DRAM May 2013

DRAM

273 DRAM MAGAZINE MAY 2013 ISSN 1470-241X

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

INTRODUCING McEWAN’S RED • Interviewee Tom Lewis • Angels Share

ROLLING OUT ACROSS the country

all outlets supported with premium fount, branded glasses and full pos kit. supported by strong tv campaign, outdoor posters and new website.

To give your customers the RED carpet treatment, call 0131 339 3000.

2 DRAM MAY 2013

mcewans.co.uk

273 259 DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME

W

ell, we are still waiting for spring to kick in, no doubt cider makers are hoping the weather is going to improve and quick. Never the less, it remains one of the most vibrant drink categories in the on-trade. See our cider feature on page 13.

Our front cover features Colin Beattie and Ian Risby at the launch of McEwan's Red, the new ale from Wells & Young's. See our news pages for the full story. This month we catch up with Chef Tom Lewis at his newest venture MHOR 84 near Balquidder. Find out what he had to say on pages 22 - 24. Meanwhile Jason Caddy paid a visit to the newly opened Angels Share in Edinburgh and also reports on the ÂŁ750K refurbishment at Kinloch Castle Hotel. Don't forget to enter the DRAM Awards, the closing date for entries is 10th May. Good Luck.

Susan Young Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com

CONTENTS

May

2013

FEATURES

13 22 32 18

cider: adding flavour to the on-trade There's mhor where this comes from Tom Lewis fills Susan Young in on MHOR 84.

Design Focus

We take a look at Angels Share on Edinburgh's Hope Street and Kinloch Lodge near Pitlochry.

DRAM Awards 2013

All the categories and an entry form.

REGULARS

04 08 36

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.

MAY 2013 DRAM 3

A new Park Inn by Radisson has opened on Glasgow's West George Street, right at the corner of Renfield Street. This multi-million pound investment by the group includes a 60-cover restaurant, bar, meeting rooms, on-site gym and 91 bedrooms. Speaking on the opening, general manager, Alistair Campbell said, “Glasgow is buzzing with the highly anticipated arrival of The Hydro this year and the 2014 Commonwealth Games, so the timing is perfect to bring 91 new rooms into the heart of the city.

He added, “The hotel is part of the next generation of Park Inn by Radisson hotels and has a very modern and contemporary feel to it – we are moving away from the traditional stuffy feel of hotels to create a more laid back and relaxed guest experience.”

A new Tony Macaroni's has also opened in the space beneath the hotel.

Park Inn by Radisson Glasgow City Centre is at 139 - 141 West George Street Glasgow.

No April Fool

Tom Kitchin, above right, and Dominic Jack choose the 1st April to officially launch their new Stockbridge pub, The Scran & Scallie.

The new pub, which has a capacity of 90, is quite stripped back in appearance with tongue and grove white wood panelling, wooden floors and exposed brick walls. The pub incorporates many of the old features of the building, refreshed with modern Scottish accents and a hint of Scandinavian influences. Furnishings are distressed and reclaimed with tartan and tweeds and it boasts wallpaper by Scottish design duo Timorous Beasties. Some of the walls are also adorned with old Scottish recipes and menus from over 100 years ago which have been sourced from the National Library of Scotland. Says Kitchin, “We want to show people that pub food can be fuss free yet delicious, if it’s cooked from scratch, with passion, using the best available ingredients. We want our pub to offer food that inspires you to try classic recipes at home and give them your own twist or modern flavour. For us, it’s about reviving some classics, but showing that they can still be done really, really well.” The Scran & Scallie is at 1 Comely Bank Road, Stockbridge, Edinburgh.

Fonab Castle Hotel in Pitlochry, Perthshire, has appointed Peter Sim as General Manager ahead of the hotel’s opening later this month. Peter, who joins from Maryculter House Hotel in Aberdeen, has previously headed up the team at Dunalastair Hotel in Perthshire and the Cuillin Hills Hotel on Skye. Fonab Castle Hotel owner Joanne Clark comments, “Peter brings a wealth of authentic Scottish hospitality experience to Fonab Castle as well as a great knowledge of Perthshire which will allow him to put the hotel firmly on the map of luxury destinations in Scotland.

Located on the banks of Loch Faskally, Fonab Castle Hotel will have a total of 26 rooms, 13 of which are housed in the castle. Another 13 rooms, most of which have direct access to the lochside, are located in a tasteful modern addition. The owners are planning to add a destination spa – complete with treatment rooms, gym and pool – as well as heated and air-conditioned dog kennels later this year.

Belhaven Gets Behind Bowel Cancer Have you heard?

Old Printworks Sold Z Hotels, the budget hotel chain has moved into Scotland with the purchase of the former Old Printworks pub site in Glasgow. The site, just off George Square, and right beside Strathclyde University, was on the market for offers over £700K. 4 DRAM MAY 2013

Belhaven pubs are backing a major bowel cancer campaign to help encourage tipplers to take the test. Posters, leaflets and washroom vinyls will be distributed across 91 of Belhaven’s pubs to encourage Scots to face the facts about bowel cancer.

The pub promotion to support The Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Early campaign, aims to raise awareness of Scotland’s third most common cancer and the benefits of screening.

Kenny MacKenzie for Belhaven, said, “This is a great opportunity to get this important health message through to pub-goers who may not be aware of being at risk of bowel cancer or the benefits of taking part in the screening programme. We are hoping that the vinyl posters in toilets will have a positive impact and help to encourage those who may not have done the test before, to actually do it.”

NEWS

www.dramscotland.co.uk

Bright Future for Mishnish

The Mishnish Hotel is back to its famous yellow colour from black. The change comes only six months after the fifth generation MacLeods took over the running of the pub.

Cousins RN Macleod and AJ MacLeod (they are known by their initials because just about every male in the MacLeod clan is called either Alasdair or Robert) are now in charge at the Mishnish. AJ told DRAM, “I came back into the family business six months ago, but I do have experience both in hotel management and worked in the Park Bar and Three Judges in Glasgow.” As to the decision to change the colour AJ says, “The black colour scheme reflected the heritage of the Mishnish and also weathered the sea front well. We did feel however that it was time to go back to the yellow to cheer us all up in these austere times” He continues, "Local painters Dodo and Donald Junior MacLean have done a grand job, they have even been finding remains of grey paint used to paint the Mishnish when Tobermory was a naval base during the Second World War. Everyone’s reaction in the town has been unbelievably positive and we can’t wait for our visitors to see it." The Mishnish Hotel was built in 1861 and still remains in the MacLeod family to this day.

Local shop owner Duncan Swinbanks said "It’s amazing that as you arrive at Tobermory, the world-famous Mishnish Hotel lifts your spirits and portrays what a fun and welcoming place Tobermory is."

Lessees of Star Pubs & Bars should be able to buy their wine and spirits at a better price following a free-of-tie wine and spirits deal partnership that has been set up by the company with ViVAS and Classic Drinks (the spirits arm of Booker). The partnerships were negotiated using Heineken UK’s buying power to get the best deal for lessees.

Under the agreements with the two suppliers, lessees will receive onsite training, pub specific stocking recommendations and promotional support in addition to highly competitive prices.

As with all the agreements, the wine and spirits package is optional with lessees remaining free to purchase from any supplier in the market. Lessees wanting to take advantage of the arrangement will deal directly with either ViVAS or Classic Drinks and Star Pubs & Bars will receive no financial benefit.

Says Chris Jowsey, Star Pubs & Bars trading director, “Wine and spirits are a substantial part of a pub’s income and we wanted to link up with suppliers with the expertise, capability and commitment to help our lessees grow their sales.”

Work will begin this month on Andy Murray's Cromlix House Hotel development after planning applications for some aspects of the work were lodged with Stirling council last month.

It is hoped that the renovations to the 15-bedroom property will be ready in time for the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in September 2014.

Andy bought the hotel for £1.8m, and Cromlix House was the venue for his brother Jamie's wedding in 2010.

Hotel group Inverlochy Castle Management International will be managing it on his behalf, and once open it will employ around 40 people.

Cromlix previously operated as a five-star hotel but closed in February 2012.

n.b. bar & restaurant

FREE-OF-TIE WINE & SPIRITS DEAL FOR STAR PUBS & BARS LESSEES

London-based Beds & Bars Pub which operates a hotel in Bruges, Belgium, has opened its first UK craft bar called Jake's Place, on Edinburgh's Market Street. It's a craft beer bar specialising in American and Scottish beers and whiskies, and is a joint venture with Fordham Beers and Old Dominion Brewing Company.

Iain Dempster of Beds & Bars told DRAM, “Our whisky and bourbon collection nearly numbers 100, and as well as the whiskies, we also have some 65 Scottish and American craft beers, and a Scottish/American fusion snack menu of munchies for customers to choose from.” As for the interior, it is a bit of an eclectic mix, as Iain explains, “I'd say that the interior is 90% reclaimed and salvaged materials, from corrugated steel to old Highland park barrels that have been fashioned into the back bar, with the logos still visible, which is a good fit for displaying all our whiskies.”

Glasgow-based Italian restaurant group Papa Tony’s is planning to open 23 outlets within the next five years if all goes to plan. The group, which only has two restaurants at the moment, is owned by Tony Hussain, who also owns Cafe India in the Merchant City. It is initially planning three new restaurants in Glasgow which will involve a £2m investment.

