DRAM August 2013 Awards Special

DRAM

276

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

DRAM AwARDs sPECIAL

DRAM MAGAZINE AUGUST 2013 ISSN 1470-241X

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2 DRAM AUGUST 2013

276 259 DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

AWARDS FINALISTS 2013

Congratulations to all our award finalists. The standard of entry has been extremely high this year and our judges have not had an easy time deciding on the finalists but here is the full list.

DRAM SCOTTISH LICENSED TRADE AWARDS 2013

CoRonAtIon

WELCOME

W

elcome to our special Awards issue, and as usual we have all the winners, runners-up and lots of pictures of the event itself in this magazine.

You can also view it on www.barandpub.tv It was a super night, and it seems like most people thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The feature starts on page 16, and there are also pics on our roundup page. See if you can spot yourself.

This month I also got the chance to sit down and have a chat with Peter Lederer CBE. He is now an ambassador for Diageo but he has plenty of great advice for the hospitality industry. Find out what he had to say on page 13.

Jason Caddy visited the newly refurbished Centotre while myself and Lynn headed to sunny Pitlochry to see the new Fonab Castle.

It is lovely, and has an amazing view. See page 38 to 43.

I'll definitely be going back sometime soon to interview GM Peter Sim – he is one of the most entertaining managers I have come across.

I hope you are enjoying the sun. We are.

Susan Young Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com

CONTENTS

August

11 DRAM APRIL 2013

AwARDs CeReMony 24tH June 2013

MARCH 2013 DRAM 11

2013

FEATURES

13 16 38 42

scotland in the spotlight

Susan Young speaks to Peter Lederer CBE

AWARDS special

All the award winners at the 2013 DRAM Awards

design

Fonab Castle, Pitlochry

design

Centotre, Edinburgh

REGULARS

04 09 44

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.

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 3

Cromlix on Schedule Next time Sir Sean Connery comes to Scotland he could opt to stay in not one, but two, hotel rooms named after him. Billy Lowe has a Sir Sean Connery room at Angels Share while Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray has also named one, Connery, at Cromlix House, the hotel he bought earlier this year. The room names were revealed as Inverlochy Castle Management, who are managing the hotel on behalf of Murray, launched a new website and online booking facility for the hotel which should be open for April 2014.

Murray has said he is "delighted" with progress at his new luxury hotel which is currently being refurbished. He said, "I have obviously been pretty busy recently, but I've been keeping in touch with the refurbishment work at Cromlix and am delighted with its progress. I'm really looking forward to the hotel getting up and running, creating new jobs in my home community and supporting other local businesses."

Guests can choose from 10 luxurious, individually designed bedrooms and five suites at the elegant Victorian mansion, close to Andy’s hometown of Dunblane, in Perthshire. The tennis superstar has named each of the rooms after great Scots from the past and present. The five suites are called the Hoy Spa suite, Bruce suite, Ferguson Spa suite, Eden suite and Burns suite.

While rooms include the names Bowes-Lyon, Connery, Conan Doyle, Fleming, Barrie and Stewart.

Cromlix is already fully booked throughout next year’s Ryder Cup, which is being staged a short drive away at Gleneagles.

A pared down, but stylish burger joint Burger Meats Bun is the latest burger bar to open in Glasgow on West Regent Street. It follows on from Meat Bar and Cocktail and Burger. Ben Dantzic and James Forrest are the duo behind the new joint, and they have plenty of experience between them have met while working at the Peat Inn in Fife. Ben was most recently manager at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie in Gleneagles Hotel. This new burger bar, like the others prides itself of provenance and is using suppliers such as the Aberfoyle Butcher, the Big Bear Bakery, Gartmorn Farm and cheesemonger George Mewes.

The restaurant certainly has a pared down look, and the burgers are served wrapped up. There's no crockery to speak of. Ben told DRAM, "So far it's been great."

New £25m Hotel Complex Gets Green Light It's been a busy few weeks for Lynnet Leisure, the family business headed up by James Mortimer. First of all they got the green light from Glasgow City Council, with the grant of full planning permission, for a £35m hotel, casino, bar and restaurant complex at Royal Exchange Square. The project will bring 96 hotel rooms to the city, and will create around 250 jobs.

The new project will have shops at ground and first-floor levels, around 1000sqm of leisure space on the second floor, a spa and further leisure space on the third floor, the hotel will take up the fourth to ninth floors and there are plans for a double height public bar on the 11th floor. The plan also involves using part of the basement as leisure and bar space.

Richard Brown, executive director of development and regeneration

4 DRAM AUGUST 2013

services said, “It will deliver significant benefits to economic growth as well as significant benefits to the wider community which outweigh the substantial demolition and façade retention of the ‘B’ listed buildings at 1-3 Royal Exchange Court.”

Lynett then completed the sale of its commercial office and retail property at 78-90 Buchanan Street and 9-17 Exchange Place.

Lothbury Investment Management acquired the buildings on behalf of its investment trust for £17.4m. The premises also includes the Rogano property, which Lynnet also own, Vodafone, Starbucks and Bench.

Lynett Leisure agreed a consensual sale of the property with its lender Clydesdale Bank, who stated in June it was withdrawing from UK commercial property lending.

NEWS

www.dramscotland.co.uk

n.b. bar & restaurant

Busby Hotel Changes Hands Steve Graham's Manorview Hotel & Leisure Group has bought the Busby Hotel in Clarkston and the Redhurst Hotel in Greenock after borrowing £6.25m from Barclays through the Funding for Lending scheme run by the Bank of England and the Treasury.

This brings the number of hotels in the group to six. They include the Lynnhurst in Johnstone and The Torrance Inn in East Kilbride.

Jamie Grant, head of corporate banking for Barclays in Scotland, said, “We are increasing our presence in the hospitality and leisure sector, where we believe there are strong opportunities for operators like Manorview.

“The company has been astute in taking advantage of competitively-priced assets coming to the market.”

Carluccio's opens in Aberdeen

Carluccio's opened its 2nd Scottish outlet, and its 75th restaurant, earlier this month in Aberdeen. The new restaurant at Union Square, is situated on the upper mall, and has a specialist grocery store and delicatessen. Although Celebrity Chef Antonio Carluccio, who helped found the group in 1991, has now taken a backseat with the venture, he still consults on menu development for the chain’s UK sites and in fact visited Aberdeen for the opening. Carluccio's is known for offering authentic Italian dishes at reasonable prices.

Simon Kossoff, CEO of Carluccio’s, said, "We have been keen to open in Aberdeen for a number of years now and are delighted to have finally found the right site for us."

