DRAM November 2011

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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

DRAM MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2011 ISSN 1470-241X

TENNENT’S LAUNCH NEW ALE • MEET THE CAMPBELLS • THE WATERSIDE

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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME

ennent’s certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons this month with the launch of Caledonia Best. Steve Annand and John Gilligan joined brand manager Wendy Espie for the launch as you can see on our Cover. See our news piece on page 5 for more.

This month I was invited down to The Waterside Inn in West Kilbride just ahead of its official opening. The new bar and restaurant is the brainchild of the Malcolm and Karen Simpson, and they have done a great job. See what Jason Caddy thought of the design on page 20.

Meanwhile I visited Cumnock and caught up with John and Senga Campbell. This enterprising duo have just given The Dumfries Arms a mammoth make-over, and that’s not all they have up their sleeve. See my interview on page 16.

Whisky is one of my passions and I always enjoy writing our whisky feature. Not to mention getting involved in judging the OranMor Whisky awards the results will be in next month.

Our Winter Cocktail pocket guide is also included with this month’s issue. There are lots of new cocktails to try on your customers.

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See you next month.

Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com

CONTENTS November

2011

FEATURES

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MODERNISING THE DRAM

Susan Young takes a look at whisky.

A BEER BY ANY OTHER NAME

Jim Anderson begins his regular feature.

TEAM CAMPBELL

The Campbell’s have just re-opened the Dumfries Arms. Susan Young reports.

THE WATERSIDE

SimpsInns latest outlet gets rave reviews from Jason Caddy.

REGULARS

05 19

NEWS

The latest news from around the trade.

SUE SAYS

Straight talking from our very own Editor.

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Our cover picture shows Steve Annand, left, and John Gilligan, right, with Caledonia Best Brand Manager Wendy Espie at the launch of the new brand.

NEWS

PRICE HIKE CLAIMS LEAVE A BITTER TASTE... UNLIKE NEW CALEDONIA BEST! ennent’s are not planning massive price rises, despite press reports to the contrary. The company issued a statement earlier this month, in direct response to articles which claimed that it was planning to put 30-40p on a pint. John Gilligan, Sales Managing Director of Tennent Caledonian, told DRAM, “We have a rise once a year, as most of our customers know. The press reports centre round a renegotiation of a contract with Matthew Clark, which has led it to raise its prices to customer and associated company, Punch Taverns.”

This in turn led Punch to write to its licensees alerting them to the “significant” rise and urged them to consider other brands.

But says Gilligan, “Our renegotiated deal with Punch Taverns, which involves less than 5% of the pubs in Scotland, should not result in a price increase of the magnitude being alleged and, in fact, it does not follow that there should be any price rise for publicans or consumers.

“We would like to reassure our customers and our drinkers that Scotland’s favourite pint will continue to be available in pubs across Scotland – and at significantly less than £3.50 a pint.”

And the company is not just aiming to keep Tennent’s as Scotland’s best selling lager, it is aiming to take the ale crown too, with the launch of Caledonia Best, a new beer with an ABV of 3.2%. This new mixed gas ale will now be a direct competitor to Scotland’s top selling ale Belhaven Best.

Says Gilligan, “This is an exciting development, and it should come as no surprise to the trade that our priority is to brew and sell our own brands. In Caledonia Best I believe we have an excellent product, which now means that we can offer Scottish licensees, and consumers, not only an excellent pint of lager but a superb ale too.”

As to the question, “Is it not a bit cheeky on the marketing front, with the distinct similarities to rival Belhaven Best and Caledonian IPA,” he says, “That is simply not true. Caledonia Best is a distinctive beer with a distinctive logo entirely different from competitor products. Our branding contains elements of the Tennent Caledonian heritage – reference to our famous Wellpark Brewery; the image of a lion which we registered over thirty years ago in 1980. There is a renewed interest in the ale category and consumers, and the on trade, have a relatively limited choice of “Best” beers to choose from and we are confident that there’s room in the market for Caledonia Best.”

At the launch of the new ale Steve Annand, Commerial MD told guests, “This launch starts a period of dynamic growth for the company. Beer is enjoying a renaissance, and customers are looking for more choice.”

The new brand however will have some way to go, as Belhaven Best is the leading ale in Scotland. Says Euan Venters, Chief Executive of Belhaven, “As the brewer of Scotland’s number one ale, Belhaven Best, we regard the introduction of new brands to the market as further indication of the growing popularity of ale – which can only be good for business. We’re confident that our experience, heritage and focus on quality and flavour will ensure we continue to grow market share and consolidate our market leading position. Belhaven Best is Scotland’s most popular ale with a 37%* and growing volume share of the ontrade ale market. (*CGA Brand Index Ontrade MAT to 6/8/11).

Venters also revealed that Belhaven was currently renegotiating trading

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terms with C&C, owners of Tennent’s. He told DRAM, “We are currently in negotiations with C&C and will do everything we can to protect both our trade customers and consumers.”

Meanwhile Tennent’s have appointed Kenny Taylor to look after the North of Scotland, and at Belhaven Gordon Smith has returned to the fold. Gordon was formerly MD of Belhaven’s drinks distribution business, before leaving to explore the world, and latterly he was chief executive of Fife-based Kingdom Taverns. Says Venters, “We are very pleased to announce that Gordon Smith has joined us as Sales Development Executive reporting to Graham Baird. Gordon has extensive knowledge and experience of the Scottish market generally and Belhaven specifically and will be a great addition to the already strong Belhaven team.”

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¬ 2010STORY MALT MASTERMIND FINALISTS COVER Glenfiddich are set to reveal the winner of this year’s Glenfiddich Malt Mastermind, imminently.

The bartending competition, which aims at getting the ontrade more excited about whisky, and specifically Glenfiddich, has been running for the past three months.

Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador Jamie Milne told DRAM, “We have had three times the number of entries this year compared to last year’s inaugural event. We’ve also had a more even spread. Last year the majority of the entries were from Scotland. As a result we have selected four finalists from Scotland and four from England.”

The Scottish finalists are Michael Allan of the Raconteur, Edinburgh; David Sinclair of Gleneagles Hotel; Andrew Miller of the Elbow, Edinburgh and defending his title Colin McMillan of the Three Judges in Glasgow.

Explains Jamie, “First of all contestants had to fill in an online questionnaire. If they successfully answered the questions they went through to the next round. Then they had to think up an innovative serve for Glenfiddich.

Something unusual. The best score on the questionnaire and the best idea for the serve took the finalists through.”

Jamie concludes, “Through this competition, which reflects our pioneering spirit, we are looking to create a host of new ambassadors who can help to demystify the category, raise the credentials of malt whisky and show consumers how versatile and accessible the liquid can be.”