He has said that he then hopes to roll out further restaurants in major Scottish locations as well as in England.

Déjà Vu is the name of a new Dumfries pub that is set to open this month on the site of the former Last Post, which closed two years ago. New owners Billy Sim and Jim Clark are currently refurbishing the pub and also aim to open a beer garden.

MAY 2013 DRAM 5

DRAM AwARDs 2013 MonDAy 24th June 2013 GR AnD CentR Al hotel, GlAsGow

1000.00 per table £100.00 per ticket

£

Limited tickets available on a first come, first served basis.

Please call

0141 221 6965 to purchase yours.

Compere: Doc Brown

www.docbrown.co.uk

6 DRAM MAY 2013

Dram SCOTTISH LICENSED TRADE AWARDS 2013 coronation

NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

WELLS & YOUNG’S LAUNCH OF MCEWAN’S RED

T

he UK’s largest independent family-owned brewer Wells & Young’s has invested behind its famous Scottish ale brand McEwan’s with the launch of McEwan’s Red. Colin Beattie of Oran Mor was one of the first licensees to try the new brew in Glasgow along with Ian Risby of Wells & Young's.

McEwan’s Red is brewed in Edinburgh, has an ABV of 3.6% and is also brewed to be red in colour! The company say it is a “a smooth and refreshing pint – which is achieved naturally by brewing with only the finest malted barley. It delivers a lightly hoppy and very smooth taste delivering a depth of flavour that is still sessionable.”

The launch of McEwan’s Red represents the start of a sustained campaign of brand investment from Wells & Young's who plan to refresh McEwan’s current portfolio to appeal to its loyal consumer base while also introducing new variants to the range which attract a younger target market to help rejuvenate the declining ale category.

According to Wells & Young's, “Research shows that McEwan’s Red appeals to men aged 30-50 who are regular sociable drinkers and who visit the pub

two to three times a week. The overall appearance of McEwan’s was rated higher than competitors and drinkers responded well to Red’s noticeably differentiated appeal.”

A TV and print campaign to support the brand is being produced in Scotland

by The Union, one of the country's top creative agencies which positions Red as aspirational and confident. The commercial follows the red-carpet journeys of consumers as they make their way towards a McEwan's Red. It is positive, upbeat, modern and high energy, reflecting the new outlook for McEwan's.

Paul Wells, Chairman of Charles Wells, the parent company of Wells & Young's, comments, “McEwan’s is embedded into the culture of Scotland and we intend to satisfy the consumers who already love the brand with new variants while also introducing it to a new generation of ale drinkers. Red is the right brand at the right time to kickstart this process. The category is crying out for a new product which is genuinely different. Given its brewing heritage, there is no stronger brand in Scotland to deliver this change than McEwan’s.”

Burn Stewart sold for £160M Burn Stewart Distillers has been sold for $244m (£160m) to South African drinks company Distell Group, who acquired 100% of the share capital of Burn Stewart from sellers CL World Brands Ltd and Angostura Ltd in a deal brokered by DLA Piper Scotland.

Distell is one of Africa’s leading producers and marketers of spirits, fine wines and ciders, and has been representing Burn Stewart in South Africa since 2007, when the pair signed a joint venture agreement.

This equal partnership allowed Distell to market three of Burn Stewart’s whiskies in South Africa and Africa: Scottish Leader, Bunnahabhain Black Bottle.

Merwe Botha, Financial Director of Distell Group, said, “Our acquisition of Burn Stewart is a very significant development for Distell from a strategic perspective but also given the rich and proud history and

heritage of the brands involved. It gives us an outstanding foundation from which to build, while cherishing their individual traditions.

“The solid synergies that the two entities have built over time and which are backed by strong marketing and production teams, strengthen our position in this competitive global Scotch Whisky market.”

Burn Stewart Distillers employs close to 270 staff located at its global sites.

Meanwhile as we went to press there has been no news yet with regard to the sale of Loch Lomond Distillery owned

by Sandy Bulloch. It has been rumoured that Exponent, a private equity firm behind the likes of Radley's, HSS Hire Service, thetrainline.com, Quorn and the Ambassador Theatre Group is set to buy the distillery in a deal worth tens of millions.

Licensees who achieved their personal licence holder qualifications between 1st March 2008 and 31st August 2009 will have to go on a Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (Refresher) (SCPLHR) course. They must then complete it by September 2014 in order to comply with The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, which states the holder of a personal licence must undergo refresher training within five years of the date of issue of their personal licence to ensure their licence remains valid. They will then need to present evidence of this to the licensing boards. As a result the BIIAB will be running three half day workshops in Scotland in May 2013 to give licence holders and centres more information about the new qualification. The dates are 20th May 2013 at the City of Glasgow College; 21st May 2013 at the Holiday Inn Express, Perth and the 22nd May 2013 at the Ghillie Dhu, Edinburgh. Information about these workshops will be on www.bii.org or email Alice Cardwell Hodges on alice@bii.org.

Three years after collecting its first Queen’s Award for Enterprise, Edinburgh brewer Innis & Gunn has done it again, claiming a second award in the International Trade category. Founder Dougal Sharp credits much of the company’s success to its loyal consumers. “It’s absolutely true to say that we wouldn’t be where we are now without the legions of Innis & Gunn fans worldwide who buy our beer and I’m always astounded by the reception that I get whenever I visit our overseas markets. We’re a small brewer and there is genuine appreciation for what we’re trying to do. People hear our story and they almost feel it's their duty to spread the word, they get so fired up by it.”

He continues, “We haven’t followed a standard brewery business model but neither did Sam Adams when they launched, and look at where they are now.

Our approach, in identifying new market prospects, has always been to know exactly what we’re getting into, in other words doing our homework.

Researching market trends, consumer needs and behaviour and the regulatory regime is absolutely key. From there, we have worked hard to develop our sales and distribution network and build relationships with the trade and consumer.”

Figures just released for March 2013 show Innis & Gunn’s biggest month on record, with the brewer selling over 120,000 cases.

2013 also marks Innis & Gunn’s tenth birthday and the brewer has announced an ambitious programme of special releases to mark the occasion, including a cask-conditioned vintage beer and a range of craftbrewed products, the first of which – Innis & Gunn Lager – was launched on draught earlier this month.

MAY 2013 DRAM 7

BRAND NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

RTD

Gin

VK Launches in 500ml

Beefeater is pushing the boundaries of the gin category with the launch of Beefeater Burrough’s Reserve - a handcrafted, ultra-premium gin. Bottled at 43% ABV, the gin will launch in the UK this June and will be available to select bars only. The first permanent addition to the Beefeater range since the launch of Beefeater 24 in 2008, only a limited amount of Burrough’s Reserve will be released annually. Burrough’s Reserve is distilled by hand using Burrough’s original copper “Still Number 12”. A small historic copper still from the 19th Century, Beefeater Burrough’s Reserve is then rested in Jean de Lillet oak barrels - the only gin to have ever been treated in this way.

Global Brands which owns VK, has unveiled ‘The Big Blue', a 500ml version of VK Blue which is designed to be enjoyed straight from the bottle, over ice in a pint glass or as an ingredient in the brand's iconic shared fishbowl and pitcher serves.

Global Brands Marketing Director, Simon Green comments “RTDs are facing more competition than ever when it comes to fridge space but the category is still in growth and worth £419m to the on trade. The brands that are winning have evolved, adapted and innovated to find new ways of fulfilling today’s consumer’s needs. VK is a brand that always moves with the times and it’s now the best performing RTD in the on trade, growing at +19.6%.

“The resurgence of RTDs is partly due to the popularity of 500ml, which is worth £82 million to the on trade and growing at +30%. The category commands a higher retail selling price and therefore increases spend per head, but the trade was missing out by not having a well established, traditional RTD in the mix. ‘The Big Blue’ fulfils a number of roles for the consumer, from a refreshing ‘straight from the bottle’ serve to a colourful, great tasting base for pitcher cocktails."

Lager

Beer

Which 'Road to the Final' Would You Take?

Kingfisher to be brewed by Heineken

Kingfisher Beer and Heinken have announced a new UK brewing, sales and distribution agreement which will see Heineken brewing Kingfisher Beer in the UK on their behalf; and handle sales and distribution. Heineken will also make packaged Kingfisher Beer available to its Star Pubs and Bars customers. Kingfisher Beer Europe (KBE) will continue to take responsibility for overall brand strategy and development of Kingfisher Beer, marketing and promotion of the brand and support for its own directly supplied trade customers in the UK. The new arrangements will come into effect in October 2013, at the conclusion of KBE's current UK agreement with Shepherd Neame. In the meantime, it is business as usual and customers should continue to order Kingfisher Beer through their existing processes and trade contacts.

8 DRAM MAY 2013

With the date of the UEFA Champions League fast approaching Heineken has unveiled the latest instalment of its 'Road to the Final' campaign with the launch of a new TV commercial. The ad demonstrates how, with imagination and resourcefulness, one man is able to witness club football's most prestigious event - the Final itself. The ad, which first aired last month, is the latest element of the brand's global integrated 'Road to The Final' campaign as it celebrates its seventh consecutive year sponsoring the UEFA Champions League.