The first Scottish Carluccio's is in Glasgow.

It's not the only Aberdeen restaurant to open last month – Dr Noodles, the Asian restaurant which allows customers to create their own noodle or rice box combinations, also opened on Union Street.

This now brings the number of Dr Noodles outlets to three. It also has restaurants in Dundee and St Andrews and they open from 11am until 10pm. The chain is owned by Stuart Crithon.

Have you heard?

The Wild Boar, the Globe and Ma Cameron’s are now able to trade for 15 continuous hours which is normally outwith Aberdeen City Council policy. But this time, despite objections form some councillors, the board approved the new hours. This means both Ma Cameron’s and the Wild Boar can open from 10am Monday to Sunday.

ABode in Glasgow has been rebranded as The Arthouse Hotel, the name by which it was originally known when it first opened in 1999. The Bath Street hotel, now owned by Andrew and Christina Brownsword, who own Brownswood Hotels, which comprises a collection of 12 UK hotels in total.

It's not just maverick brewers BrewDog who are using crowdfunding to finance their business, bartender Simon Collier has raised £6580 towards a £20,000 crowdfunding target to finance the opening of a cocktail bar in Thurso, formerly the Newmarket Bar. Collier, who was unable to get the finance from banks, has offered, 12% of the equity in his MRC Bartending business to investors.

He has placed the offer via the BankToTheFuture. com platform. This allows someone investing £100 to get a 0.06% stake.

As an added incentive investors putting in £100 will get a cocktail masterclass for ten people. He has until July 29th to raise the cash.

A new basement gay bar is just about has to open on Glasgow's John Street called Katie's Bar. The owner, Susan Rennie, already owns Katie's Bar in Stirling.

The resident host is Nancy Clench. More on the bar itself next month.

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 5

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6 DRAM AUGUST 2013

NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

Joint Venture for Marblehead

M

arblehead, the Scots brand development company owned

by Ricky Agnew, has agreed a joint venture with newly formed Quintessential Brands, the independent spirits company, set up by former Gruppo Campari CEO Enzo Visone and investment banker Warren Scott.

The news will see Marblehead distributing Quintessential's brands in the UK. These include Greenall's Original London Dry Gin, Bloom Gin, and Berkeley Square Gin, as well as, two new brands Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin and Toussaint Coffee Liqueur.

Ricky told DRAM, “This joint venture will only strengthen Marblehead. It's very exciting. We will be doing what we have always done, develop brands, and this venture gives us the opportunity, and the ability, to attract other third party brands too.”

It's perfect timing for Marblehead, as it parted company with Proximo Spirits the brand owners of Maestro Dobel tequila, Hangar One vodka and The Kraken black spiced rum on 1st July.

This followed the decision earlier this year by Proximo, a US company, to set up its own UK office to look after its own brands and Jose Cuervo, the newest addition to its stable. Proximo UK is now headed by Dave Steward, Marblehead's former business

development director.

Says Ricky, “It's actually turned out to be a good thing. I needed to do something, and I had a deadline, and something better, in the shape of Quintessential Brands came along. We were working against the clock to get the deal done by the 1st July, so it has been hard work.”

He also revealed to DRAM that he was relinquishing the controls of the company to Emma Wykes. Says Ricky, “After 37 years I am going to be taking a step back, and it will be Emma Wykes, who I have just appointed as Managing Director, who will be in charge.

Obviously I will be there to help and mentor and it also gives me time to come up with fresh ideas.”

Mike Salmon, Quintessential Brands International Brands and Marketing Director said of the new venture, “This partnership means we are able to provide Marblehead with increased stability and some fantastic new brands. In return we are working with a highly respected prestige agency which has over 30 years’ experience and an established distribution network, giving particularly high penetration in the premium on trade, essential for our super premium gin brands.”

Sky holds prices Sky has, for the third consecutive year, announced a price freeze for subscription prices of its Sky Ultimate package. Prices will be held until at least June 2014, meaning that licensees will not have had a price increase since September 2010.

Sky is also investing heavily in a range of additional features to help licensees truly get the most out of Sky Sports for their venues. These include free Sky WiFi, HD, 3D, Sky Sports Preview magazine, Preview LIVE, a new free third viewing card, an App exclusively available to Sky venues and free training through CPL Training Group.

David Rey, Managing Director, Sky Business comments, “We’ve held our pricing for three years, during which time we have continued to invest more and more on-screen to make Sky Sports even stronger, and in tools allowing publicans to drive strong results for their businesses.

However, we recognise that the trading environment remains tough for publicans, which is why we are choosing not to pass on any of our cost increases in what will be one of the most explosive seasons on Sky Sports.”

The upcoming season will be Sky Sports’ biggest to date. In addition to back-to-back Ashes series, there’s every race weekend from the Formula One season, grand slam tennis, golf majors, the Heineken Cup, international rugby and more live football than ever. Sky Sports also remains the home of the Premier League, with 116 live games across the season, including 77 of the top 100 picks across Saturday evenings, Sunday afternoons and Monday nights. Sky also remains the home of the UEFA Champions League, the Football League and La Liga, and will be broadcasting coverage from SPL and the Scottish Football League.

Tennent's is continuing to perform well in the Scottish independent on-trade with total branded volumes increasing by 7%, according to the latest interim Management Statement covering the period from 1 March 2013 to the 31st May issued by owners C&C Group last month. However Tennent's UK volumes saw a decline of 12.4% with revenues down 6.1%.

Stephen Glancey, C&C Group CEO, commented, “Our Tennent’s business has again performed well and provides a degree of balance to a competitive UK cider market.”

In Cider UK, Q1 volumes declined in both Magners and Gaymers brands with over 85% of the volume loss driven by the off-trade channel which remains intensely competitive.

Magners volumes declined nearly 20% while Gaymers saw a decline of 25%.

The Group forecasts operating profit for the 2014 financial year to be in the range of €125m to €132m. The expected outcome represents year-on-year earnings growth of between 10% and 16%.

Glancey continued, “We remain focused on developing our multi-beverage capability in core markets and investing in customers through our trade lending model.”

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 7

Over 130 years experience Over 2000 customers Over 3000 products at your fingertips

01698 727 777

C

ongratulations to all the DRAM Award winners – it was great to see Dunns Food and Drinks customers getting accolades. And well done to Colin Barr who received the Outstanding Contribution to the Scottish Licensed Trade Award. We too are making our contribution to the licensed trade – with business growing at a rate of 37% year-on-year, due to our continued focus on offering a bespoke service to our customers.

