Big breweries know better than to try to compare the that punters can stagger down Sauchiehall Street and get flavour of their products to someone else’s. That’s the task served all night long in pubs they won’t remember in the of small, craft breweries who experiment with revivalist morning, provided they can manage to squeeze out one or fusion beer styles, trying to win over the tongues of intelligible word: “Guinness”. Who are you working for? their customers with expensive hops and exotic grains.

When Heineken offers you the loan of a lighted, sweaty, Big breweries prefer to shoot for the imagination, by extra-cold font for Kronenboug, do they also offer to pay establishing a fantasy which appeals to the majority of for all the electricity it uses? Who are you working for? available punters’ idealised self-image. In simple terms, When SAB Miller gives you branded glassware and then there is hardly any difference in the flavour of, say, Tennent’s, sends in spotters who threaten to stop selling you beer Stella Artois if they catch you putting and Fosters. someone else’s beer in it, do But within that you ever ask yourself, “Who OF COURSE, IF YOU’RE THE SORT OF group of Fizzy am I working for”?

PERSON WHO DOESN’T THINK TWICE Yellow Beer If you let your décor be BEFORE WALKING OUT THE DOOR drinkers, are dictated by every garish WEARING A GAP BASEBALL CAP, those who sway to the whim of brewery marketing G-STAR RAW SHIRT, BENCH TRACK image of self-assured departments, you are not SUIT BOTTOMS AND NIKE TRAINERS Aussie party boys, some to doing much to make your THEN YOU WON’T REALISE THAT Beau Geste-era film heroes establishment YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING FOR FREE and others to rocking out stand out from THAT OTHER MEDIA CHARGE BIG in a Scottish summer rain the rest. And BUCKS TO DO. storm. if there’s one But if millions of pounds an thing we’ve all hour go into the production learned from and sales of something you put into your mouth, shouldn’t the Recession, it’s that Business as Usual just isn’t good the flavour be the most important thing about it? enough any more.

No, apparently not.

Of course, if you’re the sort of person who doesn’t think All this became suddenly clear to me the other night when twice before walking out the door wearing a GAP baseball I overheard a young customer in my pub say to her mates, cap, G-Star Raw shirt, Bench track suit bottoms and Nike “If Beck’s sponsored Boyzone, it can’t be rubbish beer.” trainers then you won’t realise that you’re doing something There you have it. for free that other media charge big bucks to do.

[Cut to a hot, musty classroom at an ancient University.

Likewise, if you provide bar space for a branded font, use A bearded, white-haired Professor of Philosophy in a branded glassware or beer mats or bar runners, if you flowing robe addresses the nervous students who hang on hang a branded banner or blackboard, you are providing to his every word. “Today we explore the world of logical free publicity for breweries who don’t care if you live or die, argument using Syllogism, which has remained essentially much less if there’s any mutual benefi t to their relationship unchanged since Aristotle”. Excited murmurs from the with you. Your pub or off-license is simply another gallery. “Major Premise: Boyzone is good. Minor Premise: advertising medium, make no mistake about it. And until Beck’s sponsors Boyzone. Conclusion: Ergo, Beck’s is magazines start printing beer advertisements for free, Sky good.” All is silent until the students suddenly burst into a starts airing beer spots for free and Boyzone start shilling round of applause that quickly becomes a standing ovation. beer for free (actually, I think it was The Horrors), there’s The professor wraps his robe around himself with a flourish no reason you shouldn’t be compensated for providing the and smartly turns to exit the classroom to the sound of the most valuable advertising space there is: the one at the students chanting for more.] point of purchase. After all, who are you working for?

Not “Beck’s tastes good” or “The lovely soft carbonation in Beck’s comes from their krausening process”. Beck’s Jim Anderson is co-owner of The Anderson in Fortrose, makes beer that attracts customers because of Beck’s where the beer fonts have been de-branded

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11/09/2012 15:05:25 15:03:05

YOUTH

A CHALLENGING PROPOSITION

BY SUSAN YOUNG

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he youth market, which is key to the success of pubs it began to dawn on me how difficult it is these days to come and clubs, bar and restaurants and brands, has become up with a campaign that is effective but doesn’t run foul of the one of the most difficult age groups to market to. Why? authorities.