The winner receives a trophy, a £1,000 cash prize and a VIP trip to the Glenfiddich distillery where they will get the exclusive opportunity to taste a range of rare expressions.

As we went to press the finalists were competing. So check the DRAM website for details of the winner. www.dramscotland.co.uk

SHORTS

Douglas Laing & Co has revealed significant growth, strong profits, new casks, and an award win from whisky writer Jim Murray. The company has grown turnover to £5m, increased gross profit to £2.515m and the reported pre-tax profit of £1.23m is an increase of £948,000 on last year whilst the Company’s underlying profitability rose by £200,000 (25%) to £1m.

Arran Brewery, the Scottish beer maker is expanding into the wine trade. The company has agreed a deal with Cavalier Wines, a merchant based on the Channel

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NEWS

WWW.DRAMSCOTLAND.CO.UK

NO ‘SOFTLY SOFTLY APPROACH’ TOBIN WARNS ddie Tobin and some late-night operators met police earlier this month to discuss the latest task force that have been calling on Glasgow outlets. The crack ‘Alcohol Enforcement Team’, a separate entity to the licensing police, sole remit is to deal with alcohol related problems. But this is no ‘softly softly approach’ warns Tobin. Despite the fact that the police say they are working “in partnership with the trade”, Eddie doesn’t believe that this is the case. He told DRAM, “This is enforcement. They are doing it anyway, and telling us what to do, and putting a smile on it.” He continues, “The officers have bodycams on and will record everything that is said, and if they need to, they will use this as evidence. I would advise all licensees in Strathclyde to ensure that all their paperwork is in order, that younger managers are briefed on what not to say, and that they are instructed to be very careful how the answer questions if a senior member of the company is not present. There is no such thing as a casual conversation, they should also be ensuring that their lawyers are present if they have a meeting with the police.”

He concludes, “Licensees should be careful.”

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island of Sark and a consortium of vineyward owners. Now the company will have wine list of more than 300 boutique wines from France, Italy and Spain. Arran Brewery is owned by Glasgow-based Marketing Management Services, owned by Gerald Michaluk. He said, “We’ll be targeting Italian restaurants with our large selection of Italian wines, but we’ll also be targeting our 3000 trade customers throughout the UK, most of which are pubs.”

Jeremy Beadles, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, will leave in the New Year after six years at the

Some reports from licensees suggest that the new police squad is so keen that they have been talking with inebriated customers on the streets and asking where have been, and do they want to press charges against the outlet where they have been drinking. This is only hearsay. But top licensing lawyer Stephen McGowan of Lindsays comments, ““The offence here would appear be that of the licensee selling alcohol to a drunk person. There are practically zero convictions of this particular offence because, I think, of the difficulties in establishing an evidential link and causal chain, and whether the fiscal could secure a conviction is debatable.

The idea of pursuing drunks to point the finger like this is fraught with problems.

How reliable is their testimony? What happens if the person has been drinking in more than one premises? They may have actually been refused service and asked to leave. What happens if the person has been consuming off sales as well as on sales? And why is the individual themselves not being charged? There is too much emphasis on demonising the trade and it is high time that individual responsibility was brought into this debate.”

Association. He will take up the position of Director of Corporate Relations at Heineken UK. Glasgow is the fourth best place in the Britain for nightlife according to TripAdvisor®. Liverpool took first place, while Edinburgh came in at No 10. Glasgow was just behind Manchester and London. *Rankings were taken based on reviews submitted between 1 January and 16 September 2011 The parent company of the Scotsman Hotel, the Scotsman Hotel Group Ltd, has

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PPL RECONSIDER FEES lans to hike fees to licensees by up to 2000% have been averted, for the time being, after a ground swell of opposition from the licensed trade across the country forced the PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited) to delay proposals for any hikes in fees until 1 January 2013 ‘at the earliest’. The planned increase, which was revealed in a consultation paper, was to come in under the SFE (Specially Featured Entertainment) tariff, which includes the playing of all music in pubs, but trade bodies, including the Bar, Entertainment and Dance Association (BEDA), the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) and licensed trade associations, united in opposition to the plans forcing, it would appear, PPL to reconsider its position.

Says nightclub operator Donald Mcleod who would have seen his fees rise to over £200K per annum under the proposed hike, “Obviously I am delighted. It just shows what can be achieved if we show a united front. The licensed trade across the UK was unanimous in its condemnation of the planned price increases, it just shows that we do have power when we act together.”

Jamie Macdonald, owner of Raconteur in Edinburgh, said, “I am delighted with this news. Even the larger operators are

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feeling the pinch and, as demonstrated by the Karen Murphy’s successful appeal to the European Court of Justice to win the right to show football through European decoders, we can affect change. It also begs the question, what are we getting back as small businesses?

Nothing on the face of it, so I am against any kind of hikes in fees, and I hope that the wave of resistance to PPL gathers pace.”

Jonathan Stewart, of Dundee bars including The Speedwell and The Royal Arch, said, “Any such proposed hikes would be nothing short of punitive for licensees that rely on late night trade and entertainment, so I welcome the announcement from PPL.” Glasgow-based Open Ear supply music playlists and its customers include several licensees. Speaking to DRAM, MD Brian Harvey said, “I am pleased to hear that this decision has been deferred, as I think there are more pressing issues for PPL to concentrate on. Had the hikes gone ahead, many licensees that use DJs would have quickly found it very difficult to continue with this.” Although the massive hikes have been averted licensees will still face an increased from PPL, of 5%.

gone into administration. KPMG are the joint administrator, and although the Scotsman Hotel Co Ltd, the arm of the group which ran the Scotsman Hotel, has not gone into administration, and will continue to run, the future is somewhat uncertain. The group also own 42 The Calls Hotel in Leeds and Hotel de la Tremoille in Paris.

extensive portfolio of premium beers and wines that we provide to the Scottish ontrade and provides a really exciting product aimed at the female market for our 2,000 customers in Scotland.” Molson Coors will provide additional point-of-sale support for outlets that begin offering Animée at their bar.

Animée, the new beer from Molson Coors designed by women for women, is to be distributed to the Scottish independent on-trade by Forth Wines. Ian Cumming, Commercial Director at Forth Wines comments,“Animee fits perfectly within the

Licensees are still selling their customers short, according to research carried out by Trading Standards officers in Scotland. A total of 165 licensed premises in 17 of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas were visited and 44% of the spirits poured

¬ BILLY LOWE

LOWE’S DIRTY MARTINI Billy Lowe is back in the driving seat at Saltire Taverns and already he has big plans for Le Monde.