The ad features one lucky fan, who receives a ticket to the UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley. The only problem is that he is on the other side of the world and faces a race against the clock to get to the match. Through a combination of resourcefulness, imagination and inventiveness he manages to overcome every obstacle put in his way - to be rewarded with the ultimate football experience - a pitch side seat at Wembley, arriving just before kick-off.

Vodka

a new super premium from Absolut Absolut have launched a new super premium vodka Absolut Elyx. Mathias Westphal, Global Brand Director says “Absolut Elyx is something different. It's a unique combination of traditional handcraft, copper distillation and cutting-edge design.”

He continues, “Only a few people have the skills and knowledge to operate our old copper still.

Every handle, knob and lever is adjusted manually.

Creating a vodka this way is very time-consuming, but when you taste Absolut Elyx you know it’s worth the effort.”

DISCOVER THE DARK SIDE OF RUM

COMPETITION Regional Heats and Final Win ÂŁ1000 of holiday or shopping vouchers, cash prizes, DAB radios and O.V.D. rum.

Now accepting entries: for more information contact Gerry.Mellor@firstdrinks.co.uk

Please enjoy O.V.D. responsibly

MAY 2013 DRAM 9

BRAND NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

Liqueur

Cider

Honey – flavour of the year

Magners Reveals ‘NOW IS A GOOD TIME’ CAMPAIGN

Gruppo Campari has extended its portfolio in the UK, with the introduction of American Honey, a honey-flavoured bourbon based liqueur. The product, from the makers of Wild Turkey, was the first bourbon liqueur with honey to be nationally available in the US. American Honey is a smooth liqueur made up of Wild Turkey, the Kentucky straight bourbon, and hand-selected American honey. American Honey retains the taste and kick of straight bourbon but introduces measured notes of sweet honey, caramel and orange, giving it a much smoother finish.

The AVB 35.5% liqueur has been developed to appeal to drinkers in their twenties and will coincide with an experiential tour, that will see a branded American Honey photo-booth, tour University Student Unions around the UK. Christophe Schaillee of Campari International says, “American Honey is the sweeter, smoother side of Wild Turkey and will appeal to a younger drinker without being overly sweet-tasting. We’ve developed American Honey to be shared and is perfect straight out of the bottle, chilled and also works well over ice or with mixers like cola.”

Brandy Three Barrels gets a refresh

Three Barrels Brandy is undergoing a complete brand refresh to create a more modern and premium look, which includes a new label shape with cleaner statements on both the brand and its French provenance. The refresh will be rolled out across all size variants over the course of 2013. The news heralds a major investment for the brand, double that of previous years. However, don't expect to see many ads in Scotland as it appears the media campaign extends to 96 sheet London Underground advertisements! However, there is a new website TheHouseBrandy.com.

Magners GB has announced a new integrated marketing campaign for 2013 that revisits the traditional social spirit that first launched the brand in 2004. The new platform, Now Is A Good Time, aims to bring to life the sociability and spontaneity at the heart of the brand through a series of TV adverts, as well as PR and digital activity.

The multimillion-pound campaign kicked off with a 40” TV ad, which features what the company is calling a “sage” as he delivers an ode to the ‘here and now’. The ad has introduced the line ‘Now Is A Good Time’ which aims to inspire people to live in the moment and share good times with friends. If you haven't seen it on TV check it out at www.barandpub.tv.

Whisky Talisker Introduces New Port-Finished Single Malt Whisky Following the successful launch of TALISKER STORM in March, the famous Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Isle of Skye is now acquiring another new family member, this time enriched by double maturation in port cask wood. It has been named Talisker Port Ruighe, after the principal town and port on the Isle of Skye, and as a tribute to the great Scottish trading-houses such as the Cockburns, Grahams and Symingtons.

Talisker Port Ruighe combines the powerful smoky maritime character of Talisker with succulent sweet notes of rich berry fruits for a superb contrasting taste experience.

It is a permanent addition to the current

core range of Talisker single malt whiskies. It is bottled at the traditional Talisker strength of 45.8% ABV, without an age statement.

Master Blender Maureen Robinson explained, “Talisker Port Ruighe is a combination of spirit that has been matured in American Oak and European Oak refill casks in the traditional manner along with spirit that has been filled into specially conditioned deeply charred casks. The spirit is then finished in casks that have previously held Port Wine which endows it with spicy fruit notes. These bond elegantly with that clean, fresh smokiness that signals its essential Talisker character.”

Rum Elements 8’s ([e]8) distributor Mangrove, has just launched Barrel Infused Criolla Cacao Rum in the UK following the success of [e]8 Barrel Infused Spiced Rum in 2010. [e]8 Barrel Infused Criollo Cacao rum is an innovative barrel infusion of St. Lucian Criollo cacao beans and the finest aged St. Lucian rum.

The result; a dry, smooth new variant complementing the [e]8 range perfectly.

This newest expression is a blended combination of pot and column still rums and Criollo cacao beans, which have been infused in the rum for 3-4 weeks, 10 DRAM MAY 2013

imparting a velvet lacing of dark chocolate notes to the rum. Carl Stephenson, director Elements 8 rums, comments; “We decided to use Criollo cacao to add a chocolate flavour to our finest aged rums whilst staying true to the brand’s distinct characteristics.”

Stephenson adds, “The infusion stretches the rum’s appeal; it can be drunk as a single serve chilled with a twist of orange peel or in a wide array of classic cocktails including; Espresso Martini, Daiquiri and Old Fashioned.”

Stock up on new SomerSby cider • cider is the fastest growing category in the on-trade, with +14% year on year growth and is now worth £1.6bn* • a crisp, delicious, cold filtered 4.5% abv mainstream cider • supported with a £10m marketing campaign, including tv advertising • 70% of cider drinkers preferred somersby vs the market leader** * Source: CGA Brand Index MAT P10 2012 ** Ipsos Mori Independent Consumer Research (February 2012 – sample size 670 consumers)

contact us on 0845 reference: Som5

601 3432 Enjoy responsibly

MAY 2013 DRAM 11

12 DRAM MAY 2013

®

CiDER ADDS FLAVOUR

As well as keeping the doctor away, the humble apple is a symbol of surefire success

The mammoth global success of the Apple corporation is the most glaringly obvious example, and then there's the drink most associated with this fruit. Jason Caddy reports.

C

ider's rise to power in Scotland's on-trade has been one of the most written about success stories of recent years, and this rosy-red shiner of a category has now, say market researchers Mintel, converted three in five UK adults to its growing fan base. That's on a par with cats and Whiskas. Not bad for a category that was limp and lifeless a decade ago. But like all good things, a run of success must come to an end somewhere along the line, so are we on the brink of cider's popularity levelling out? John Gemmell, Trading Director North for Heineken UK, owners of Strongbow and Bulmers, doesn't reckon so, although he acknowledges that we may be entering a new phase for the category, “I hate to use the term 'levelling out' although I do think that the category has reached that inevitable stage where it's beginning to mature,” he says. “Although that in no way detracts from the success of a category that has demonstrated three to five years of growth. The latest CGA figures for the on-trade to the end of 2012, for both draught and packaged cider, is up 5%, equating to about half a billion in terms of on-trade retail value in the UK. So of course there's room for growth which is why we've just launched Bulmers Cider Pressed Red Grape, and Bulmers Cider Bold Black Cherry.”

The succession of flavoured variants that have appeared in recent years have been many, and if this explosion of

flavours continues at the same pace, it will make for a crowded market. As John Gemmell also points out, "It will eventually come down to the survival of the fittest. There are only so many brand extensions that any one brand can realistically sustain, and a huge global brand like Coca-Cola is a prime example of this.”

This swing towards the likes of pear and mixed fruit is certainly giving Kopparberg Head of Marketing, Rob Calder, cause to celebrate. He said, “Kopparberg is the largest packaged cider brand in Scotland, according to CGA, and Kopparberg is now also the best-selling packaged cider brand in Scotland’s pubs and bars on an MAT basis. (reference: CGA Packaged cider report to 29/12/12) and Kopparberg mixed fruit is now bigger than Magners Original bottles in volume terms in Scotland's on-trade. (CGA MAT 2012).”

Although, as he also explains, Kopparberg was not an overnight success. “We have obviously benefitted from the trend for lighter, sweeter products that has been happening over a few years now.

We laid down our mixed fruit roots early on, so our brands launched on a strong foundation for growth. We aren't in the business of boom or bust."

He continues, “We're sticking with our knitting this year. I think that we've got the range right and to launch more variants would result in diminishing returns. You have to distinguish between variation and innovation, and it's important that licensees give enough space to variants with a proven track record, instead of the next thing that comes along the flavour conveyor belt.”

Kopparberg have also brought out a new glass which is very cool. Inspired by great Swedish design, the new glass is an unconventional, quirky antidote to the tall slim glassware which has become the established norm across the trade. Says Rob, “This is a glass with character. A talking point. A glass you want to show off. Some even think it looks like a vase… Although we’d suggest you fill it with chunks of ice and splash a chilled Kopparberg over them, then kick back and relax.”

A few people I spoke to in the trade did tend to broadly agree with MAY 2013 DRAM 13

Cider adds flavour

this view, one being Andy Robertson, Stock and Cellar Manager at Glasgow's Oran Mor. He says, “The flavour variants are definitely very popular, and we have no less than four pear variants. In fact, with four Rekorderlig, four Kopparberg, five Bulmers and two Strongbow, customers are incredibly spoiled for choice. Some would say that it's verging on overkill.”