We have not just expanded our range to include an extra 400 lines of premium products but we have successfully introduced a Wine category into our portfolio and have employed Wine specialist, Michael Adair, who is now offering our customers personalised Wine Lists and Tastings. First hand knowledge of wine is vital so our sales team are currently in the process of being up-skilled in the area of wine, with some of them already accredited in WSET Level 2.

We have had the support of suppliers such as Pernod Ricard, Burns Stewart, Whyte & Mackay and Rekorderlig, to name but a few, with regard to our new strategy and this has allowed us to offer customers pouring deals and enhanced sales support.

Technology is high on our agenda, and our new state of the art computer system has transformed the way we communicate with our customers. For instance we have introduced ‘Repweb’ - a unique tool which allows our customers to view their purchases online and allows us to give on the spot quotes, which saves our customers time and money!

We continue to offer our customers everyday low prices across our key spirits brands. Added to this we have also enhanced our brand advertising of those brands through the launch of our new style ‘In the Spotlight’ Promotional Brochure.

We are continually investing in our business to ensure that our customers are well served by Dunns Food and Drinks. This includes a newly branded fleet of trucks and more investment on training and development of our most important asset - ‘Our People.’

Our business is growing, why not let us help your business grow... Our figures speak for themselves!

Once again Congratulations to all the very well deserved winners of the DRAM Awards 2013.

Telesales: Sunday - Friday • Deliveries: Monday - Saturday 32 Glasgow Road, Blantyre G72 0JY

www.dunnsfoodanddrink.com

8 DRAM AUGUST 2013

BRAND NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

Gin COLONEL PINKSTER UNVEILS HIS NEW PREMIUM GIN Pinkster, a new premium gin brand, with a distinctive raspberry hue and flavour profile has just been launched. Distilled by Charles Maxwell at Thames Distillers, fresh raspberries are steeped in the triple distilled spirit giving the gin a deliciously dry yet subtly smooth flavor. Stephen Marsh, Pinkster's managing director, said, "Pinkster is an idiosyncratic entrant to the burgeoning premium gin category.

It's a busy marketplace with some mighty fine gins out there, but our research indicates that there's scope for a new player with a refreshingly different USP." For trade details please contact Pinkster directly at colonel@pinkstergin.com.

Wine A few Scottish licensees have already taken advantage of the fact that you can now pour Prosecco from a tap, but now wine brand Frizzenti is actively looking for licensees to put a tap behind the bar and a keg under it.

Prosecco is the world's fastest growing sparkling wine and a new on tap dispenser from Frizzenti, along with a 20 litre keg, will allow licensees to serve the sparkling wine brand, both Frizzenti Classico and pink sparkling wine Frizzenti Rosato, by the glass.

Frizzenti’s managing director, George Workman

says, “Pubs and bars are naturally concerned about opened bottles losing their sparkle and the potential wastage, but serving it direct from the keg eliminates that risk. The kegs are also reusable which minimises carbon footprint. They guarantee the perfect serve each and every time and ultimately are a great way to boost profits.”

Taking up minimum space either under the bar or in the cellar, the 20 litre keg is easy to install and maintenance and training are provided by Frizzenti’s team of experts. For more information visit www.frizzenti.com.

Diageo launches new online ‘Think How You Drink’ campaign

The UK has been the first to see Diageo's, new panEuropean online campaign ‘Think How You Drink’ which highlights to young people that drinking to excess can lead to shame and embarrassment. The campaign, which kicked off with the release of a video that shows some of the after-effects of drinking too much on a night out, aims to reach more than one million young people across Europe and help them to think about whether their drinking habits are healthy and safe.

Malcolm D’Sa, Marketing Innovation Director for Diageo Western Europe, said, “With this video we are deliberately using humour to catch people’s attention.

Responsible drinking campaigns in the past have tended either to preach or to scare. There is a place for that type of message but we began this campaign by looking at where young adults communicate. They are talking online and via social media – and we know that humour is a more effective way of delivering a message across those channels.

“We know that drinking to excess is a serious issue – but our primary concern is to be effective. The message, that drinking can have harmful consequences, is still in there and it is a strong message. We’ve just approached it in a different way.”

The video, which was launched in the UK, will now roll out to Ireland, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.

To see the new video visit www.barandpub.tv

Vodka

Salted caramel flavour from Stoli

Stolichnaya Premium Vodka is set to launch its salted caramel flavoured vodka in the UK next month. Stoli Salted Karamel combines Stolichnaya Premium Vodka with the buttery flavour of caramel and a hint of salt, it's the second in Stoli’s portfolio of Sweet Indulgent flavours. It recently won a gold medal at the 2013 International Spirits Challenge.

Stoli Salted Karamel is made from 100% natural flavours, and has Stolichnaya premium vodka as its base.

Snow Leopard joins Maxxium Maxxium UK has added vodka brand Snow Leopard to its portfolio. Brand owner, Edrington, which holds a 50% share of Maxxium, acquired the luxury spirit in February 2013.

Snow Leopard was launched in 2006 by founder Stephen Sparrow, a keen conservationist who was inspired to create a brand that would help fund conservation of the endangered snow leopard. Snow Leopard donates 15% of its profits to the Snow Leopard Trust and to date has raised more than $70K. Snow Leopard vodka is hand-crafted in small batches through a six-stage distillation process at the famous Polmos Lublin distillery in Poland and is the first luxury vodka to be made from the rare and expensive spelt grain, which gives the spirit a distinctive, nutty flavour.

Snow Leopard founder, Stephen Sparrow of Edrington said, “I am thrilled that Snow Leopard vodka has joined Edrington and will be distributed by Maxxium in the UK. We’ve come a long way in seven years and having these world class organisations behind the brand now will provide the momentum for Snow Leopard vodka to grow and play an instrumental part in the snow leopard’s survival in the wild.”

Maxxium UK managing director, Huw Pennell says, “We are delighted with the addition of Snow Leopard vodka, which is a perfect strategic fit for Maxxium UK.

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 9

BRAND NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

Whisky

Woodford Reserve extends Master’s Collection Woodford Reserve, has added to its Master’s Collection range with the introduction of Woodford Reserve Four Wood. The launch of Woodford Reserve Four Wood continues the brand’s practice of creating rare whiskeys that celebrate craftsmanship, quality and innovation. The new variant has been added to the collection to help build further equity and drive visibility for the parent brand, which has won ‘Best In Class’ at the International Spirit Challenge, in turn aiding growth in the whiskey category, which is currently worth over £1.2 billion.