He wants to turn, what was formerly Paris, into an upmarket jazz lounge aimed at an over 30’s age group, and called Dirty Martini. Billy told the DRAM, “I’ve been inspired by top jazz clubs in New York and places such as London’s Ronnie Scott’s. I want to create an upmarket jazz and cabaret bar that older people feel comfortable coming to.

Where they can enjoy a quality experience, whether it be dining or drinking, combined with live music. And we will be aiming at getting top class jazz musicians here.” He continues, “There are not too many places in Edinburgh where older people and couples feel comfortable. We aim to provide an environment that is sophisticated, and not just a club with loud music.”

The plans were unveiled before the city council’s licensing committee earlier this month where the firm presented supporting letters from the music industry as part of an application for a 3am licence. Stephen McGowan, of Lindsays who represent Saltire Taverns, said, “This will be a venue like nothing else in Edinburgh, or Scotland for that matter.” He added, “This is the kind of thing the music industry would be delighted to have in Scotland.” The board will vote on the proposed change of usage and late licence next month.

were found to be less than the 25ml or 35ml legal measure that the pubs were supposed to be selling. In most cases publicans have been issued with guidance on how to ensure correct measures are dispensed. Others have been issued with warnings. But where pouring short measures has been significant reports will be submitted to the procurator-fiscal.

Yu Spa has opened in the 4 star luxury Apex Waterloo Place Hotel in Edinburgh. It is the sister spa of Yu Spa in Dundee which is Scotland’s first Green Spa and shares many of the same environmental initiatives.

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£1M MAKEOVER FOR DUNOON BAR esidential property tycoons Archie and Grant McArthur of McArthur Property Ltd. have diversified into the licensed trade by opening the £1m Braes bar and restaurant in Dunoon. The father and son team will also open a boutique hotel in the former St Catherine’s Hotel on the banks of Loch Fyne in late 2012.

Grant McArthur told DRAM, “We owed the former Glasgow Hotel in Dunoon for about six years, and it had fell into disrepair, and our original plan was to convert it into flats, but we changed course and went for a restaurant, as we believed the area would greatly benefit from a quality bar and restaurant. We had a few teething problems, but things have settled down and we are already working on premises number two, St

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Catherine’s in Loch Fyne. It will re-open as a boutique hotel with chalets, plus it also has its own pier, so we are very excited about the plans we have for the property.”

The Braes took around two years to complete and also includes a function suite, with the McArthur’s responsible for the contemporary design. Says Grant, “We consulted some great design companies, but we were so sure about what we wanted and had the luxury of time on our side that we didn’t rush it. The beautiful solid oak bar, for example, came from ebay and was originally around the £40K mark, which we bagged for 10% of its original cost.” The design is clean and functional with brown leather couches, light wood, mirrors and plasma screens.

BIELDSIDE SOLD IN £1.5M DEAL Signature Pubs has sold Aberdeen’s Bieldside Inn to PB Developments Ltd for just under £1.5m. The pub was Signature Pubs’ very first unit, and was given a major refurbishment in 2004. Garreth Wood of Signature Pubs told DRAM, “There is obviously a nostalgia attached to Bieldside, as it was our very first purchase, but it was a business decision to sell pure and simple, as we are now very much concentrating on our city centre operations in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. We also think that the Bieldside needs an owner/operator with a pedigree, and we are delighted that it is in the safe hands of PB Developments.”

The Bieldside will be managed by Bob Calder, the brother-in-law of PB Developments’ founder, Stuart Clarkson. He has worked for the company for 23 years. Mr Clarkson’s two eldest sons now also play a key role in the business.

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said, “Bob currently manages The Queen Vic pub which is located in The Rosemount area of Aberdeen. He is very keen to welcome new and existing customers, as well as those who wish to return to the Bieldside Inn, to come and play a key role in reviving its community spirit and turning it back into a quality local pub with a great atmosphere.

“Bob featured on Channel 4’s Aberdeen’s edition of ‘Come Dine With Me’ where he came joint first place.

PB Developments also owns many other venues including Soul Casino, The College and Babylon also in Aberdeen.

Meanwhile Signature Pubs have bought 99 Hanover Street in Edinburgh. Says Signature Pubs Operations Director Martin Brown, “We bought the bar about a month ago. It’s a great site. We are busy decorating it, and as we speak I’ve got a company putting a new roof on.”

NEWS

CAFÉ SOURCE TOO

Café Source Ltd, owners of Café Source in St Andrews Square in Glasgow, has opened Café Source Too in Hillhead Sports Club on Hyndland Road. One of Café Source’s directors, Paul Laurie, told DRAM, “We have moved the Café Source concept west and, like our city centre operation, we are essentially managing the building for another trust and supplying catering for all the relevant areas within the space.

“Hillhead Sports Club has spent over a million on the 60-seater sports bar and 120-capacity function suite. The design is fresh and contemporary with live sports, and the bar is open seven days.”

DUKES BAR BACK IN BUSINESS

The tiny corner property at the junction of Lumsden Street and Old Dumbarton Road in Glasgow will re-open at the end of the month and revert to its former name, Dukes. Owners AB Leisure Limited is working with CM Design Consultants on a brand new £100k interior for the bar at 41 Old Dumbarton Road. During its 80s heyday Dukes hosted a live gig by The Clash during the band’s busking tour and this is being marked by a commemorative plaque outside the bar. The look and feel of the new Dukes is being kept under wraps, although six new full height windows have been installed to date. The premises last traded as The Rogue and has been closed for just over a year.

FULLERTHOMSON MOVE INTO GLASGOW

FullerThomson has taken over the lease on Belhaven pub The Millhouse at the bottom of Glasgow’s Byres Road. Acting manager Alex Mctorque told DRAM, “The company is currently outlining plans for how to take the pub forward in terms of a refurbishment and marketing strategy, and although no timeline has been discussed, any changes that are made are likely to happen in the new year.” Formerly The Byre, past owners of the Millhouse have included former Candy Bar owners Scott Mackay and Duncan Robertson, and Colin Beattie of Skerryvore. It’s the first venture into Glasgow by FullerThomson owners Gary Thomson and Gordon Fuller, who also have Dukes Corner, Drouthy Neebors and Jute in Dundee as well as Holyrood 9a and Red Squirrel in Edinburgh.