Because the anti-alcohol police are determined to cut out Even the biggest companies, who do their very best to comply, alcohol advertising, and as a result drinks still sometimes come up against the alcohol companies are bending over backwards to police. For instance Smirnoff came under the adhere to the Portman’s voluntary code. spotlight recently because they had created The thinking is that if they can show that a Smirnoff advert featuring Madonna on they can regulate themselves then ‘big stage. A complaint was made saying that brother’ won’t. the advert would encourage youngsters not Personally I think this could be a lost cause. yet 18 to drink. However the Advertising Particularly since our new health secretary Standards Authority (ASA) concluded Alex Neil, in his first address to the Scottish that Madonna’s fans were primarily those media (Scotland on Sunday) warned of a who enjoyed her tunes in the 1980’s and “renewed crackdown on excessive drinking.” therefore were old enough to drink.

However in the event that we can circumvent And most recently Absolut had to defend a complete ban on alcohol advertising itself when Alcohol Concern lodged a brands are, in the main, adhering to the complaint because it considered that the strict guidelines set down by The Portman Absolut London campaign, which centred Group and the Advertising Standards on a series of cartoon characters would Authority (ASA). have a strong niche appeal amongst underI would imagine most publicans and bar 18s. However the Independent Complaints owners are not aware how hard it is for ONE OF THE MOST Panel for alcohol marketing ruled that it marketeers to get their message across POPULAR YOUTH BRANDS wouldn’t. Henry Ashworth, Chief Executive that their brands are worth sampling, without breaking the of the Portman Group, which provides the secretariat for the rules. And of course, at the same time, promoting sensible Independent Complaints Panel, said, “The Panel has ruled that drinking. We have the strictest rules in the world when it Absolut London has not broken responsibility rules and the comes to alcohol marketing. For instance one of the rules is the company worked to ensure that the characters did not appear ban on using people who look like, or who are, under 25. While to be under 25.” the ASA rules which apply across all Over the last decade there has been media and are mandatory, place a a definite shift to more conservative particular emphasis on protecting attitudes towards alcohol promotions. young people. “Therefore alcohol For instance despite Stiffy’s, the 10 ads must not be directed at people year old Scottish owned brand, was under 18 or contain anything that is only banned from using the name last likely to appeal to them by reflecting year. The Portman Group decided youth culture or by linking alcohol the name of the brand was no longer with irresponsible behaviour, social appropriate and the company had to success or sexual attractiveness.” change its brand name to Stivy’s. The But there are lots of other Portman Group ruled that the ‘brand considerations too. A recent meeting name had associations with sexual with the Daily Record to go over Pub success’ and although admitting that Month marketing material was a the name had come before it in 2004 MADONNA’S FANS OLD ENOUGH prime example. Their creative guys where the complaint was not upheld, TO DRINK! had come up with pictures of various in 2011 when the complaint was made groups of people enjoying a drink at the pub. There was a woman again...the Portman Group upheld it due to the changes “in the with a child… supposed to emphasis the child friendly qualities of prevailing social climate.” pubs… but no, this was deemed to suggest a single mum might So, as you can see, it isn’t easy being a brand marketeer these take her child to the pub! Another picture of a child laughing at days. After all it is legal to drink over the age of 18, therefore a table in a pub was also not appropriate due to the fact the over 18’s can buy alcohol, but how do you get them to buy your child looked like she was enjoying herself too much. This wasn’t brand without encouraging them to drink? There used to some all, a picture of three girls perched at the bar, also ran foul of great advertising out there. But lately it has definitely been more Portman Group guidelines the cheeky message on her t-shirt muted. The fun and cheeky element of youthful brand advertising was inappropriate. As we scratched our heads with disbelief, has been knocked out of it by the alcohol watchdogs, and it > SEPTEMBER 12 DRAM 29

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YOUTH

A CHALLENGING PROPOSITION doesn’t look like it will be coming back. Brand owning companies and many bars and clubs are now putting Smirnoff back on their would argue that alcohol advertising doesn’t encourage people speed rails. to drink more, but to switch brands.