However Pamela Duff at The Castle Tavern, a bar with one of the biggest beer gardens in Inverness, says, “The fruit revolution has reached Inverness, in fact we just started stocking Kopparberg Pear three days ago. Magners Pear and Kopparberg Mixed Berry also go down really well, and we're finding that demand for cider is pretty healthy the whole year round. We have a big beer garden which does boost our cider sales.”

George Fyvie, GM at Edinburgh's Pear Tree, comments, “With our huge beer garden we are obviously a weather dependent outlet, but we go through 40 cases of Kopparberg a week regardless of the weather. That is what customers want, not tampering with the standard formula. We tried serving mulled cider during the winter months this year and it bombed, as all our customers are demanding are new flavours.”

Dennis Forsyth, licensee at Cheers Cafe Bar in Fraserburgh comments, “I think that we'll be looking at more of the flavour variants on draught in the future because the bottles are so big and it will take a lot of the burden off the fridges. This is what stops a lot of licensees stocking as many variants as they'd like to, and cider brands 14 DRAM MAY 2013

like Magners and Kopparberg are now mainstream names. I also sold two cases of Kopparberg Non-Alcoholic last weekend, which is a great alternative to a carbonated drink for adults, with a lot more kudos.”

When it comes to brand support says Dennis, “I was talking to the Tennent's rep only yesterday about getting Magners Pear on draught in our main bar in time for summer, as they've been really supportive to date with point of sale like bunting, counter cloths and beer mats for their mixed berry variant.

And it would seem that any old associations of cider as a male preserve are long dead. Graham Bell, The Outhouse in Edinburgh, said, “Cider drinkers in The Outhouse are made up from both sexes now, a real 50/50 ratio men to women, and like everywhere else, I imagine, it's the flavoured variants introduced by the likes of Bulmers and Rekorderlig that customers are going for. At the premium end of the market it's the one that gets customers talking that John Gemmell, Trading Director North for Heineken UK counts, and we are thinking of putting Aspall in.”

Mintel has also reported that younger people make up half of those who are new to the category in the last five years, with half of them willing to pay more for premium cider brands.

Although at the other end of the scale, Lou Farrell of the Buzzworksowned Treehouse in Ayr says, “Many customers still insist on asking

The latest CGA figures for the on-trade to the end of 2012, for both draught and packaged cider, is up 5%, equating to about half a billion in terms of on-trade retail value in the UK.

grab the UK’s fastest selling fruit cider Reasons to stock up: Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Cider is the UK On-Trade’s best-selling fruit cider brand.* It also has the fastest rate of sale of any packaged cider in the UK’s pubs & bars.** Outlets stocking Mixed Fruit take an extra £92 per week than those who don’t.**

*CGA Dec. 2012 **CGA Trading Index 26th Sept. 2012

MAY 2013 DRAM 15

Cider adds flavour Magners Original is the second-largest packaged cider brand in Scotland.

for Strongbow even though we haven't stocked it for some time.”

There is a danger of dwelling too much on the flavoured cider here, which in terms of volume is nowhere near Strongbow's size. John Gemmell explains, “Let's not forget that in Scotland, two thirds of adults drink Strongbow, and as well as being the sixth biggest draught product in the UK (in terms of lager and cider) it is bigger in terms of volume than Stella, Grolsch and Carlsberg Export combined.”

There are also some new additions to the UK scene. Somersby Cider is brand new to the UK market, although the Carlsbergowned brand, has been around since 2008 in Europe. This new version, only launched here in March, has been specifically adapted for the UK to meet our tastes and preferences. It is also made with no artificial colouring or flavouring which makes it a perfect drink for vegetarians and vegans. It's also got a pretty cool glass, which makes the drink look very appetizing and that, combined with a £10m marketing spend, means that it will have high visibility.

And while Kopparberg and Rekorderlig have been the Swedish ciders that have made the biggest impact on the Scottish cider scene, Herrljunga is also pushing forward Pamela Duff at The Castle Tavern, Inverness

Magners Pear and Kopparberg Mixed Berry also go down really well, and we're finding that demand for cider is pretty healthy the whole year round.

16 DRAM MAY 2013

this year, although it has been available since 2007 in the UK. Since joining the Catalyst Brands stable last year, there has been a bit more oomph about the brand. Now, Catalyst aims to give Herrljunga, Sweden's best selling cider, a higher profile here.

Last but not least, no cider article would be complete without the mention of Magners.

The good news for Scotland is that Magners, which, remember, launched here, is now being marketed from here too. The Wellpark Brewery offices are now home to the Magners cider team. The brand has already taken on the shirt sponsorship of Celtic and has launched a new TV ad, which is great because for the last two years it has had little promotion in Scotland.

Perhaps the burst of activity has been activated because of a recent fall in sales. In the UK market it has slipped to number three, with Strongbow in number one and Stella Artois Cidre now in number two position. In Scotland, it remains the top selling premium cider when you combine the Magners Original (bottled) sales and Magners Golden Draught sales.

The new advertising will see the brand going back to its roots with a take on traditional social spirit that first launched the brand in 2004. The new ad takes the title 'Now Is A Good Time.' and follows a fellow as he delivers an ode to the ‘here and now’. The ad will introduce the line ‘Now Is A Good Time’ to UK audiences and inspire people to live in the moment and share good times with friends.

Commenting on the activity, Paul Condron, Marketing Director for Magners GB said, “The 2013 campaign will celebrate the inherent sociability that is key to the brand and sets out to encourage a new generation to savour those good times moments.”

All in all there's still plenty happening in the cider world, and certainly consumers still have an appetite for all flavours of cider. All we need now is a good summer!!

The Ultimate in Refreshment 6 out of every 10 pints of draught cider sold in the UK is Strongbow2 ● Your drinkers expect to see it on the bar It sells more than any other draught cider and commands a 13p price premium vs. standard lager3 ● Putting more money in your till Award winning advertising support ● Strongbow spends more than any other cider brand on the media4

Strongbow should be your lead draught cider on the bar Source: 1. CGA volume data 52 w/e 4th Sept 2012 2. CGA data 52 w/e 4th Sept 2012 3. CGA data 52 w/e 4th Sept price per pint. 4. SMV Group 2012

Over 18s Only

Dram SCOTTISH LICENSED TRADE AWARDS 2013 coronation

DRAM MAY201 201 1818 DRAM APRIL 33

Awards ceremony 24th June 2013

MARCH 2013 DRAM 18

Benromach Award For Success Share the secret of your success with this year’s DRAM judges to pick up this accolade. Whether you’ve successfully continued your family business, successfully expanded over the past few years, adopted innovation to develop your business, or have grown your turnover, we would love to know what you think your secret is.

This award is open to hoteliers, restaurateurs and licensees…share your secret with us. Enter now with details.

BII Scotland Customer Service Award 2013 Customer service is paramount when it comes to running a successful business. This year BII Scotland is on the lookout for a pub, restaurant or hotel which fully embraces the customer service ethos. Could this be your business? If so, you could be eligible for this award. Judges will look at the measures that you have in place to ensure your staff are well trained in customer service. Short listing will be done by Mystery Shoppers followed by interviews at a later date by a team of judges. If you want to win the award enter now.

Critics’ Choice Award This category will take the top four restaurants, as reviewed by Scotland’s top restaurant critics as at the end of April 2013, and an independent judging panel will visit the recommended eateries... and select the top one overall from the selection. No entries are invited for this award, but finalists will be invited to the awards ceremony. And scoring will be on the basis of quality and value, customer service and attention to detail.

Diageo Award for Social Responsibility Diageo are on the look-out for pubs, bars and people that embrace social responsibility. Have you developed good relationships with local police, community safety partnerships, community groups, licensing boards and/ or licensing forums to help minimise alcohol-related crime and disorder in your area? Are your staff trained to the extent that they are competent and confident in addressing difficult situations? Do you go the extra mile to promote responsible drinking; what do you do differently from other bars in your area? And do you actively promote social responsibility within your organisation? If so, you could be eligible for this award. Please enter now.

Dog Friendly Pub of the Year The DRAM is on the lookout for a pub that provides a welcome for pet dogs. Do you allow your customers to bring their friendly pooches inside. Do you provide a water bowl, and the occasional treat? If so you could be in the running for this accolade. Judges will be bringing their own dogs on mystery visits (volunteers are queing up!!) If you think your pub or hotel fits the bill enter now.

Passion For Wine Award Forth Wines are on the lookout for an outlet that has a real passion for wine. Is your outlet innovative? Do you invest in staff training to ensure your customers are well informed? Do you enthuse your staff about wine? It’s not about having the biggest wine list or the biggest bar, but it is about how you promote the wines that you stock to your customers.

Whether you are a wine bar, a bar attached to a hotel, or a restaurant – the judges will be looking for an outlet that stands out from the crowd.

Kopparberg Independent Bar of the Year Kopparberg is on the lookout for Scotland’s top independent bar. The Kopparberg team is looking for a bar that has proved to be a success with customers – it doesn’t have to be the most stylish or the biggest, but owners should demonstrate creative forward-thinking and be inclined to think outside of the box when it comes to developing their business. It almost goes without saying but good customer service and an excellent range of products behind the bar is essential. Do you think you fit the bill?...if so enter now.