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MODERNISING THE DRAM SUSAN YOUNG PONDERS THE ISSUE THAT MINTEL RECENTLY RAISED...THE MAKRET ANAYLSTS SUGGESTED THAT UNLESS WE GOT AWAY FROM THE HEATHER AND HILLS IMAGE OF WHISKY SALES WERE GOING TO SLIP DRASTICALLY IN THE UK. ince I have writing about whisky, some 20 years, the age old issue has been ‘how to attract new drinkers without alienating current whisky drinkers’? But despite the talk it seems that the whisky industry has failed, to date, to conquer this issue. Mintel, the renowned market anaylsts believe that sales are slipping and set to drop a further 10% in the next 5 years due to the fact that whisky is being marketed inappropriately for its UK and Scottish consumers. And I totally agree.

Younger drinkers will come into whisky through the blended market. Mintel too acknowledges this, but lays the blame of declining whisky sales firmly at marketeers who are failing to attract younger drinkers to the dominant blended Scotch category.

This has led to a 8.5% decline in blended volume sales between 2003 and 2008. But not only that even traditional long-standing drinkers are losing their taste for blends. Out of sight of mind?

The only major blend making an effort in this category is the Famous Grouse with its Naked Grouse, Snow Grouse and Black Grouse expressions – however I still think the marketing is somewhat old-fashioned. I can see why it may want to sponsor a birds charity – and I’m talking about the feathered variety not the female one – but it might have been more interesting if was the latter. I’d love to see Snow Grouse sponsoring snowboarding and quirky advertising round the Naked Grouse – if you are going to use a word that conjures up nakedness why not have some fun around it? At least it might get the younger generation talking about it.

Another blend raising its profile is Wm Grant, Grant’s is sponsoring Piers Morgan’s Life stories, and another series has just started. It certainly gives it a diverse audience, but not necessarily of the younger variety.

The only hesitation with regard to Mintel’s study is the use of the word ‘heather’. Now I don’t know about you but I can’t recall any heather in whisky advertising of late – scenery yes, heather, no. But then again what whisky advertising has stood out in the last few years. And what TV advertising has there been?

The Famous Grouse animated TV grouse is quirky, but it’s been more than a decade since this campaign was launched, and I know I was at the launch. While the last Bell’s campaign – the bearded man, was hardly ‘of the moment’. Talisker shot itself in the foot in its press advertising by using a French lighthouse instead of one in

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the vicinity of Skye. These ads are standing out for the wrong reasons.

But the analysts are adamant pictures of rugged coastline and an elitist reputation as a tipple for connoisseurs are contributing to its predicted decline of up to £300m in UK whisky sales by 2016.

Some folk have called it ‘sounding an alarm’, I’d call it ‘a wake up call’. The time for pussy footing around whisky marketing is over.

Can any industry afford to lose £60m a year in sales? And while exports have risen 60% over the past decade, driven by demand from emerging markets such as Japan and Brazil, sales within the UK have slowed. “Given its theoretical advantages – including local heritage, authenticity and quality – the question must be asked why malt whisky isn’t performing better,” says Jonny Forsyth, senior drinks analyst at Mintel. He continues, “Even those brands that have invested in their profile, such as Glenfiddich and Talisker, have been guilty of focusing on ‘heather and weather’ imagery rather than the more personable identity projected by the likes of bourbon import, Jack Daniel’s. Such a focus is far from emotionally engaging and feels somewhat tired.”

Certainly when we do our ‘Speed tasting’ events our guests say that they are ‘intimidated by the range of whisky on offer.’ They don’t know where to start when it comes to ordering it at the bar, and they don’t realise that yes you are allowed to drink it long. Mintel’s report bore this out. Says Forsyth, The key to the success of bourbon is that consumers feel that they have more ‘permission’ to drink them with mixers.

The same is true of dark rum.” But with whisky it is still not the case, despite the fact that some blends are promoting whisky with ginger ale and coke.

And although the whisky companies main markets are abroad, the UK is still the fourth largest market.

Says Alex Nicol of Spencerfield Spirits, the company behind Pigs Nose and Sheep Dip, “Although we don’t do a lot of advertising, we do, do a lot of sampling. I get as many bartenders as possible to try it. Because customers will see the bottle and the name and ask what it is.”

He continues, “We can do things a bit differently, and we do. I am prepared to take a risk with our marketing, I just wish some of the brand managers in the bigger companies would. But then they are probably worried about losing their jobs.”

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MODERNISING THE DRAM He adds, “I’ve got some small casks that are lined with sheep skin, and for instance at the recent Wallace’s trade show, we gave them to licensees buying Sheep Dip, they loved it, and it creates interest on the back bar.”

There are other brands also aimed at a younger market such as Monkey Shoulder, but again although this brand has done an excellent job seeding itself into the conciousness of bartenders has it make an impact on consumers?

Ian Macleod Distillers have also brought out a more contemporary brand in the shape of Smokehead. They believed that there was an “innate conservatism’ in the whisky market and wanted to appeal to modern drinkers.

Speyside’s smallest distillery, Benromach, has certainly created a more contemporary feel to its advertising with its ‘Share the secret’ campaign which actually features male and female drinkers.

It has also just expanded its portfolio with the release of three new expressions. David Urquhart tells me that many whisky companies

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are not advertising but using social media to link in with their potential customers. It has also released some very expensive special bottles of late, and has used younger members of the family to launch them. This again reinforces a more contemporary image of malt whisky.

Glenfiddich too is trying to get to younger consumers. As well as its Malt Mastermind competition it has also been running Minimentor evenings in bars, to allow consumers of all ages to ask an expert questions and take part in tastings. Says Jamie Milne, brand ambassador for Glenfiddich, “We do sampling with different aged products, the aim is to show people that older is not necessarily better, and to persuade them that what is important is right for them.”

Next year when I write this article I hope that I will be able to report on some more innovative marketing initiatives. I’ve got a challenge to whisky marketeers, go on take a risk, what have you got to lose?

You’ve got it all to gain.

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A BEER BY ANY OTHER NAME

JIM ANDERSON, AS WELL AS RUNNING THE ANDERSON IN FORTROSE, IS PASSIONATE ABOUT BEER. THIS MONTH HE WRITES HIS FIRST COLUMN FOR THE DRAM. here were some illusions I had about Scottish pubs when my family and I prepared to move to the Highlands from America in 2003. The first was that every Friday night, fiddlers would turn up out of the blue and a session would break out. (What I found was that every Friday night, neds would turn up out of the blue and a fight would break out.) Another was that my pub would be lined with ranks of real ale pumps and my arms would soon be hard as oaks from non-stop pouring. (What I found was a single pump featuring a minging, 15-day-old cask of Theakston’s Hogshead that the previous owner couldn’t even shift at a pound a pint.) A third illusion that I had was that, having chosen to move to an englishspeaking nation I would be able to communicate freely with my customers. I had no idea how difficult that would be.