The new Four Wood variety is a unique batch of mature Woodford Reserve bourbon which has been aged in

Unholy delight

Isle of Arran Distillers, has just released an unholy delight; The Devil’s Punch Bowl Chapter II. The new dram, named Angels & Devils, is the second part of Arran’s trinity of ungodly spirits. It follows on from the original Chapter I, which sold out in record time when it was released last year.

Described by Master Distiller, James MacTaggart as a ‘true contrast of light and shade’, the whisky is made using 27 different Arran casks, each meticulously selected and combined to create a whisky with great depth and rich character. He Says, “Bottled at natural strength without chill-filtration, the spirit has a devilish ABV of 53.1%. This dram will not disappoint as notes of dark chocolate and delicate butterscotch spice set taste buds alive.” Just 6,660 bottles will be released worldwide and interest is already high. Devil’s Punch Bowl; Angels & Devils RRP £72.99 is available from early July online at www. arranwhisky.com and in specialist whisky stores.

10 DRAM AUGUST 2013

American Oak and has been finished in barrels made from Maple Wood, Oloroso Sherry and Ruby Port casks.

Each whiskey is placed into one of these casks, which are then blended together to produce a layered product. There are only 500 cases available of Woodford Reserve Four Wood, which is bottled at 47.2% ABV and is sold in a a 70cl bottle. RRP £120.

Ffion Jones, Brand Manager Super Premium American Whiskies at Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands comments, “The distinctive flavour is sure to excite fans, whilst the bottles will look fantastic on any back bar, making Woodford Reserve Four Wood a sure hit with whiskey connoisseurs and bartender collectors alike.”

WINNER OF WORLD’S BEST DESIGN 2013 TO REVAMP PACKAGING Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits is proud to unveil new livery for The Glenrothes, its pioneering whisky brand which was the first single malt to be available as ‘vintage only’ and was subsequently in the vanguard of whiskies to be released without a declared age statement.

Luke Tegner, Marketing Director of Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits, explains, “Consumers enjoy The Glenrothes because of the liquid, of course. But they also love the bottle and frame pack. This updated packaging will clearly communicate the hierarchy of our expressions in existing and markets that are new to us. The pinnacle being the Extraordinary Cask Collection, winner of the World’s Best Design at the World Whisky Awards 2013.”

Ardbeg Galileo is out of This World!

Ardbeg, the Islay malt whisky, has won two top awards at the International Spirits Challenge for Ardbeg Galileo, a celebration of its “world first” space maturation experiment. It won Best Launch campaign and Best PR campaign for the release of Galileo, a limited edition whisky released in June 2012.

The whisky, named after Galileo Galilei, the father of modern astronomy, celebrates the first ever experiment undertaken by Ardbeg Distillery (or any other distillery for that matter!) in space. Ardbeg was invited in late 2011 by US-based space research company NanoRacks, based in Houston Texas, to take part in an experiment to test what impact zero gravity has on micro-organic compounds drawn from the distillery’s production on Islay. This experiment will compare the difference in maturation (the inter-action of these compounds with charred oak) between normal gravity on Earth and

micro-gravity in space, and is currently taking place on the International Space Station.

Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation, explained, “We thought we would celebrate the experiment by the introduction of Ardbeg Galileo – our own earthly tribute to the scientific experiment taking place far up in space! We are over the moon at winning these campaign awards, it has been a privilege to have the opportunity to send Ardbeg molecules in to space and create an expression in its honour.”

Fans of Ardbeg will now be able to stay next to the distillery with the opening of a luxury self-catering home called Seaview Cottage. A 19th Century cottage has been restored at the Islay distillery. Mickey Heads, Ardbeg Distillery Manager, explains, “The house has a lovely relaxed atmosphere with contemporary interiors and stunning views. Lucky visitors to the island will have the opportunity to stay at the home of the Ultimate Islay Malt, in a cottage that is full of Ardbeg history and lore. I hope that everybody who spends time there will feel the same as I do, and will want to return again and again.”

Forth Wines Passion for Wine Award, DRAM Awards 2013 A word from our sponsor - Ian Cumming

“We at Forth were delighted to see the quantity and quality of entrants for the first Passion for Wine Award at the DRAM. As expected the quality was extremely high and the team at DRAM had a hard task of narrowing it down to four finalists. Then came the even harder task of selecting a winner from the finalists. I think it paints a really positive picture as to where the independent on trade is now with the wine offer – it has moved forward enormously in the last 10 years.

Nic Wood at Signature came across as having a real passion for developing his wine sales – it was the imaginative use of promotional and listing ideas and his interaction and involvement with his staff that finally tipped the scales – there was a real feeling of involvement and ownership of the wine offer.

Steven and the team at Stravaigin were also exceptional and are a Scottish on trade icon – a real drive to develop wine sales to suit their market came shining through.

Buzzworks and Kenny Blair are one of the most dynamic and forward thinking businesses in the Scottish trade today and they have transformed their wine offer in the last few years with high involvement from customers, staff and suppliers.

Jim and Margaret at Tusitala are a fantastic couple, real characters with a great business. They have built this from scratch and show a real enthusiasm, and knowledge, to further develop the wine offer.‘’

Winner: Nic Wood, Signature Pub Group “We are absolutely delighted to have won the Forth Wines Passion for Wine award at this year’s DRAM Awards. The eclectic nature and diversity in our lists, particularly in our steak restaurant Kyloe, play a central role in providing our guests with superb wines at great prices, an ethos which we carry into future operations and endeavors.

Steven Auld (L)

Highly Commended: Steven Auld, Stravaigan

“To receive a Highly Commended on the night itself was great. It’s nice to get a pat on the back now and again for the hard work that goes on 52 weeks a year.

Our wine list is a hugely important part of the overall offering here at Stravaigin and a lot of time, effort and work goes into it’s creation. The most important thing is to keep the customers choice interesting and good value. We work closely with our suppliers to help make that happen.”

Nic Wood (L)

Finalist: Jim & Margaret Wilkie, Tusitala “I’ve had a passion for wine for a number of years now, so it meant a lot to me to be considered for this award. I’m a member of the 49 Wine and Spirit Club and I love my life around wine. I enjoy visiting vineyards, meeting the makers of the wines, going to tastings then training my staff with all the information I have learned. So for someone like me the Passion For Wine Award by Forth Wines was perfect. I’ve enjoyed the experience and I was just pleased to make it to the finalist stage and attend the awards for the first time.