Over the last decade RTD’s (Ready to drink) have gone out of This is where bar owners and their staff come in. The more fashion, with only the stalwarts such as WKD, Crabbies and knowledgeable bar staff are at recommending drinks the better.

Smirnoff Ice still selling well. However the market is still worth Many brands have gone down the social media route - facebook, some £655m, in Scotland that would equate to £65m. websites and such like. However according to research from Recently there has been a flurry of new or relaunched RTD’s.

ICM, although social media is important with regard to engaging Global Brands has relaunched Reef and Hooch, the latter was this age group, traditional media is still most likely to generate the original lemon RTD that defined the Brit Pop generation. It a response from the 18-24 year old market. In fact the now has a new tagline, ‘Refreshment with Bite’ while The Beam research showed that young adults are slightly more likely to Spirits and Wine company launched its first RTD product Sourz buy a product or service after seeing a promotion advertising Fusion. on TV that the general population (28%) compared to 27% of The importance of bars and student venues particularly to this all consumers.

Seven percent responded category should not be underestimated. If to promotions on social networking sites and bars and clubs are not stocking the brands, only 3% of young adults respond to material the chances are students won’t be drinking sent to their mobile phones. It seems that them. the youth market although made up of highly In the last year or so there have been few new active consumers, who have cash to splash, launches targeted at the youth market. Red don’t respond to promotions. So, what do Stag... the Cherry flavoured bourbon from Jim they respond to - peer pressure?

Beam; and the newly launched Dragon Soop.

Student buy-in is critical to the success of It is aimed at clubbers and bar customers, many brands, because they represent half of who routinely buy vodka and an energy drink. the youth market. And a lot of time and effort This new ‘enhanced alcoholic beverage’ in a is made to appeal to this segment especially can, comes in at 8% abv and contains vodka, around the all important ‘freshers week’. caffeine, taurine, guarana (2 units per 250ml If you have an outlet that appeals to 18 to can). It comes in four flavours - Herbal Fusion, 25 year old customers, it’s important that Sour Apple, Blue Raspberry and Lemon & you are stocking the right brands, because Lime. students like every other market, gravitate Paul Burton Director of Corinthian Brands towards bars and clubs that they feel most Ltd, the folk behind the brand, says, “Dragon comfortable in, and that goes for the brands BRAND NEW TO THE Soop has been launched principally through they stock. But if you are producing any SCOTTISH MARKET social media. The consumer response to Available from Wallaces Express or contact Corinthian Brands (CBL) Ltd 01423 790104 info@corinthianbrands.com material, which has alcohol branding on it, to the brand has been exceptional and has attract customers to your bars or clubs you also are governed resulted in it creating a vibrant new niche in the off-trade. All by the rules of alcohol promotion… therefore no under 25 year the indications are that sales of the 250ml size will be just as olds! You need to watch your websites too... have you got any successful in the on-trade.” pictures of under 25 year olds enjoying alcohol? Do some of There’s also Jeremiah Weed, the alcoholic root beer from them look inebriated? Ignorance may be bliss, but anyone Diageo which has the novelty factor of being served in a jam retailing alcohol can’’t afford to run foul of anyone in this climate. jar. Initial activity for this brand focussed on experiential work The most successful youth brands in recent years have been intended to appeal to young men. undoubtably Jagermeister and Red Bull, and Jack Daniel’s and But the general move has been towards bringing out new flavours Coke...it’s no coincidence that the reason that these brands rather than new brands for the youth market. The advantage have done well and continue to appeal, is that the popular there would be that in these days of financial uncertainty a combinations include a mixer, and both examples have a good familiar brand name is worth paying a bit more for. So you have bar call. But at the end of the day it all comes down to taste, a myriad of Smirnoff flavours, the new Jack Daniel’s Honey, and uneducated palates still prefer a sweeter drink. Another and if Bacardi brings its US marketing over here, expect to reason that these brands do well is that people ask for the see Bacardi flavours such as Black Razz and Rock coconut. If brand by name, which is where vodka falls down...despite the companies are not bringing out brand extensions they are doing marketeers efforts, the most common bar call is a vodka and is bringing to our attention longer serves. For instance – NV coke. Bartenders may ask what brand customers would prefer, Absinthe is now being promoted as a long drink where it was but still vodka rules ‘the call’. Although anecdotal evidence from once mainly drunk as a shot. bar and club owners suggests that students are moving away What is for certain is that engaging the youth market has always from budget brands to more premium brands, such as Smirnoff, been a challenge, but it is getting more challenging by the day. dsbucket-dramfin4.pdf