SAMPLE EXCHANGE OVER BAR, WEEK ONE - JIM: Hiya, what may I get for you? PUNTER: What beer do you have? JIM: Well, let’s see . . . we have all these you see in front of you, plus around 60 bottles . . . PUNTER: No, what BEER do you have? JIM: Well, what sort of beer do you like? PUNTER (getting aggravated and making a furious handpump motion with his hand): BEER, mate, I want a BEER! You see, in America, a beer is any alcoholic drink that isn’t wine, spirit or RTD. But here it must mean what I know as “real ale.” No problem.

SAMPLE EXCHANGE OVER BAR, WEEK TWO - JIM: Hiya, what may I get for you? PUNTER: [Looking at fonts] What ales do you have? JIM: [Pausing to think] Well, we have our guest Belgian.

PUNTER: What’s that? One of those Continental Lagers? JIM: No, it’s actually an ale. PUNTER: No it’s not. Ale comes from England.

Right. So, a lager is anything from beyond England. I’ve always known ale as a top-fermented malt beverage, which would include real ale, but also other top-fermented products like Belhaven Best, Guinness Stout and 99% of the output of Belgium. No problem.

SAMPLE EXCHANGE OVER BAR, WEEK THREE - JIM: Hiya, what may I get for you? PUNTER: Pint a lager. JIM: [Beginning to break into a sweat] Well, we’ve got our guest Belgian and Pilsner Urquell.

PUNTER: [Agitated with having to explain things to yet another foreign barman in Scotland] Not that crap from the Continent. Lager, mate, pint a lager! )OK, now I’m really confused. Beer means real ale. Ale might mean ale, but only if it’s from England. Lager might mean lager, but only if it’s from the Continent or not from the Continent. It’s time for some research, because the language barrier is higher than I’d imagined.

Maybe I’ll consult the foremost English & American dictionaries to clear things up. After all, they’re in the business of getting words right, right?

Oxford English Dictionary Beer - An alcoholic drink made from yeast-fermented malt flavoured with hops.

Ale - Any beer other than lager, stout, or porter.

Lager - A kind of effervescent beer which is light in colour and body.

Confused? Me too, but just wait.

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AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY Beer - An alcoholic beverage made by brewing and fermentation from cereals, usually malted barley, and flavored with hops and the like for a slightly bitter taste.

Ale - 1. A malt beverage, darker, heavier, and more bitter than beer, containing about 6 percent alcohol by volume. 2. British beer.

Lager - Also called lager beer. A beer stored from six weeks to six months for aging before use.

Wow! Okay, at least both sides of the pond agree on what “beer” is, a name for the family of fermented grain beverages seasoned with hops. But what are we supposed to make of the rest of that mess?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a bottle of Duechars IPA could be both ale and lager. Even worse, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, a bottle of Schneider Aventinus is both ale and lager, and beer but not beer! Beginning to question my understanding of the whole thing, I decided to turn to my fellow experts.

CALEDONIAN BREWERY GLOSSARY Ale - Beers distinguished by use of top fermenting yeast strains, which perform at warmer temperatures than do yeasts used to brew lager beer.

Lager - Brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast . . . leaving a crisp clean taste which produce [sic] fewer by-product characters than ale yeast.

Beer Pages by Roger Protz & Tom Cannavan Ale - The common term for any English-style, "top-fermented" beer, an ale is always a beer, but not all beers are necessarily ales.

Lager "Bottom-fermented" beer . . . traditionally aged for up six months Ah, so there you have it. Beer can be top-fermented or bottomfermented - it’s the type of yeast that decides. Ale is top-fermented beer and lager is bottom-fermented beer.

Lagers can include Pilsner, Pilsener, Pils, Bock, Doublebock, Vienna Lager, Munich Lager, Schwartzbier, Maerzen, Oscura, Helles.

Brands can include Foster’s, Kronenbourg, Coors, Carlsberg, Paulaner, Budweiser, Budvar, Spaten, Stella Artois, Dos XX, Tuborg, Lowenbrau, Holstein, Corona, Heineken, Sol – in short, any beer made with what? BOTTOM-FERMENTING YEAST. Ales can include Bitter, ESB, Pale Ale, IPA, Porter, Altbier, Dry Stout, Sweet Stout, Imperial Stout, Mild. Brands can include Bass, Belhaven, John Smith’s, Boddington’s, Guinness, Younger’s plus hundreds of British, American & Belgian microbreweries – in short, anything made using (you guessed it) TOP-FERMENTING YEAST. Where does that leave Real Ale? Well, okay, it’s Beer (of course) and it’s Ale, as defined by the top-fermenting yeast that’s active within the cask. Simple, right?

Right -- unless you happen to be talking about Harviestoun Schiehallion, Oakleaf I Can’t Believe It’s Not Bitter, Dent Rambrau, Cain’s Finest Lager and the other handful of cask-conditioned lagers made with . . . well, you get the idea.

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THE CAMPBELLS ARE A VERY INDUSTRIOUS COUPLE. SUSAN YOUNG CAUGHT UP WITH THEM AT THE DUMFRIES ARMS IN CUMNOCK. When the guys at Molson Coors suggested that I interview John and Senga Campbell who had a hotel in Cumnock, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I certainly didn’t expect to see a multi-million pound boutique establishment complete with plush banqueting suite, especially when it has a very traditional name…the Dumfries Arms.

John explains, “We bought the Dumfries Arms back in 1997 as an investment, at a good price, and leased it out. Over the years it didn’t get a lot of investment and by the time we decided to take it back ourselves, it really was dilapidated, in fact we closed it for a while because we decided that when we did renovate it we wanted to do it right.”

And there is no doubt, they have done it right. The Dumfries Arms is now a luxury 26-bedroom hotel, with a 250 capacity banqueting suite, cocktail bar and restaurant and private dining room.

The couple were fortunate enough to benefit from a CARS grant from the local council. Says John, “We got a lot of support from East Ayrshire Council and this really encouraged us. It also helped that I am a builder, so although we spent a few million pounds we also saved a huge amount, because my company did the work. This allowed us to do the job properly. We didn’t stint.”

They also didn’t change the name.

Says John, “We thought about it, and then decided to keep the traditional name, and I’m glad we did.”

It opened back in July and Senga is the first to admit the opening was rather stressful, mainly because they were working to a tight deadline – the date of her daughter Kylie’s wedding to Jordan Lennox!” She explains, “The week before people were calling us to ask if the wedding was still on. Even the photographer was a bit nervous. But I thrive on a deadline, and it NOVEMBER 11 DRAM

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was such a great feeling when the day went to plan. Everyone said how much they loved the venue. It made all the stress worthwhile.