Finalist: Kenny Blair, Buzzworks Holdings “We have always had a real passion for wine and over the past 18 months we have embarked on a real journey of wine development across our business and this naturally led us to enter into this year’s ‘Passion for Wine’ award. Commitment and investment into educating staff through training and development opportunities, and the ability to introduce new and innovative ways for customers to enjoy and learn about wine, are all areas where we excel and we were delighted that this was recognised by the judges. Although, we were disappointed not to have won the award, we are proud to have reached the final. It’s a great reflection of the hard work and efforts put in by our team and they thoroughly deserve it.

Crawford Place | Milnathort | Kinross-shire KY13 9XF TELEPHONE: +44 (0) 1577 866000 | FACSIMILE: +44 (0) 1577 866025 EMAIL: enquiries@forthwines.com | orders@forthwines.com www.forthwines.com

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 11

12 DRAM AUGUST 2013

scotland in the spotlight Peter Lederer has had many roles, he is probably best known for taking Gleneagles Hotel from a £4m turnover to a £40m turnover during his tenure there as GM, MD and Chairman of the hotel, but he was also Chairman of VisitScotland for 9 years,was President of the Institute of Hospitality (formerly HCIMA), a Patron of the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland, and a Trustee of the Springboard Educational Trust and Chairman, One & All Foundation. Susan Young caught up with him recently.

P

eter Lederer CBE is a legend… and a fabulous asset for Scotland, despite the fact that he was born in London. He is currently described as an 'Ambassador for Diageo', by some, but really he is the voice of the Scottish hospitality industry. My challenge is how to condense what he said into 1,800 words so please forgive me for not speaking too much about his early days as it's his views on the opportunities for Scotland during the next year ahead that resonate.

We met at The Blythswood Hotel for a coffee and he was soon on a subject very dear to his heart, and one I am in total agreement with, the need for the hospitality industry and the licensed trade (hoteliers and publicans) to work more closely together.

Says Peter, “When people work together you can do so much more. I worked with the government for nine years, when I was Chairman of VisitScotland, and I know what is needed is a consistent approach from trade organisations. For instance if the government is thinking about an issue, and goes to 10 different trade bodies and gets 10 different ideas, because they can't agree amongst themselves, the government often takes the view it would be best to leave the issues alone and keep the status quo.”

No doubt he will be bringing some of that expertise to the Scottish Licensed Trade Association when he takes over as President later this year.

He might be willing to preside over some other changes too. He explains, “When it comes to trade organisations you have to ask yourself if none of them existed would you re-invent it the way it is? What kind of organisation do we need today, what do we want to focus on? We might not get it all right – but people need a reason to change, and if someone can paint a bright enough picture of the destination, that helps. We are where we are, but people need to look to the future.”

Another saying that Peter has used to describe some aspects of our tourism industry over the years, and continues to use, is 'Scotland's Sales Prevention Department'. He explains, “I need to ask the people that turn away business because the kitchen is closed...do you not want to make money? I can make a sandwich at home... how difficult is it to get two slices of bread and put some cheese in? But when a customer gets to a hotel and the kitchen is closed... they are turned away. Don't they want that £4? We don't sell well. In fact I would say that for every tourism £1 there is £1 lost.”

Peter got into the industry almost by default. He explains, "I didn't do particularly well at school because I was dyslexic, but I managed to get enough qualifications to go and do a four-year Hotel and Catering Management Course at Hendon College. It was a sandwich course which meant I was able to get practical experience working in the likes of Carlton Tower and Grosvenor House to name but a few hotels, it was invaluable.”

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 13

Gleneagles Hotel

scotland in the spotlight INTERVIEW

His next step was to move across the pond to Canada and join the Four Seasons Hotel Group. "It was a pivotal point in my life”. He explains, “It taught me how out of date we were in the UK when it came to hospitality. Our hotel model in the '70s was so dated, it was old fashioned and wasn't aligned to customers' focus and there was no innovation.” He continues, “At a meeting early on I was with the sales director, I told the client about the hotel and was quite pleased that I had been able to get all the relevant points across. But when we came out the sales director said, “You didn't ask for the business?” And we are all guilty of that. How nice is it when someone says to you, “I would really like to do business with you”? People don't ask for the sale!”

It was pivotal for family reasons too. In the ten years he was there he met wife Marilyn and also became a father. And when he came back to the UK at Peter Tyrie, at the bequest of the then owner of Gleneagles, he did promise his wife it would only be for five years! Thirty years later...

Says Peter, “My first day at Gleneagles coincided with my son's first birthday. I said to Marilyn that we would maybe spend five years here. Thirty years on we are still here and its been a very happy time. It is a wonderful industry, and different every day. It's hard for family life when the business is open 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. But it is rewarding in terms of the people.

Peter certainly took Gleneagles on a journey when he joined in 1984 – taking it from a seasonal hotel to one which stays open every day of the year. In fact he says, “One of my instructions when I joined Gleneagles was to give it some TLC. Then it was closed five months of the year because it didn't open during the winter, so one of my jobs was to build the winter business. When folk suggest Scotland cannot be open 12 months a year – I don't accept it. We changed the way we approached the winter market, others can do this too.” He also made the hotel family friendly. Every activity an adult can do at Gleneagles can be done by children (except drinking) and the children that came in the mid 80s now return with their children.”

Next year the spotlight will be on Scotland like never before with the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and the Referendum. Peter is looking forward to it. He comments, “We will never get a year like it. Hoteliers and publicans must be thinking now, what can I do to take every business opportunity – how can I work with others in the community? They must not wait for others to do it for them, they have to be thinking how they can capitalise on it, and they should be thinking about that now!”

During the Ryder Cup about 40,000 people a day will be wandering around Scotland. No one stays at Gleneagles the entire time. They are all looking for dinner, coffees, visitor attractions – there are all sorts of business opportunities. The Commonwealth Games opportunity is enormous too and everyone overseas is really interested in the Referendum. There is no point in complaining at the end of the 2014 if you don't sell and market your business.”

He continues, “I have no fear that Glasgow won't handle itself well. Glasgow is a great example of people working together. It is better than anywhere else I know.

If everywhere did it like Glasgow our tourism business would be better. Glasgow is naturally a welcoming place, it has a great personality. I just hope the whole journey – such as the airport experience, the bus to the city and such like will also make the difference.”

He believes that customers want a warm welcome, value for money and cleanliness as well as the feeling that they are being cared for.

What would also make our tourism businesses better, according to Peter, is a willingness to invite customer feedback. He explains, “I wish people in the UK would complain constructively. People ask me 'Why can't we get good service here?' The problem is we don't complain constructively. If an American was not pleased with something they would go to the owner or manager and would say 'This didn't work 14 DRAM AUGUST 2013

well' and the Manager would likely say 'Thank you for the feedback, the coffee is free because we didn't deliver.' If we did the same service standards would go up."