Kraken Black Spiced Rum Cocktail Bar of the Year Do you think that you have the best cocktail bar in Scotland?

Are your bartenders well trained, imaginative and good with customers? The judges will be looking for expertly made cocktails, a willingness to experiment and a good knowledge of spirits, including rum.

Tell us why you think you are the best cocktail bar and include a recipe for a cocktail featuring The Kraken Rum. How would you unleash the beast?

mixxit Bar Apprentice 2013 Maxxium UK’s training and education programme mixxit is now in its seventh year of looking for Scotland’s best new bartender. The mixxit Bar Apprentice competition will take 10 bartenders with experience of one 1 year or less on an intensive training programme which will cover all aspects of professional bartending, including mixology, drinks knowledge and service excellence. In June the bar apprentices will face a panel of judges and the best performing bartender will win the accolade mixxit Bar Apprentice of the Year, which will be announced at the DRAM Awards.

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20 DRAM MAY 2013

APRIL 2013 DRAM 19

MAY 2013 DRAM 21

LICENSEE INTERVIEW

T

om Lewis is a dynamo. Where he gets his energy from I just don't know, but even an hour's interview with him left me feeling exhausted, yet invigorated by his enthusiasm. Maybe that's not surprising when you discover that his mum Jean didn't let the small matter of being blind stop her changing her family farm house in Balquidder into a B&B and then a hotel, the now famous Monachyle Mhor. When her children Tom, Dick and Melanie came into the family business a decade ago they developed it into a boutique hotel, which has attracted visitors from far and wide. Today, the family business also includes Tom's wife Lisa, and Dick's partner Mhairi Taylor, who is the woman behind Delizique in Glasgow.

My interview with Tom took place in the latest addition to their MHOR empire – the newly opened Motel MHOR 84, which Lisa, Tom, Mhairi and Dick carries on from MHOR Bread, MHOR Fish and MHOR Farm and which is located at the side of the A84, some six miles or so from Monachyle MHOR. Says Tom, “Six weeks ago I didn't know we were doing this. But then the opportunity came along, and it was too good to pass on. We opened two weeks ago, having done everything on a budget of £10K, so you can imagine how hard we have all been working.”

In the intervening month the family have He continues “I've been lucky, I've always used seasonal and local turned the former Kingshouse Hotel, a very tired 70s roadside produce because it was cheaper, after all I've been on the other hotel, into a contemporary, cool hangout for families, walkers, side of the supply chain with the farm. (He spent years sheep locals and tourists. Its seven bedrooms have been tastefully farming on the family's 2,000 acre estate.) We've even got our transformed, but with more than a nod to minimalism – cool own butchery there. I use everything, from the beef minced and white walls, white bed linen and grey carpets complete the look. put in mince pies, to the neck of lamb – which I braised for three While downstairs the public areas have also been completely hours – the customers love it.” transformed.

Tom explained that he is self-taught. “I spent a few years away Says Tom, “This has been our local all our life. But although we doing a variety of things, then came back and went into the family have closed the pub the Rob Roy Bar, we have created a new business. I basically bought a book and learned to cook.” bar which we hope will appeal to locals and visitors alike. I want He says, “It was a different way of life. I had to change my lifestyle MHOR 84 known for 'being open'. which involved sacrificing rugby!”

He continues, “We've put draught beer in – in fact Belhaven were "We have a great management team behind us who we trust, very helpful. They advised us to put in an IPA which I wouldn't which has allowed us time to expand and develop. Our business necessarily thought of, and we have put in Guinness because we growth has definitely been organic, we have grown steadily and drink it. We've got WEST at the hotel. It's great.” by doing so we've built customer loyalty. It's tough out there, While Tom and I chatted, brother Dick and partner Mhairi were this deal culture doesn't help. Taking 40% or 50% off is not busy with customers serving up everything from amazing looking sustainable, you need capital to reinvest in your business and meringues to stuffed-to-the-gunnels giant ciabattas called ‘the that's what we do with our capital." big piece'.

He continues, "Although Scots want value for money, they are Says Tom, “The food at MHOR 84 is quite simple and we change not tight. 70% of the business at Monachyle MHOR comes from the evening menu slightly every day. This week for instance we Scotland, in fact we have had one of the best starts to the year. have crab on - I prepared 20 this morning."

There's MHO this comes f

22 DRAM MAY 2013

OR where from

BY SUSAN YOUNG

Down here I expect we will attract more families, cyclists and walkers. We aim to offer good service. You can offer the best food, but if you have bad service customers won't forgive.”

Tom's mum and dad (Jean and Rob, who have been retired for 12 years) started the business 20 years ago. She opened a B&B and started providing a meal with some wine, which led to her applying for a licence." Says Tom, “Today all our businesses are licensed.”

MHOR Fish has a cafe attached to a chippie which has a fresh fish counter piled high with langoustine, oysters, mussels and prawns which are delivered regularly as the vehicles go right past the door. With fish from the north coast of Scotland on the menu, which as well as offering traditional fish suppers, lets you opt for a gastronomic seafood experience. It was voted one of the 50 Best Cafes in the UK. MHOR Bread is an Artisan bakery, tearoom and shop which also provides a wholesale bakery, and also supplies to MHOR 84, while MHOR Farm provides venison, sheep, cattle, pigs and hens from its 2000 acre estate.

Says Tom, “We get the hard work ethic from our parents. The two are a real powerhouse, and although mum retired three years ago, all credit to her, she got up and did it. Mum did everything, from cooking, to making and hanging the curtains, to greeting

guests. She was, and is, an inspiration to us all. In fact we still go to our parents for advice and we do listen to them.”

He continues, “We've converted MHOR 84 ourselves. We do have our own joiners and we have picked the furniture up from all over the place, in fact we have even bartered for it. Last week we got 12 chairs in return for food and accommodation. We re-did the floors by laying plywood and white washing and then sealing – it looks very natural. Although we kept to a tight budget the only thing we went over on was the fire in the main dining room – it heats the whole building. We offer honest simplicity. We are the sort of place that needs a cook – they do everything. While a chef needs a team."

"Lately, chefs have got lots of recognition, (not least Tom who put in an appearance on the Great British menu) but mums cook the best meals. We are into how much money can we make from a dish and we involve all the staff in that side of the business. This is helped by our new till system. It was expensive, but we have all been enthused by it. We want our staff to take ownership, they can't be passengers. I expect people to come to work with a good attitude, not hungover and not tired, and if they do have a hangover don't tell me. The grass is always greener, but we do employ 60 people now and we can employ from within the business which is great.”

Monachyle Mhor, the jewel in the crown, is a pink-painted farmhouse at the end of a long track that had once been home to Rob Roy, and lies just past his grave. It has 14 rooms although suites may be better description, which have been beautifully designed. It also boasts a 40-seater restaurant and a small snug bar as well as a shop.

Says Tom, “Monachyle Mhor is perceived as being expensive – but we hope MHOR 84 will help us bridge the gap. We've also got MAY 2013 DRAM 23

LICENSEE INTERVIEW a chariot for hire called The Pilot Panther – it sleeps four, has the most amazing view, but it has no electricity or running water.

But we charge it out for £125 a night and it is really popular.

Obviously, it has a wood burning stove – so it is super warm. It's great for folk that like alternative accommodation. It's booked out almost solidly.”

Tom is a member of the Scottish Tourism board but is disappointed that he can't get a rating for MHOR 84. He tells me there is no current ratings for Motels with restaurants. But believes that it is worth supporting the association. He says, “I'm a member, the tourist board is publicly funded and if you are not member you can't complain when it gets things wrong. In general I think they do a lot of good things, unfortunately they don't have a huge budget... for its budget equates to the same as a small state in the US.” Despite having only just opened MHOR 84, MHOR Festival is on track for another great year. It takes place on the weekend of 25th and 26th May 2013, and is held at the Monachyle MHOR on the family farm. It's a two day family event where festival goers are invited to “check in or camp out” and enjoy live music, theatre, ceilidh with great food and drinks and fun for all of the family. A great line up of chefs, cooking for the 2nd year at MHOR Festival at The Feast – the line up is Andrew Fairley – Restaurant Andrew Fairley Gleneagles, Michael Smith - Three Chimneys, Roy Brett – Ondine, Tom Lewis – Monachyle MHOR.

Photographs by Melanie Lewis 24 DRAM MAY 2013

The Pilot Panther

BELHAVEN BEST BAR NONE. The best-selling ale in the Scottish on-trade* Out-sells the next best-selling keg ale by two pints to one* The brand Scottish ale drinkers most want to see on the bar** Crafted for great flavour from the finest local ingredients

Best get some Belhaven in.

Customer Service Number: 0845 6075325 www.belhaven.co.uk

SCOTLAND’S

LOVED BEST

* CGA, MAT to September 2012 ** Omnibus research for Greene King, April 2012

MAY 2013 DRAM 25

26 DRAM MAY 2013

MAY 2013 DRAM 27

smoked salmon vodka! that can't be white?

White spirit feature

The most popular spirit in Scotland is vodka, by a country mile, but it seems like gin is also making inroads. Susan Young reports.