Despite the fact that we were still cleaning the hotel at 1am the night before!”

The couple first came into the trade in 1991 when they purchased The Railway Hotel in Auchinleck. Says Senga, “We were looking for a house, and John came home and said what about a pub? When we took it on I don’t think I had ever even been in a public bar. In fact the customers there had to help me out with the names of the drinks when we took over. But I loved it, particularly when the pub was buzzing. I gravitated towards the kitchen, and really became the chef, and I have been instrumental in building up that side of our business ever since.”

John continues, “We ran the Railway Hotel the way it was for the first two years and then the money we made was used to refurbish it.”

Senga explains, “When we took it over it didn’t have a function suite and it only had a couple of bedrooms. Once John renovated it we had seven bedrooms and a function suite for 300. The business just came in – we did weddings, funerals, you name it. It really became the focal point in the town.”

While Senga was busy with the day to day running of the Railway Hotel, and bringing up three girls, John built his house building business up, Northkirk Building Co, and got involved in buying and selling properties. Although they are only operating two premises now, with another project imminent, over the years they have bought other pubs and leased them out. But Senga says, “We are not going to buy and put tenants in any more. We made good money in the past from this business model, but as far as we are concerned that time has passed. We want to own and run our own outlets now, and

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Mother of the bride, Senga Campbell, with the new Mr & Mrs Lennox and proud father John Campbell.

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TEAM CAMPBELL

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LICENSEE INTERVIEW CONTINUED refurbish them to a standard that we are happy with.”

Says John, “The Dumfries Arms project came at the right time. It’s quiet in the building business at the moment and it meant that I was able to concentrate on the Dumfries Arms.”

While John deals with the bricks and mortar and suppliers, it is Senga that handles Campbell Inns interior design. But this is the first time she has worked with designers. Says Senga, “Initially I was going to do it myself. But it was great working with the interior designers because it meant that although I picked the colours, they did all the story boards and sourced everything. So I didn’t have to run about. But I did pick everything. I get ideas from other places. I like seeing different places and with three girls we do go out a lot and try new places. John would prefer to be on the golf course, but I like to know what is on trend. For instance we have used digitally enhanced wallpaper in the reception. I’ve always got a camera in my bag, and I love places that appeal to all age groups.”

John deals with all the suppliers, but that’s hardly surprising considering he also owns a wholesale company which also comes under the Campbell Inns banner. Says John, “We supply about 300 pubs, clubs and restaurants in the West. Obviously I have a good relationship with most suppliers, and if I don’t I stop dealing with them.”

He has been particularly impressed with Molson Coors and his rep Michael McShane. Says John, “We’ve only been dealing with Michael for about 18 months, but in that time I have found him exceptional. He goes above and beyond what you would expect. He comes up with ideas for the business and generally is first to offer support. I’m not surprised that Carling is proving so popular with my customers, it won’t be long before it is my pouring brand.”

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is that he’s a bit different. He says it how it is, and I really appreciate that.”

Since the Dumfries Arms opened in July they have had dignitaries from as far afield as Hong Kong and Istanbul. Says Senga, “We are the closest hotel to Dumfries House, which was purchased by a consortium of charities and heritage bodies in 2007 after HRH the Prince of Wales, under his title as the Great Steward of Scotland, championed it. As a result we get lots of visiting dignitaries. Dumfries House doesn’t have any rooms and this has been a great opportunity for us to showcase what we have at the Dumfries Arms. But we are now embarking on a major marketing initiative. People still don’t know we are here, and don’t realise what we have to offer. Ideally I would like to be doing two weddings a week here and have the hotel running at maximum capacity!”

The next project for the couple could be the Bellisle Hotel in Ayr. Says John, “We are still ironing the detail out, but I am hoping that we can start work on it soon. It will take about 18 months to complete.”

And Senga is looking forward to it.

She says, “I can’t wait to have wedding venue like the Bellisle.

Although the Dumfries Arms is great, and its proximity to Dumfries House is ideal, where the Bellisle is situated is perfect. And perhaps it will be ready in time for our next daughter’s wedding!

But meantime the couple plan to get the Dumfries Arms operating smoothly. Says Senga, “We are nearly there, and we are enjoying being here. It gives us both a great deal of pleasure.”

As for slowing down and enjoying the fruits of their labour, says Senga, “I enjoy going on holiday but the stress of leaving the business is sometimes too much, while John is happiest on the golf course.

But we both get such a buzz out of the hospitality business that I can’t imagine doing anything else!”

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he Scottish Government has launched its Minimum Pricing Bill, finally. There is no doubt that this bill is good news for the on-trade. And many drinks companies have backed it. It means that there will be more of a level playing field when it comes to pricing. Thou’ supermarkets are already getting round the ban on drinks promotions – they are now selling wine at £3.33… and many have stopped selling single servings of beer, which still allows them to continue to sell multi-packs at knock down prices… not only that but we are still seeing adverts in the press and on TV advertising the bargain prices on spirits! Why doesn’t the Scottish Government simply ban supermarkets from advertising the price of alcohol in the media? Is that not a more simple solution that minimum pricing? Where’s the research that would show the benefits – after all if shops can’t use alcohol as a loss leader to get folk into their stores, surely it will no longer become such an effective marketing tool?

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There are some positive policing figures out – the Scottish Policing Performance Framework Annual Report, 2010-11, reveals that crime is now at a 35-year low and recorded crime and offences have fallen by 5.6% since last year. The figures may go up next year if the new Strathclyde Alcohol Enforcement Unit has its way. They are actively targeting licensed trade premises looking for alcohol misdeamenours. And they plan to prosecute. The police say they aim to work in tandem with the licensed trade, but Eddie Tobin says it’s nothing of the sort. He warns the Glasgow licensed trade to be vigilant. Says Eddie, “Even if licensees have everything in order, it’s Murphy’s law that something will go wrong when the the police arrive!”

PPL have listened to the licensed trade and backed down over their massive price hikes. This was because of a concerted effort by all trade bodies and individual licensees. Think what could have been achieved with regard to Sky TV if licensees had been more proactive at fighting their constant fee increases. Could it be that the operators in the late-night economy have more drive – they certainly have more attitude!

I had organised to meet John Gilligan on the day the story broke on the alleged increase in Tennent’s prices, I expected him to be a bit uptight. But no, he was just the same as always – a sandwich and millionaire’s shortcake… and greeting and meeting the folk that came into the wee coffee shop. “We’re all traders,” he told me, “but we don’t renegotiate prices at the drop of a hat, and our customers know that.” And on his first six weeks in the job, John told me, “I must have sent out over 4,000 emails, and I can’t count the number of spreadsheets that have come my way. However the main thing is that customers know that I am always at the end of a phone. The only negative note has come from the parking guy at the brewery…I keep parking in the wrong spot!”