“In no other business could you sell a room to a guest with rattling air conditioning, which resulted in the customer getting no sleep, but the customer still pays and leaves. I don't understand it. We see complaints almost as a fight. I say to my guests, “Did you enjoy your stay? They say they did, and I then ask could you tell me one thing we could do better?

“If we don't know what's wrong how can we fix it? We need feedback to improve.

The hospitality industry is spoiled, we have face to face contact with our customers all the time, so we can get customer feedback. If someone complains we should make it a positive experience. We should never let a person leave our business with a problem. No one expects 100% and we need to put people at ease. The touches and tweaks we can make from the feedback we get can add revenue to our business and as revenues go up so does our loyal customer base.”

He says, “When I look at Scotland today I see a great product and the service is often very good. This is the one industry we are judged every minute of every day.

People judge every experience. So we should make that a good experience. And with Trip Advisor, customers can react instantly – and Trip Advisor is not going to go away.”

He also believes that the pub sector could learn from the hotel industry and viceversa. He says, “There is still an old fashioned perception of pubs and each pub has got a story to tell. Hoteliers have got good at articulating what they do but publicans don't always manage get their message out there.

They need to tell customers what is so special about their pub – is it a great range of whisky, beer or food. This is where, I think, the hotel sector could help the ontrade. And I am sure there are areas where the licensed trade could help the hotel industry - after all we are all in the hospitality business. Businesses like Diageo have a role to play in bringing the two sectors of the market closer together and the Hospitality Industry Trust should be a way of facilitating this discussion. Just because hoteliers started it doesn't mean that everyone can't get involved.”

It's not just the hospitality industry than Peter feels could work better together.

He's on a roll now and suggests that areas such as Speyside are missing a real economic opportunity. Perhaps because they are resistant to change. He tells me, “Napa, Stellenbosch, Rioja – all of these tourism areas created economic development with community money. We could be doing the same in Speyside – it is the only malt whisky valley in the world and it should be a mecca for tourists.

It also has Walkers Shortbread and Baxters and all the great whisky companies situated there – economic development is a real possibility. But this idea needs support from the locals to develop a local strategy – the opportunities are huge.

But what you need is great leadership – someone to paint a picture of what it would look like – paint a picture of the journey. The first thing folk say is what is the government going to do, but in the US that is the last thing you would do. Speyside could be like Napa only better.”

When I joined Gleneagles in the early days I wanted people to come with me on the journey, they did, but that was because I knew where we were going. That is what leadership is all about. People will change but they need a reason to change.”

Mind you there seems to be no changing or persuading Peter to slow down despite the fact that he is now 62.

He concludes, “The 'R' word is banned. I think the whole concept of retirement is done. When people used to retire at 65 and have five good years, that was fine. But the thought of 30 more years with nothing to do.... but perhaps I wouldn't work the full five days. I am no good at sitting at home. The last word must go to my wife, she says 'I married you for better for worse but not for lunch'.

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The Tartan Arms Sunday Mail Pub of the Year 2013 Congratulations on your well-deserved award Here’s to another 125 years of outstanding family service!

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ongratulations to all the finalists and winners at the 2013 DRAM Scottish Licensed Trade Awards. It was a full house at Glasgow's Grand Central as the good and the great of the Scottish Licensed Trade turned out to find out who were the recipients of the 2013 Awards.

The evening's theme was the Coronation and the food was certainly fit for a queen with guests tucking into Coronation chicken, Cottage Pie and Corned Beef hash as well as a Queen's pudding. You will see from the comments, Chef Murphy and the team at the Grand Central did a great job.

The evening was hosted by Ben Smith aka Doc Brown, the comedian, rapper and for the night compere who also went down a storm.

Sponsors included Benromach, BII, Diageo, Forth Wines, Kopparberg, Kraken Spiced Rum, Mixxit, Molson Coors, Saltire Taverns, Strongbow, the Sunday Mail, Tennent's and Vicast. Thank you to them all.

outstanding contribution to THE scottish licensed trade award Recipient: colin barr It was only fitting that two of the most respected men in the industry, David Wither of Montpeliers, and Billy Lowe of Saltire Taverns paid homage to a man they said brought to Scotland a wealth of innovative ideas. Said David, “This award is fantastically deserved. The innovation and creativity that Colin has brought to the industry has been huge. He is also a great person.” While Billy said, “Colin has always been at the forefront of what is going on. I've learned a lot from him. He has been a great inspiration.”

Colin Barr was Glasgow's youngest licensee when he ran Bennets, Glasgow's first gay bar for the Lorimers more than 30 years ago, and he went on to run Bar Luxembourg, one of the first style bars. His own bars included The Lounge, The Living Room and The Apartment, the Republic Bier Halle which is now more than a decade old, MAS, Volcano and now Cocktail & Burger.

Bar and clubs he has either run nights at, or been involved in, are too many to mention. Congratulations Colin on this well deserved award.

Sunday Mail pub of the year

WINNER: Tartan Arms Bannockburn

The judges said of the winner, “The pub's regulars put it forward for this award. No only is this pub is an insititution in its home town, it has been in the same family for more than 100 years. The warmth of the welcome by staff and customers make this a pub with real character, which is also reflected in the surroundings. It's a traditional pub, with a traditional heart, and the judges could see why its customers consider it a homefrom-home.”

Finalists: The Drift Inn, Isle of Arran Heraghty's, Glasgow The Queens Arms, Edinburgh

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 17

18 DRAM AUGUST 2013

30 years supplying to the catering trade.

Derek Marshall collects his award from Alice Cardwell Hodges, Client Development Director for the BII in Scotland

“Congratulations to Derek and the team at Gamba, on their DRAM Award�

6 days a week 24hr ordering service Contact: Rosemary Tel: 0141 552 8500 Mob: 07977 228769 Stand B6, Fruit Market, Blochairn road, GlaSGow G21 2SX AUGUST 2013 DRAM 19

CRITICS' CHOICE AWARD WINNER:

THE FISH PEOPLE GLASGOW Glasgow

The judges said of the winner: “The quality of the food was exceptionally good.

Fresh and cooked to perfection. The cafe is intimate, and welcoming. It was a delight to eat there and the staff were very professional too.”