S

cotland has always outperformed the rest of the UK when it comes to white spirit sales in its pubs and clubs. Currently, for instance, 30% of pub sales can be attributed to white spirits in Scotland compared to a national average of 21% for the rest of the UK. We don't just drink vodka and gin, we make it too. Approximately 80% of gin and vodka now comes off the line in Scotland.

Vodka unfortunately is the one spirit which for some reason mixologists and serious bartenders tend to turn their noses up at.

But its obvious from the stats that Scots love it.

Says David McGowan, Commercial Manager, Diageo GB, comments, “The key to the white spirits category is Smirnoff, the number one spirits brand and the second largest brand in the Scottish on-trade, generating over £700k year on year growth in sales value. In particular, Smirnoff Red is outperforming the vodka market with 6.1% value sales growth1, resulting in Smirnoff’s share of the Scottish vodka market growing from 68.3% to 69.4%.”

Lately, the key news when it comes to vodka is the variety of flavours that have appeared. In fact, only last month Smirnoff launched Espresso. Absolut led the way when it launched Absolut Peppar back in 1986 into the US. At the time the bars were serving up Bloody Mary's, and Absolut Peppar was the vodka of choice for many.

Today, the variety of flavours in the vodka market is mind blowing.

There is a flavour for every palate, whether you are into sweet or savoury. In fact, in 2011 it was estimated that there were approximately 115 different flavours of vodka in the market – obviously many of them have not made it across the water to the UK. I know you might find it hard to believe, but there is actually a bacon flavoured vodka, and one flavoured Smoked Salmon! On the sweet side, Smirnoff's latest flavour in the US is Fluffed Marshmallow and Whipped Cream, which I am sure would go down a storm with sweet-toothed Scots.

Smirnoff's range in the UK is slightly more sedate.

Says David McGowan, “Flavours are a proven category growth driver for vodka, and Smirnoff leads the Flavoured Vodka segment with its current portfolio, 28 DRAM MAY 2013

comprising Smirnoff Lime, Smirnoff Green Apple, Smirnoff Vanilla, and Smirnoff Blueberry. The launch of Espresso offers an additional opportunity for operators to drive vodka sales with a new and exciting innovation. The new variant also inspires consumers to try something different and experiment with flavours.”

However, it is not just flavoured vodkas that are prevalent, Premium and super vodkas are also to be seen on the back bar of many bars, and it appears that many consumers are trading up to more Premium brands. This is helped by the fact that many Scottish nightclubs have adopted the 'buy a bottle' culture and it's become hip and happening for groups of friends to It's not just book a booth and order a super premium premium bottle of vodka, vodka's that are usually Belvedere.

But clubs such as Sugar Cube getting attention, in Glasgow have a wider premium gins range of super premium too are proving vodkas including Cristal an attractive which comes in a £350 and it is selling. (What proposition. recession?)

It's not just super premium vodkas that are getting attention, premium gins too are proving an attractive proposition. Gin sales overall in Scotland have grown.

The twelve weeks to Feb 2013 according to CGA figures saw an increase in gin sales in Scotland of 15.4% and premium gins saw even more growth.

McGowan comments, “Despite the economic downturn, sales show that consumers are choosing higher quality spirits. The opportunity for up-sell represents a big opportunity for Scottish operators, and is reflected in Tanqueray sales increasing by 56% in the last 12 weeks and Smirnoff Black up 29% over the same period.”

Vodka remains one of the most versatile spirits on the market, and with Smirnoff driving the category and utilising social media to attract consumers, it seems that its popularity is far from waning.

However, it is still disappointing that while mixologists may know how to pour a good cocktail they often fail when it comes down to pouring a vodka and coke. They still don't ask you what vodka you want, and they do not ask if you want a bottle of coke! So much for the perfect serve.

For some reason they tend to get it right when it comes to gin and tonic, asking what brand you want and serving it, generally speaking with lime and a bottle of tonic. I cannot understand why bartenders have an inherent snobbery when it comes to gin vs vodka? They should be showcasing what they can do whether they serve up a cocktail or a long drink.

1

CGA Total 12 week value sales in Scotland On Trade to 23/02/13

sue says I

love the idea of the DRAM being introduced as a measure of whisky, as proposed by the organisers of the Speyside Whisky Festival, after all as Ricky Agnew of Marblehead pointed out to me we play golf in yards, take a car journey in miles, order beer by the pint, enjoy a 125ml glass of wine, and buy Cola by the litre... confusing, so why not a new DRAM measure? PS The French who wanted everything metric... still sell perfume by the ounce!

George Redpath and Ian MacAulay retired at the end of March from Maxxium – the two men had between them 64 years service in the Famous Grouse family.

George joined Matthew Gloag & Son on the 28th March 1983 and left Maxxium on March 28th exactly 30 years later! While Ian joined Matthew Gloag on 26th March 1979 and left on 28th March 34 years later! Between the two of them they have trained 17 sales managers and covered 11 areas, and while George's favourite brand is Famous Grouse, Ian's is The Macallan. Needless to say the two got a great send off, first all from colleagues in the office – they are pictured with Jim Grierson and Huw Pennell. Jim said of the two, “You will not meet two more dedicated and straightforward men. If they said they would do something they did it.” And later on they partied at Tigerlily – after a few celebratory drinks it looks like a sing song might have been on the cards. Perhaps they sang “I've had the time of my life!” George is off to play golf and spend time with his family while Ian aims to finish all these unfinished chores around the house and travel!

Well seeing the girls got into the party spirit at the recent HIT dinner. Lynn Mortimer, Lisa Wishart and myself were happy to pose with our red noses on (after a few glasses of wine). It was all in a good cause – and helped raise £60K for the charity. Well done to Laurie Nichol and Craig Gardner, the vice chairs of the organising committee, who certainly put some more oomph into the night. And congrats to the chefs at The Hilton who did a great job in front of their peers including Lifetime Achievement recipient Albert Roux OBE, who was quite right when he said that Scotland should remain open for tourists all year!

I was in the Pot Still one Friday night with colleague Lynn when two Norwegian guys asked if they could join us, and we ended up having an impromptu whisky tasting...

Frank Murphy took great glee in bringing across the pubs bell and ringing it after a few moments... something that I do when we are doing our Speed tasting evenings, which Frank helps host. I think it is called 'getting his own back!'

The recent BII Dinner at the Moathouse was certainly a revelation particularly the award for Social Responsibility which went to Police

Scotland! I would have thought the police being socially responsible was a given! The BII Dinner used to be about the people in the trade who were part of the BII, and who had taken part in its training programme, it has evolved into something quite different and I am not sure it is an improvement.

It's rather ironic that Marston Taverns first new build pub in Scotland, Pine Martin, is located on Spott Road in Dunbar - the same address as the Belhaven Brewery. Obviously the pub is selling beers from Marstons PLC which includes the famous brewery - so its trying to tempt customers with Marston's Pedigree and such like... I wonder how locals will take to that!

We've started getting entries in for our awards. Please if you are filling the form in – do give us some accompanying information.

After all, the first part of the judging process is based on the quality of the entry.

Molson Coors are great champions of drinking responsibly, but it appears that when it comes to paying responsibly the company is not so keen. They have taken to giving suppliers payment terms of 90 days which in this climate is just not on. However when it comes to their customers ie publicans - they are certainly not giving tit for tat. Instead licensees are not being given more than 28 days to pay and most of them have to adher to 14 days! The finance department at the company can't have it both ways.

How would Edinburgh City Councillors like it if a massive ice rink was put outside their High Street HQ, and they were forced to walk from Cockburn Street during one of the coldest months of the year to get to the building? Well, how do you think guests to hotels on George Street – particularly guests at The George and Le Monde will feel when they have to walk with their luggage from Hanover Street next December because city councillors, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to relocate the ice-rink which normally is located in Princes Street Gardens to George St. I can understand why hoteliers are annoyed and dismayed... what does this tell tourists. This added to the fact that The Speigeltent will also return to George Street this summer, despite just about all the traders in George Street objecting to it. It's not the tent, per se, but the fact the Speigeltent for some reason is allowed an outside drinking area which can stay open until after midnight, whereas everyone else has a 10pm curfew on outside drinking. That's not a level playing field! The loss of earnings for pubs and clubs in the vicinity is likely to be high, I hope Edinburgh City Council will be compensating them!

I thought the whole point of the new licensing act was that publicans adhered to their operating plan, and stayed open for the hours they said they would. Well the law is not being upheld as far as I can see – there is a pub not that far from my office which opens and closes when it pleases. Usually staying shut Monday to Wednesday… how can it be one law for some and another for others.

MAY 2013 DRAM 29

Top cats of Ten years ago, late night operators like Colin Barr, Donald Macleod, Billy Lowe, Rab Orr and James Mortimer set the bar high enough so that the standards in their venues stood the test of time and influenced many that followed. All of these guys are still around, along with their legacies. Now there's a new generation benefitting from what they did.

This month, DRAM profiles some of the new wave of late night operators and managers – most of whom seem to be concentrated in Glasgow and Aberdeen. Edinburgh unfortunately doesn't get a look-in, as there seems to be a dearth of new late night venues in the capital right now.