And talking of Tennent’s, they have been very cheeky with the launch of Caledonia Best. Although there may be other ‘Best’ beers, let’s face it, it’s obvious from the branding that they are going to be going after Belhaven’s share of the Scottish ale market.

What is good news for the on-trade is that this will mean customers will be talking about and either sticking to their regular brew or trying the newcomer. As the two brands fight it out expect to see good promotions, great advertising and customers talking about Best. And service levels will probably never have been better as reps come through your doors!

It strikes me that Ayrshire is a hotbed for entrepreneurial spirit.

You’ve got the Blairs, Bill Costley, the Simpsons and the Campbells and many more. These guys are running multi-million pound businesses, bringing a massive amount of money into the local economy and employing hundreds of people. Their outlets are first class and they all deserve a real pat on the back. Maybe there something in the water?

My colleagues headed along to Glasgow’s Ashton Lane to enjoy the Miller Creatures of the Night event. It certainly gave them a fright!

But luckily for West End bars, it also gave them a turn. Said one licensee, “We had an extremely busy Halloween weekend. It was busier than last year, and I think it was because of the Ashton Lane celebrations.” (see above) The problem with a printed magazine is that it takes a few days to print and then a few days to reach you through the post. But we do update the website regularly. For instance by the time you read this the Ben Barrel Ball will be well and truly over for this year, as it takes place in two days time. But lucky for everyone the photos are already online! Check out the DRAM website at www.dramscotland.co.uk Jim McLaughlin, known to many as DJ Jim Da Best has opened his own bar Vespbar on Glasgow’s Drury Lane. The bar, which was formerly O’Henry’s, has been given a mini-makeover by Jim and partner Suzanne, and is now open for business. Jim told DRAM, “I’ve been trying for a number of years to get my own premises, and I am delighted to be finally open.” The bar is quirky, with a mezzanine and a basement which Jim plans to use for live music.

Meanwhile his pizza oven is going great guns - with foot long pizza’s delighting his new customers.

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DESIGN FOCUS : THE WATERSIDE, WEST KILBRIDE BY JASON CADDY very once in a while I walk into a brand new bar or restaurant that pretty much ticks all the boxes, and The Waterside Inn, West Kilbride, is a case in point. What had resembled a dilapidated building off the main Largs to Ardrossan road is now a New-England-meets-Cape-Cod restaurant at the water’s edge, with views to die for and an interior design verging on the spectacular.

I’d say that it has to be one of the most impressive turnarounds the area has witnessed, so much so that I’d bet a certain other Ayrshire operator with Marina developments will be keeping a very close eye on The Waterside.

SimpsInns, the company responsible, also counts Ayrshire outlets The Gailes and The Old Loans Inn as part of its portfolio, and it also has a new Irvine eatery under construction. This glass-fronted twostorey Mediterranean/Italian restaurant called Si! Bar and Café is on the site of the former Golf Hotel. But I deviate.

Malcolm and Karen Simpson run the company, and Gerry Thomson of Thr3 Design in Glasgow breathed life into their ideas for The Waterside. Says Malcolm, “It’s been a long time coming, and I’ve been going around saying ‘stop drilling and get the tills ringing’ so it’s a relief to see it finally open. The design has a Cape Cod influence for sure, and we wanted to make a statement with it and, judging by all the feedback, we are 99.9% there.

“On a personal level, I have always wanted a venue with an open kitchen, although I have been rather nervous about this, so far so good. The veranda, which has a capacity for 65 covers in the summer, is a strong point too, plus there is space for 180 covers inside, making The Waterside a force to be reckoned with in the area.”

Although this is by no means the final result, and the diggers are set to begin rolling again to bring phase two to fruition – a hotel and function suite, within the next year or so. Explains Malcolm, “Next up in the adjacent site (currently covered in hoardings) will be a banqueting suite with 20 bedrooms above, all designed around a U-shaped roof garden.”

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But back to The Waterside as it stands. I went along, on the night of its dry run ahead of opening proper the following day. And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who left with a crick in my neck from looking around at all the facets of what is a busy, intelligent design.

The slatted wooden interior resembles the weatherboard of a ship which is used extensively in the USA. This look isn’t just confined to the walls, it has also been reproduced on the tabletops and the mirrors either side of the two-faced island bar, with large portholes in the middle allowing the customers to catch the eyes of the staff 360 degrees around the bar. And after the reception desk on the right as you enter, it’s this island bar that hits you right between the eyes.

It stands at the centre point of the main area (there is a second smaller area through a doorway to the left) with two back-to-back serving stations separated by a gantry of glass and, along with the nautical mirrors, there are also some rather nifty glass wine racks and cabinets displaying the bottles cleanly and stylishly. The bar top is a back and white veined marble, and there are large hanging lights over the bar which resemble buoys encased in fishermen’s net, running along the top of both sides of the bar, and they look tremendous. One entire wall opposite the near bar has been NOVEMBER 11 DRAM

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covered in a sepia mural depicting fishermen grappling with the elements during a storm at sea. And dotted about the ceiling as well as the walls are maps of the local coastline that have been treated to give them an aged look, but some have been made to look a bit more contemporary through the use of a wash of colour.

The dominant colour scheme on the walls and floorboards all around the bar is teal (bluish green) and white. There’s also stone flagging on the floor at certain points. Elsewhere, exposed house brick has been used to break up the teal and white and adds a balance to save the clientele from any bouts of seasickness brought on by a teal and white overload.

The seating is so varied that to discuss it in detail would warrant a stand-alone feature, so, in a nutshell, there are wooden chairs painted in teal, and bar stools and banquettes, with all kinds of upholstery, ranging from candy striped and hounds tooth check, to more subtle block colours with fine silver threads running through them.

The top right hand corner of the space as you enter is very interesting, as it comprised a lounge with pebbles in a caged wall, a real wood fire burner, silver stag’s head, huge antique clock face, benches/banquettes/sofas and the bustling open kitchen. There’s

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also a wall of white painted shutters festooned across the back wall above some banquettes with letters printed on them, a bit like Louis Vuitton had had a hand in the design. Above which hang some very attractive rainbow coloured beehive lampshades. The lighting, in fact, is another talking point with a multitude of designs ranging from simplistic to more ornate, like dark green shades with a black metal cage encasing them.