Finalists: The Dining Room, Edinburgh The Station Hotel, Shotts Andrew Bell (L) and Jocelyn Spottiswood collect their award from Martin Cassidy, Media World (centre)

DIAGEO AWARD FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY WINNER:

GLASGOW UNIVERSITY UNION Glasgow

The judges said of the winner, “The winner impressed us across all areas of the judging criteria and demonstrated that they do go the extra mile to promote responsible drinking. They involve the police during staff training sessions and have an effective system for dealing with difficult situations. For us, this venue stood out because it embraced safe practice to the highest level and actively promoted social responsibility with every member of staff, from reception to management.”

Finalists: Cheers Cafe Bar & Tavern, Fraserburgh The Gellions, Inverness Trades House Bar, Dundee

Imogen Dewar and Gavin Pillock (R) collect their award from Mark Baird, Head of Industry Affairs & Alcohol Policy at Diageo

DRAM DOG FRIENDLY PUB OF THE YEAR WINNER:

BLUE GOOSE Edinburgh

The judges said, “This was a very strong category, but this year’s winner demonstrated a warm welcome to owners and well-behaved dogs. It not only had an excellent outdoor area, but also allowed dogs inside too. And treats were the order of the day. Said one customer, "Rocco's dad brings them little bone shaped biscuits.” Rocco's dad is of course Gerry Ritchie and Rocco is a chocolate lab.

Gerry Ritchie collects his award from Susan Young

20 DRAM AUGUST 2013

Finalists: 13th Note, Glasgow Clachan Bar, Falkirk Coylet Inn, Dunoon

congratulates GlasGow university union

winners of the Diageo awarD for social responsibility 2013

Mark Baird, left, Head of Industry Affairs & Alcohol Policy at Diageo, presents the Diageo Award for Social Responsibility 2013 to Imogen Dewar and Gavin Pillock.

The world’s leading premium drinks company AUGUST 2013 DRAM 21

Congratulations to The Paper Mill Independent Bar of The Year 2013

22 DRAM AUGUST 2013

Nic Wood (L) collects his award from Ian Cumming, Commercial Director of Forth Wines

David Johnstone (second right) and Barry Taylor collects their award from Davin Nugent (far right), Managing Director of Kopparberg and Ann Smith-Nixon, Business Development Manager, West Scotland

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 23

DRAM AWARDS 2013

Billy Lowe – Saltire Taverns "Well done to Susan and all the team for another great awards night. We were so pleased to win Best New Bar for Angels Share. The DRAM Awards are always something to look forward to, and we were looked after so well."

Colin Barr – Bier Halle “Thanks to you, Susan and all the team for a fantastic night. I was really touched with my award, what a surprise. Thanks again for a brilliant night.”

Ian Cumming – Forth Wines “Another great DRAM Awards. I thought the atmosphere was fantastic and the theme worked really well. The meal was lovely and Doc Brown did a great job, he was great entertainment.”

Julia Bone – Molson Coors “I had a lovely night and I feel really proud to have won sales rep of the year, it meant the world to me. I didn’t think for one moment I would win, so it was a lovely surprise and I’m really honoured. I thought the whole night was great and Doc Brown was hilarious, I loved his music too. The room looked beautiful and my partner and I both thought the food was amazing. It was a fantastic event, thanks again.”

24 DRAM AUGUST 2013

David Johnstone – The Papermill Lasswade “Thank you so much for a great night, I loved it. Everyone was in good form, there was a great bunch of people there. We were thrilled to win Best Independent Bar, thank you very much.”

Margaret Wilkie – Tusitala “Jim and I had a brilliant time and we met up with quite a few people that we knew which was great. We had a lovely table with good fun people and the wine and beers were flowing.

I was delighted to be a finalist, and although we didn’t win it was great to be recognised and get to the finals and attend the awards for the first time. I loved the cocktails at the drinks reception and I thought the food was good. I liked how the theme was carried through the meal, very creative.”

Paul Dempsey – Blavod “Just a wee note to say thanks to you, Susan and the rest of your team for a fantastic night at the DRAM awards.

Great event and superb venue, and it was great to catch up with so many old friends from the trade.”

David McGowan – Diageo “I thought the awards this year were great. Doc Brown was very good, he had a nice natural style and was very entertaining. The Food was excellent and the service from the hotel staff was very good.”

Derek Marshall – Gamba “It was a great night, and I loved the meal. The starter, main and desert was really good. I thought the compere was actually very funny, we certainly enjoyed ourselves and we were absolutely delighted to have won. Thanks for a fantastic night.”

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 25

Ferri’s Ice Creamery “Often licked but never beaten” Congratulations to Scotts, Troon for their winning DRAM award.

From Tom and Neil at Ferri’s Ice Creamery.

Proud suppliers to the Buzzworks group.

The team from Scotts, Troon collect their award from Scott McKenzie (centre) of Kraken

140 - 142 Titchfield Street • Kilmarnock • KA1 1PL T: 01563 530150 • M: 07789 901770 www.ferrisicecreamery.co.uk • E: neilmcewan27780@aol.co.uk

Congratulations to Buzzworks on winning their DRAM Award.

We as a supplier are glad to be of service.

Fresh seasonal produce

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Resident Chef

With helpful suggestions and cooking tips

Try our recipe cards using our fresh ingredients Mark Tracey (L) and David Smilie (R)collect their certificate from Scott McKenzie (centre), of Kraken

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Servicing over 200 Ayrshire catering establishments

Come in and shop!

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www.grantsfruiterers.com 26 DRAM AUGUST JUNE 201 201 3 3

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congratulations to Scotts, Troon, winning The Kraken Cocktail Bar of the Year at 2013’s Awards

Tel: 020 7489 6410 Web: www.proximospirits.co.uk Email: sales@proximospirits.co.uk

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 27

Congratulations to

Steven McLeish of Strata on winning the Mixxit Bar Apprentice 2013

Huw Pennell, Managing Director of Maxxium UK, presents the Mixxit Bar Apprentice 2013 award to Steven McLeish of Strata, Glasgow.

Amanda Humphrey, Maxxium UK Mixologist, led nine of Scotland’s brightest young bartending talents through an in-depth training programme. Everyone who completed the course passed their final exams, qualifying as Mixxit Bar Apprentices. Well done to all of them.

28 DRAM AUGUST 2013

Steven McLeish (R) collects his award from Huw Pennell, Managing Director of Maxxium UK

Brian Farquhar (L) collects his award from Alan Wolfe (centre), Head of Strategy, Change and Operations at Molson Coors

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 29

Billy Lowe (centre, right) and the team collect their award from Lynn Kelly, Media World (centre, left)

Julia Bone collects her award from John Mustard of Saltire Taverns

30 DRAM AUGUST 2013

Champion Beer Pub of Scotland 2013 Winner – Trades House Bar, Dundee

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 31

STRONGBOW MANAGER OF THE YEAR 2013 ‘Earn it’ is the theme of HEINEKEN’s new marketing campaign for its marketleading cider brand Strongbow and that’s exactly what Glasgow bar Manager James Brown did to collect this year’s Strongbow Manager of The Year award.