Mark Loney

Operations Manager Cirque Hyde Leisure Glasgow

The day I phoned Mark Loney, of Cirque, one of Glasgow's newest clubs situated on Queen Street, he had just taken his mum for a birthday lunch. This is also the man who appeared on BBC Three's Don't Tell the Bride last year. He says, “I've had my 50 minutes of fame – that's how much of the 81 hours of footage they used, you really are at the mercy of the edit, and I got ribbed for it.” When he's not appearing on TV, he's playing a round of golf or amateur football for Drumchapel FC which he loves.

Mark is just as upbeat about the business. He explains, “We opened Cirque in January this year, and we are at capacity every Saturday. Our 23 VIP booths are always booked out and we have two new nights about to begin, including an urban night called Elevator on Fridays. We've also booked in Trevor Nelson for the May Bank Holiday, along with the usual round of fan dancers, fire eaters and stilt walkers.”

Hyde Leisure also owns the bar next door 'Independent' is in the middle of getting a refurbishment. It is getting new signage, furniture and wallcoverings. Mark also has his eye on a new Cirque site. “We are looking to take the Cirque concept to other cities but it's all under wraps at the moment,” he says.

Paul Hislop and Brendan Hegarty Co-owners Sugar Cube Glasgow

Paul, pictured right, and Brendan are the co-owners of Sugar Cube on Queen Street 30 DRAM MAY 2013

in Glasgow. Their business partnership began when they both worked together at Boho where Paul worked for Brendan. Now, as joint owner/operators, they're both very much hands-on and visible in the premises, and not only are they focusing heavily on the operational side of the business, but they're also forward thinking social media strategists. In fact, they picked up the The Drum Best Use of Social Media Award at last year's DRAM awards for exceptional standards shown in marketing via the likes of Facebook and Twitter. Sugar Cube has benefitted from both men's focus and is just as popular today as it was two years ago. It is still a major player on the city's late night venue scene.

Gary Macculloch and Chris Lessani Co-owners The Sanctuary Glasgow

Gary, pictured right, and business partner Chris Lessani opened The Sanctuary (formerly Boho) four weeks ago. Gary cut his teeth at The Ship Inn, Irvine, where he worked for eight years under the guidance of Iain Murray, and he says, “Iain was such an inspiration to me, which is why I stayed running The Ship for such a long time.” These days, his nights may be longer, as a late night operator, but he's full of beans about what he's bringing to Glasgow's West End. He said, “This part of the city deserves a decent club, and we have invested heavily in the sound and lighting. We are also the first club outside London to have a Ciroc vodka-sponsored VIP area, that's about to open, and we're just putting the finishing touches to it.” When Gary's away from the job, he likes to take the odd week off in the sun with wife Karen. The couple also enjoy walking their dog, Simba. Business partner Chris comes from a family with a long trade history. His father Alan has owned and operated bars and restaurants for some 40 years, including Drop Bar on Glasgow's Waterloo Street.

Chris also opened Black Rabbit on Great Western Road in Glasgow last year with

f clubland his other business partner, David Fleming. Gary and Chris relax away from the job by playing the odd round of golf.

Barry Livingstone GM 2One2 Glasgow

Barry is GM at Lynnet Leisure's 2One2 in Glasgow's Royal Exchange Square, which opened in September 2012. The 32-year-old has worked in the trade since he was 17, and during the course of those years, one of Barry's biggest inspirations has been Carlo Citti. He says, “I worked my way up in Campus for nine years with Carlo, and he opened my eyes to what this industry can offer, and showed me where determination can get you.” Trading-wise, 2One2 is doing well, but Barry is seeing a swing back towards the music taking precedence over everything else. He explains, “I think that the days of booking any old celebrity for a Personal Appearence is now over. People are wanting clubs to get back to basics and this is the policy we're following. Our next live act is Tape Rai (featuring David Guetta), for example.” And as well as all the social media activity the club naturally engages in, Barry is still a fan of the personal touch. “It sounds basic you can't beat the buzz that old school PR flyering creates.” Away from the job his passions are golf and football.

Calum Mackinnon Co-director Amicus Ventures Nox Aberdeen

School friends Calum Mackinnon and Garreth Wood met up again a few years ago and formed Amicus Ventures together with co-director Martin Brown. The company owns and operates

Nox in Aberdeen as well as both Amicus Apple in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. But Calum is very much the 'face' of Nox. He says, “Garreth and I are both from Aberdeen and we both went to Robert Gordon school, so we understand the city and this has influenced what we have done with Nox. I did make mistakes along the way when the venue was Bad Apple for example. This didn't work as I got the formula wrong.

“But six months into Nox, and our recipe of quality, luxurious clubbing with table service has been a hit, and we are trading incredibly well. We are continually innovating, like our dry ice serve that we'll be introducing shortly which chills the bottles so they're smoking by the time they reach the tables.” And next on the company's agenda is a half a million pound refurbishment of Amicus Apple Edinburgh that is scheduled for next month.

Sean McGettigan GM Campus and The Garage Aberdeen

Glaswegian Sean upped sticks and moved to the Granite City last August to take up the role of GM at Campus and The Garage Aberdeen – the joint venture between Donald Macleod and Carlo Citti.

“There's only one other late night bar concept in the city, but we're doing it on a much larger scale with a combined capacity of 970,” he says.

“Trading has been fantastic since opening and a lot busier than we anticipated. In fact, over a seven-day period, we're the busiest in the city, with comparable customer numbers as our rivals on certain individual nights obviously.”

In terms of personal influences he cites both long-time mentor Donald as well as Carlo. He says, “Donald's straight-talking approach and 'getting the job done' attitude rather than discussing it endlessly is great. Carlo's hands-on way of working and getting in amongst it all is complimentary to this, so my style is a combination of the two.”

His pedigree includes an eight-year stint working for Donald at the Garage in Glasgow, where he started as bar staff and worked his way up to GM. Sean likes to get back to Glasgow when he has time off, to see live music gigs.

MAY 2013 DRAM 31

Angels share Hope Street, Edinburgh

DESIGN FOCUS

P

erhaps Billy Lowe worked in covert operations in a previous life.

First he gave the world the spy-themed Espionage, now he's delivered Edinburgh's Angels Share Hotel, a £500k-plus renovation of The Hudson on Hope Street, complete with speakeasy-style basement bar, Devil's Cut, that he says requires a password (although people won't be turned away without it), and is accessed via a concealed entrance.

As with all Saltire Taverns' concerns there are no half measures, Angels Share has been designed to complement the standard bearer in the Saltire army, Le Monde. Said Billy, “I see it as a great sister venue to Le Monde, and I've had the blueprint for the idea for Angels Share in my mind since 2010. When I bought the Hudson 18 months ago I had this project in mind. And although since I've bought it, I have had numerous offers from operators wanting to buy or lease the premises, I stuck to my guns, and have renovated it. I plan to be here for the next ten years at least.”

The ground floor has been enlarged by moving the reception to the first floor so that Billy could make full use of the ground floor space which, he recognises, is at a premium in the west end of Edinburgh.

It now houses The Angels Share bar and adjacent, smaller Club Room. Devil's Cut is in the basement, which is accessed via the main bar. It also has 30 bedrooms on the upper floors which when we visited were still being renovated.

Angels Share showcases Billy's usual attention to detail, all topped off with an exact and polished finish, plus lots of extravagant touches, for which he has to take some of the credit, as Billy never takes a back seat when it comes to the execution of a brief.

In the case of Angels Share, the brief was presented to Billy's longtime collaborator, Chris Hines of Red House Design. Billy explained, “The brief to Chris was to build a quality, overnight institution, with a comfortable feel that oozed quality and was not 32 DRAM MAY 2013

BY JASON CADDY

too blingy. Contemporary, yet traditional, is what I was angling for.

For instance the main bar has 8(?) chandeliers, initially we were going to put in one or two, but we decided to go for it.”

He continues, “The Club Room next door provides a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the main bar, and dining-height tables in Devil's Cut also mean that we can serve food on both floors should it be demanded, and the kitchen can cope with dining on both floors.”

So what's it like? Both the bar and the club room have their own separate entrances. Once through the front door to the bar, it's immediately brighter than the former Hudson bar. More daylight streams in through both the front windows and the windows along the wall of the ginnel separating both buildings at the front, the plan being for this to eventually become a smoking area. There are 120 black and white framed pictures of well-known Scots adorning the walls, and their sheer number make them a mainstay of the interior. This is a topic of conversation that excites Billy. He said, “I wanted to make them a real talking point and I had to use a bit of lateral thinking to feature all the people on my wish list. For example, I wanted both Frank Sinatra and George Best, neither of whom is Scottish, but I am a big fan of both men, so I got them included in the gallery posed next to Dennis Law and Ricky Fulton respectively.” The plaque underneath doesn't refer to either of the most recognisable stars, a technique that Billy has adopted on a number of the prints.

The refurbishment also has the Lowe kitemark of quality stamped on it, from the copper-topped bar, complete with mirrored back bar in which the words Angels Share are etched, to the tin ceiling (reminiscent of Glasgow's 29) and the mosaic tiles on the walls.

The back bar also stocks a number of whiskies from now closed distilleries.

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Wishing Billy and the team every success with Angels Share Port Edgar Marina, South Queensferry EH30 9SQ Tel: 0131 331 1791 Fax: 0131 331 4603 www.adgmetalworkersltd.co.uk The booths are upholstered in soft black leather, and then of course there are the chandeliers. Billy got the inspiration for them during a visit to Buenos Aires. On the day we went walkabout in Angels Share, his team was just putting the finishing touches to them by topping off the candle-shaped lightbulbs around the edge of the chandeliers with mini, individually-designed shades.