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Always drink in moderation

Not suitable for persons sensitive to caffeine

www.corinthianbrands.com

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Not suitable for persons sensitive to caffeine

www.corinthianbrands.com

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SUE SAYS C

ongratulations to John Gilligan. After a re-organisation at Tennent’s he now takes on the role of MD with Jim Young taking up the Sales Director role. He tells me he is loving the job. But he promises me, despite his lofty position, he will still have time for the occasional bit of millionaires shortcake!

A day out in Edinburgh with Euan Bain, and a meet up with David Wither, Billy Lowe and a few others proved very enlightening.

Not least because I didn’t know that Euan had the capabilities to be an ‘agony aunt’. In fact I caught it all on video for Bar and Pub TV. Only joking, I did catch it on video but we won’t be broadcasting it… otherwise my colleague Lynn might clober me! It was also good to say hello to Billy Lowe’s new MD in the shape of Beverly Payne. She has been working with him as a consultant for a while, and with her experience of iconic hotels such as One Devonshire and the Malmaison hotel chain, as well as her ability to think strategically… I’m sure Saltire will reap the benefits.

We Know What Makes A Good Wine. Do You? Established over 30 years ago, Alexander Wines is one of Scotland’s leading independent wine shippers, enjoying long-standing relationships with some of the world’s foremost family producers.

To build on our success to date, we are currently looking to recruit an experienced and results orientated sales person to cover Glasgow and South West Scotland. The role will involve growing sales by developing new business, as well as maintaining and building relationships with existing customers.

The successful candidate will have experience in the wine industry and existing trade connections. A passion for wine is essential, WSET Certification would be an advantage.

Please send your CV and current remuneration with your application, stating why you think you are a suitable candidate for the position to:

fiona@alexander-wines.co.uk

0141 882 0039 Closing date for applications is

28th September 2012.

We are always on the look out for individuals passionate about a career in wine.

alexander-wines.co.uk

I love the fact that the police now have Facebook pages… Grampian police put a press release up about their drug testing initiative, the ‘itemiser’ which has the ability to detect the minutest particles of illegal substances, and they got a few responses, with people being concerned that if they had handled cash which had traces of white powder on it, would they be barred from pubs. But the police promise that the ‘itemiser’ can differentiate between trace amounts and larger quantities of drugs, and that they will assess each situation.

Nearly half of voters want ministers to stop telling them how much to drink and what to eat, according to research by YouGov. Only a fifth of those researched want the government to interfere while two out of three do not believe that politicians and civil servants are well equipped to take decisions on their behalf. Do you think that the government will pay any attention to his research? I don’t think so.