This is unsurprisingly the hub of the Waterside and will be throughout the seasons, as a little way along, right opposite the bar, are the main set of patio doors onto the veranda where only a low stone wall separates you from the sea. Despite being pitch black on my visit, I did see pictures of the sea view by day and at sunrise, and it’s gorgeous, so I’m sure that this will be a favourite spot for couples tying the knot.

Further round the bar are some nautical knick-knacks on shelves.

One shelf is dividing two seating areas, with elaborate rigging, blue vases and yacht models. The other shelf sits above a set of double doors into area number two, and there are yachts, seabirds and other ornaments of the same ilk, all bathed in a blue up light.

This lighting effect is prevalent in area number two which comprises a ground floor area and mezzanine. Downstairs along the left hand side are u-shaped booths in teal, lit from above using lights with wooden shades, like a woven basket, and candles on a wall shelf in what look like lobster pots. In the central area are high tables and stools, with standard tables and chairs at the sea view side. Up stairs the mezzanine also benefits from sea views thanks to a dozen or so Velux windows in the ceiling. The mezzanine – and indeed this entire area – would lend itself perfectly to private dining or corporate functions as a breakout space perhaps.

The location has literally contributed to the design, but so has a wealth of imagination, and the scale of ambition around this project is impressive. I am looking forward to my return visit, both to check out the sea view, and see how phase two shapes up over the next twelve months.

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DESIGN FOCUS : VIVA BRAZIL, GLASGOW BY JASON CADDY usiness partners Andy Aldrich and Ian Coffers are patient men. Their first £1.15m Scottish outing, Viva Brazil, on Glasgow’s Bothwell Street, took two years to materialise because of planning wrangles and strictures laid down by Historic Scotland. It also went over budget. Says Andy, “We looked at opening in Glasgow first of all, but because planning negotiations took longer than we anticipated, Viva Brazil Liverpool jumped the queue to become our first restaurant opening, but Glasgow remained a must for us, so we soldiered on and spent a good deal more money than we’d earmarked.”

My first impressions of their spacious Brazilian restaurant situated on Bothwell Street confirm that it was well worth the wait, as the interior design is superbly sympathetic to the former Post Office’s original Victorian interior, fused with what is fast becoming Viva Brazil’s ‘South American chic’ signature look. And it’s soon to be rolled out in the Capital, if all goes to plan. “We are just about to view a property on George Street in Edinburgh,” explains Andy. “We have waited a long time for a prime location such as this to become available so we are excited at the prospect.”

The interior design of Viva Brazil was designed by local architects, Graham and Sibbald, and Andy’ business partner Ian Coffer’s company, William Ltd. based in Warrington, acting as main contractor, naturally.

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So how does it look? A wall of original windows allows natural light into the main part of the restaurant, which is effectively divided into four parts: the bar, restaurant and two more intimate alcoves off the restaurant at the back of the space, and tucked away from the glare of passers by. Although according to customer feedback garnered in the first week of trading, the window seats unsurprisingly have been the most coveted.

But let’s start at the entrance vestibule, complete with rich red walls and mosaic tiled floor, and three rectangular windows that give you a view on the restaurant. The first thing to confront you is the dark wooden bar, with tall tables in front of it, and a continuation of the rich red on the walls. The walls are just shy of the ceiling, resembling a studio set for television, as Historic Scotland insisted that the original ceiling be retained with no false walls touching it, as well as preserving and protecting the original floor, which has been concealed by the restaurant’s dark wooden floorboards and swirly white and fawn-coloured carpet. The bar itself has been constructed using a similar wood and has a rustic look to it, compounded by the wrought iron lights and simple shades.

A partition with several through shelves separates this area from the 230-cover restaurant. Various ornaments are on display on the shelves, such as gold vases, and there’s also a rather interesting mosaic on the restaurant-facing side of the partition wall.

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The centre point of the design is the central island servery and salad bar, lit by three chandeliers and decked out with a brown and white veined marble top. Along the far wall are leather banquettes, upholstered in a cowhide, and the ranch theme is extended in the various rancho artwork. There’s also a gold framed mirror hanging in the middle of the wall.

Dark wood chairs - with an array of different upholsteries – and tables populate the rest of the space, which is lit by some more wrought iron lights, next to exposed ventilation. This, again, was another in Historic Scotland’s long list of stipulations and shouldn’t work in this context, but it looks quite cool and intentional. The back wall houses the charcoal and gas ovens, doors to the various kitchens, including one dedicated to raw meat only, to prevent any cross contamination. At the furthest end from the kitchen is a door to a back corridor, off which the toilets are located. The men’s is clean, simple and functional enough with more heavy duty wood and sleek grey tiles – but the ladies are something else. They are very opulent indeed, with huge ornate mirrors and tiles and carpet, the sum of which screams high end boutique hotel. And if you’re left slightly cold by the idea of a carpeted toilet, I’d say reserve your judgement.

Back to the restaurant and at the back of the space are two secluded areas at either end of the back wall and so opposite each other. The first, which is just beyond the bar area, is home to the coffee station and some brighter coloured booths and Brazilian object d’art, the pinnacle of which is a framed picture made up of copper bowls stuck base-down to the canvas. The opposite area is larger, slightly raised and cordoned off by a balustrade and is a lot darker, thanks to the bluish grey wallpaper with a feint fern pattern and huge circular pendant lights with brown shades. I think this area would be ideal for private dining.

There’s a growing Brazilian and Portuguese community in Scotland, and the way the food is presented and served is interesting and unique. So in both a business and cultural sense, this is a great addition to Glasgow’s restaurant scene.

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTS

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ROUND UP It was a real honour to become a Keeper of the Quaich last month. I was in good company. As you can see from the pictures the good and the great of the whisk y industry were there, and with the whisky flowing we all really enjoyed ourselves. Well done to the organisers for their military precision when it came to the event itself, and to my fellow KeeperÊs who came from 16 dif ferent countries for the ceremony. It was fabulous.

DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING PUBLISHED BY MEDIA WORLD LIMITED UPPER FLOOR / FINNIESTON HOUSE / 1 THE STABLES YARD / 1103 ARGYLE STREET / GLASGOW / G3 8ND t. 0141 221 6965 e. dram@mail.com web. www.dramscotland.co.uk Editor: Susan Young • Chairman: Noel Young • Production: Jennifer Kelly Advertising Executives: Martin Cassidy, Emma MacDonald • Editorial: Jason Caddy • Administration: Cheryl Cooke Published by Media World Ltd. Subscriptions: DRAM is available by subscription for all other qualified persons involved in the Scottish Licensed Trade at the rate of £48 per annum including the DRAM Yearbook.

The publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. Any transparencies or artwork will be accepted at owner’s risk. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. © Media World Limited 2011.

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