Downstairs, through a very cool concealed mosaic tiled covered door in the main bar, is Devil's Cut, an area that Billy is particularly effusive about. He said, “The Door says PDT (please don't tell) which refers to the password. This was inspired by The Backroom in New York which I went to with some stockbroker friends. I had been there the night before after being told the password by the concierge at my hotel, so we went the next night, but I thought because I had the password my mates would have difficulty getting in, but to my surprise, they joined me in there shortly afterwards. Turns out you didn't need a password after all. It was a PR ploy. So that's what we are doing here. In fact we invited 150 concierges and then 50 taxi drivers for a coffee and a bacon roll where we told them the password, which they can pass on to their fares – maybe for a better tip!”

As we walked around Devil's Cut Billy explained, “There will eventually be old ads hanging on the exposed brick walls that look as if they have been unearthed. Things like the old Coca-Cola and 'Don't be vague ask for Haig' ads. It's a 150-capacity venue, and I see it as an extension of the ground floor rather than a venue in its own right.”

There's also a newly-tiled floor in the basement, and the signature back bar mirror etching of the basement's name.

The teapots in Devil's Cut merit a mention too, as, according to Billy, a table of people drinking cocktails from a teapot can look a little surreal before they are joined by someone else drinking a bottle of beer for example. They're certainly quirky.

The team was still working on the 30 guest rooms, which, say Billy, “Will eventually contain pictures reflecting different parts of Scotland – from Harris to Bishopbriggs. The individually-named suites (again, after well-known Scots) have already undergone some changes like the installation of new marble tops on the dressers.”

Billy had his second-best year in Le Monde's seven-year history last year, which must bode well for the future of its new sister venue.

Scot-Tile are delighted to have Angels Share as a valued customer and wish them great success for the future.

Unit 10B West Craigs Industrial Estate Turnhouse Road | Edinburgh | Midlothian | EH12 8NR T: 0131 538 8808 | F: 0131 538 8828 E: scotslate@aol.com www.scottile.co.uk MAY 2013 DRAM 33

DESIGN FOCUS

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or 40 years Lord and Lady Claire and Godfrey Macdonald ran Skye's Kinloch Lodge, cementing its status as one of the island's best loved hotels. The couple's daughter Isabella Macdonald and her husband Tom Eveling took over the reins five years ago, and recently spent £750k on a refurbishment that's sure to secure the Macdonald family legacy for at least a few more generations.

The couple, whose co-director in the business is head chef Marcello Tully, moved back from London a decade ago, taking over the running of the place in 2008. Isabella grew up on the island, whereas Tom left behind his native London, and he couldn't have picked more of a contrasting part of the UK to decamp to.

Together they have brought to Kinloch Lodge cutting edge design concepts that are also sympathetic to its location in one of the most remote and picturesque parts of the country.

The whitewashed hotel is set in its own grounds in immensely beautiful countryside, and the interior changes are just as stunning.

It closed on the 7th January this year and the work took two months to complete. The renovation has included the refurbishment of the three ground-floor drawing rooms, 13 new bathrooms in the 13 existing rooms, plus the addition of six new suites.

Heading up the design was Catherine Wilson of Revamp Transition, although Isabella also inputted greatly. One of the chief considerations for the designer was its surroundings, as Isabella explains, “I had a very clear vision of what I wanted - a country house hotel on Skye. I didn't want to go down the boutique hotel route. So the brief to Catherine was a lot more diverse than I first thought it would be, and I wanted an interior that made guests feel relaxed without being stuffy or too formal."

“As well as being a business, this is also our home, and the design comprises lots of personal touches, like Macdonald family photos and memorabilia in the drawing rooms. We've also created six new individually-designed bedrooms, four of which have seating areas, with the other two larger rooms having a separate sitting room area. The 13 remaining original rooms meanwhile have been fitted

BY JASON CADDY

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with beautiful new bathrooms, including underfloor heating and power showers, and they've all been finished to the same exacting standards as the rest of the place.”

The interior is absolutely beautiful, and the three drawing rooms on the ground floor now all have log fires, and one of the rooms also has a Talisker bar area, where guests can congregate and have a drink before moving through to the other rooms which are used for dining. The bar has a Talisker branded mirror hanging on the back wall, framed by a very elegant oak bar surround, bookended by two glass cabinets displaying Talisker bottles and samples. The walls of the dining rooms have been painted in antique green, and are lined with period portraits, with the surroundings reflected in the earthy other colours that have been used throughout.

Four of the new bedrooms were created by converting Isabella's former home, an old extension to the hotel, while her parents former accommodation now houses the other two rooms. They've all also been individually designed in a variety of colours that aim to reflect the landscape of Skye, with vivid red tartan upholstery and carpets paired with hessian-coloured walls. The walls have also been decorated with interesting prints of the island, and most of the new rooms hold books from the Macdonald family library, as well as views across sea-Loch Na Dal towards Kinloch Hill.

Jeff Taylor, Director, Select Contract Furniture, who provided much of the furniture said, "The furnishings specified were of the highest calibre and the aesthetics created are quite stunning. It was our pleasure to have worked alongside such charming owners and of course we wish them every success following this quite considerable investment."

I should also mention the superking-size beds in the new suites that really are as big in real life as they are in the pictures.

As well as accommodation, food also forms an integral part of what the Macdonalds are cultivating at the Kinloch Lodge. Said Isabella, “My mum's written 18 cookery books, so naturally we wanted to capitalise on my parents' legacy and maintain the hotel's reputation for great food.” As a result they also invested in expanding the size of the kitchen and putting in new equipment. An interesting new

36 DRAM MAY 2013

addition in fact, is the chef's table, as she goes on to explain. “In light of our customers becoming increasingly more interested in how the food is prepared, the chef's table can now be observed from a special little room that allows guests a view of the chef's table, which forms part of our newly upgraded kitchen. This also included the installation of a biomass boiler so that we are no longer reliant on fossil fuels.” She continues “Head chef Marcello Tully's amazing work meant that our restaurant was awarded a Michelin star three years ago and he continues to inspire and create.”

So how has the refurbishment been received by the hotel's regular guests? Says Isabella, “A lot of our custom comes from repeat business and the enthusiasm for what we've done has been fantastic. We've been aware since taking over five years ago that we can always do better and that the business can't stand still.”

Given her family's long association with the hotel, this was a labour of love for Isabella and Tom, and it's fair to say that this is apparent in a design that's the epitome of 'lovingly created'.

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MAY 2013 DRAM 37

Round up HIT! Dinner

The recent Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Annual Dinner took place at the Hilton Hotel recently. As you can see from the pictures a good evening was had by all, at the Circus-themed event.

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 New Business Manager: Lynn Kelly • Advertising Manager: Martin Cassidy • Editorial: Jason Caddy • Administration: Cheryl Cook • Production: Jill Donald 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 £52 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 2013. Printed

by Meigle Colour Printers Ltd. 38 DRAM MAY 2013

Come to our OPEN DAY! Come and meet us on Thursday 9th of May between Midday and 7pm

want to run your own pub/restaurant or hotel?

Exclusive sign up deals offered on the day ÂŁ2,000 if someone who you recommended takes on a Punch pub on a substantive agreement* Plus, the person you recommended would receive ÂŁ5,000 *Subject to terms and conditions

A wide portfolio of business opportunities available across Scotland including...

Old Aberlady Longniddry EH32 0RF

Two Bridges South Queensferry

Ythan Aberdeen AB41 6BP

Close to finest golf courses Established dining destination

Historical Georgian Pub Major refurb planned

Near Donald Trump golf resort Plans to create boutique hotel

To register your interest in attending this or any other event, contact Sandi in Recruitment & Lettings Team on 0844 848 3264 or email sandi.bellinger@punchtaverns.com Event location: Dakota Edinburgh, South Queensferry, Edinburgh EH30 9QZ On iPhone I On Android I Online Download the Punch Taverns Mobile App!

www.PuNChTAVERNS.COM

MAY 2013 DRAM 39

The Inn At Longcroft seeks a star lessee.

Available on our Business Start-Up Agreement and First Year Support Package, The Inn at Longcroft is in an excellent location as it sits on the busy A803 road from Glasgow to Falkirk. Located close to a large residential area, The Inn at Longcroft is a charming, traditional pub that benefits from a strong customer base within easy walking distance.

The outlet features back-to-back public and lounge bars with a restaurant offering seating for up to 50 guests, served by a well-equipped catering kitchen. It presents an excellent opportunity to drive a food led business, having delivered outstanding food sales since being reopened in February 2010.

An attractive function room is located to the rear of the premises, which provides the potential to hold parties and events to further drive food and drink sales. While the private accommodation is in good condition, comprising of three bedrooms, lounge, dining, kitchen, office, storerooms and a bathroom.

The Inn at Longcroft represents an excellent business for a community minded operator with previous catering experience who has the enthusiasm to maximise the fantastic facilities the pub has on offer.

Minimum capital required £15,000.

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Excellent location Separate function suite/restaurant

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Accommodation available Car park

To find out more, visit starpubs.co.uk or call 0500 94 95 96

* Based on Star Pubs & Bars FMT rent model.