I think it is great news that there is is now an East Lothian Hospitality and Tourism Academy. This innovative partnership involving Queen Margaret University, Jewel & Esk College, East Lothian Council and a number of hotel groups involves students from three East Lothian secondary schools, and aims to raise the profile of the hospitality and tourism industries and expose young people to the tremendous wealth of career options which exist providing a range of education and work experience opportunities. Well done them. This is exactly the sort of initiative we need to get people to consider the hospitality industry as a career. Professor Alan Gilloran, Vice Principal (Academic) at Queen Margaret University, explains “If Scotland wants to be a world-class tourism destination, we need to equip a new generation of young people with the right skills and a fresh approach. Through the Academy, we will promote the attitude that service excellence is the only acceptable standard.” Fantastic.

More than 700 pubs, as we went to press, had signed up for Pub Month - the initiative which aims to drive footfall to pubs.

One issue raised by a ‘bar’ owner was that he didn’t consider his outlets ‘pubs’. Despite visiting a fair few stylish bars in my time... I still say that I am going to the pub! At the end of the day the initiative is there to publicise the fact that pubs are great places to socialise and spend some cash. If you can afford not to be part of the initiative that’s your call! Just don’t moan to me about footfall! This is a great opportunity to publicise what your pub has to offer. PR companies would bite the hands off the Daily Record to get the sort of publicity for their clients that Pub Month is giving pubs! Don’t let it pass you by.

We are launching BarandPub.TV this month - an internet TV platform which will give you information of what’s happening around the trade, brand news, new openings and such like. Obviously we are new to this… but we do have a great platform to promote bars, pubs and brands. Often we have too much information and can’t fit it all in the magazine. But now with our website, TV platform and Facebook, we will be able to get so much more information out there. We also welcome any videos that you would like to send us.

Keep it clean!

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Pictured from the left: Aberdeen City and Shire LTA Vice President Stuart Singer; President Finlay Cran; Paul Waterson, Chief Executive of the SLTA; and Jack Dempster, Secretary of Aberdeen City and Shire LTA.

COVER STORY

ROUND UP

T

wo licensed trade associations have joined forces to create a new organisation and give licence holders in Aberdeen City and Shire a stronger voice on issues that affect their livelihood. The new Aberdeen City and Shire Licensed Trade Association (snappy name!) is the result of the amalgamation of Aberdeen Excise Licensed Holders Association and Aberdeenshire, Banffshire and Kincardineshire Licensed Trade Association.

Finlay Cran, of The Albyn in Aberdeen, has been appointed as President of ACSLTA. He says, “We believe there is strength in numbers so it made sense for Aberdeen Excise Licensed Holders Association and Aberdeenshire, Banffshire and Kincardineshire Licensed Trade Association to pool our resources and work together to ensure there is consistency and harmonisation across the licensed trade” The new association is also affiliated to the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, giving members a voice at national level and membership of the City and Shire association at no extra cost.

The launch night of 29’s new Roof Terrace took place last month. The Moët & Chandon sponsored area attracted a host of 29 members and friends. Pictured top: Rachel Ramanathan, Gemma Leisegang, Maya Jethwa and from Moët & Chandon; (above right) 29 Sales & Events Manager Kimberley Wilkie with MD of Lynnet Leisure Lynn Mortimer and Maya Jethwa of Moët& Chandon; (above left) 29 Assistant General Manager Gary Ross with 29 General Manager Michael Robertson.

David MacKenzie of Kays Bar in Edinburgh retired last month after 24 years as a lessee with SNPC. But it’s not all change at Kays because David has assigned the lease to his manager Fraser Gillespie who has been with David for 23 years. Now David will be able to enjoy his more golf, and play more of his fi ve string banjo.

Iain Griffi ths (pictured centre) a 25 year-old barman from Edinburgh, has won Caorunn Gin’s first global cocktail competition.

The Scot who won the Caorunn national heat earlier this year competed against other Spanish, US and English finalists before picking up the title. He’s pictured with Caorunn’s Brand Ambassador Ervin Trykowski and Caorunn’s Brand Manager Ibolya Bakos.

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 w. www.dramscotland.co.uk Editor: Susan Young • Chairman: Noel Young • Production: Jenny Kelly 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. 34 DRAM SEPTEMBER 12

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