James Brown (R) collects his award from HEINEKEN’s Neil Convery

John Gemmell, HEINEKEN Trading Director-North, said: “James is a fantastic manager and a shining example to the On Trade.

He has a very strong emotional attachment to his pub and his customers and works tirelessly to deliver an outstanding customer experience. Hearty congratulations from all at Strongbow.”

Strongbow is the undisputed number one draught cider in the UK, accounting for more than 3 pints in every 5 pints of draught cider sold in the UK.

James Brown (R) collects his award from Heineken's Neil Convery

Chris Clark (R) collects his award from Mike Hartley, Sales Director of MediaScotland

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 33

TennenT’s congraTulaTes

cheers cafe Bar & Tavern

in fraserBurgh winner of The TennenT’s QualiTy award 2013

scotland’s favourite lager 34 DRAM AUGUST 2013

tennent's quality award WINNER: Cheers cafe bar & tavern Fraserburgh

The judges said of the winner, “This outlet is an example of how it should be done. They clearly pride themselves on everything to do with quality. They have a rigorous training process and it shows. The owner obviously pays great attention to detail and the bar staff know how to pour a perfect pint."

Finalists: The Elizabethan Bar & Lounge, Fraserburgh Johnny Foxes, Inverness The Scarecrow Bar, Kilsyth

John Gilligan (far right), Managing Director of Tennent’s and Stephen Dickson (far left) Quality Co-ordinator of the C&C Group present the award to Dennis Forsyth and the team

VIcast independent hotel of the year

Finalists: Airth Castle Hotel, Airth The Douglas Hotel, Isle of Arran Gailes Hotel, Irvine

WITH BEST WISHES AND CONGRATULATIONS TO AUCHRANNIE HOUSE HOTEL Gordon Hay (L) and Richard Small (R) collects their award from Nicola Young, Director of Vicast

WINNER: auchrannie house hotel Isle of Arran

The judges said of the winner, “The winner demonstrated continual product investment and exceptional customer focus. Its firm belief in family, humour and staff, makes this hotel a great credit to Scottish Tourism. It is undoubtedly a five star resort in every way that matters - even if the industry rulebook can’t make that official. From small beginnings this business has grown to become the largest employer in its area, contributing significant financial value to the local economy while also supporting other local business and the wider trade in similar locations. It has grown to enjoy year round occupancy levels that are outstanding. Despite this success, it continues to invest in, and develop, its brand. This is driven by strong customer feedback groups and an impressive focus on customer needs and a commitment to staff.”

Please contact our friendly team on

0141 892 2390 for high quality commercial laundry equipment, spares and service, throughout Scotland.

e: scotland@armstrong-laundry.co.uk www.armstrong-laundry.co.uk AUGUST 2013 DRAM 35

DRAM Advert.pdf

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Euan McMillan and team collect their award from Susan Young

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Trade Membership* The annual membership fee for Standard Trade Membership is £20 (plus VAT), which includes a complimentary card for your spouse or domestic partner.

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Join in the warehouse or online: www.costco.co.uk CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS AT THE DRAM AWARDS For further information regarding Costco, please contact the Marketing Team at either Costco Edinburgh or Costco Glasgow. *Membership Criteria applies. Accepted methods of payment: cash, debit card, cheque or American Express. Membership must be obtained before purchases can be made.

36 DRAM AUGUST 2013

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AUGUST 2013 DRAM 37

Foss Road, Pitlochry

Fonab Castle hotel

Bringing more than a touch of bling to Pitlochry

Perthshire has a new luxury hotel in the shape of Fonab Castle at Pitlochry. The Castle, which was purchased by the Clark family a decade ago, is now open for business following a lavish refurbishment costing millions. Susan Young reports, having had a wee preview a few days before the opening.

I

t's not often you see a traditional Scottish castle with an adjoining contemporary Scandinavian style annex – but this juxtaposition actually works at Fonab Castle. Although the castle, was originally the home of the port and sherry owning Sandeman family, it was latterly the base for the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board who also built a building next to the castle. Says (quiet and retiring... not) General Manager Peter Sim “It was a monstrosity and it was taken down, but because there was planning in place, this allowed the current owners, Jed and Joanne Clark, to build instead, the new wing which has 13 bedrooms. Their daughter Becky Cross is an Architectural Visual Designer and she helped make the interior work the space, blending together a contemporary style with a traditional feel.”

Mind you, the Midlands-based couple had the castle for almost 10 years before embarking on the restoration project which was prompted by the fact that they decided to use Fonab Castle as the venue for their daughters wedding.

Says Jed, “I decided to buy it on a whim, and it remained closed for a number of years, but when we couldn't find the perfect

38 DRAM AUGUST 2013

location for my daughter's wedding we decided to renovate it for the occasion.”

However this couple don't do anything by halves and since the wedding the hotel has been further enhanced. Explains Peter, “We've made some of the rooms into suites, and we have redecorated.”

The hotel now has a total of 26 bedrooms, 13 of which are housed in the castle with another 13 rooms in the adjoining new building.

The clean lines of the Scandinavian style new build is a stark contrast to the traditional red sandstone of the castle.

Says Peter, “Fonab Castle is a lifestyle hotel, not a corporate hotel, or a boutique hotel. We are aiming to give our customers a unique experience. We want to offer a more personal service and give our customers a five-star level of attention and care. If you are the sort of person who likes good things, but at the same time you are down to earth you will like it.”

The new wing is clad in timber and the upper floor rooms all feature glass balconies, while the rooms on the lower floor have small patios. The new and the old are joined by the hotel's main glass reception area which fits snuggly in the corner. From the moment that you walk through the door the quality of the finish and the quality of the interior design is apparent.

Peter describes the look of a hotel as a “contemporary take on a classical look.” And no expense has been spared. He says, “Jed and Joanne have been in the nightclub, hotel and property business for many years in the Midlands, and they have brought understated Midland bling to Pitlochry.”

For instance the ladies toilets feature Swarovski crystal taps and door knobs while the wallpaper in the penthouse is encrusted with Swarovski crystal. In fact it is obvious that all the wall coverings are a bit special. Cole & Son wallpaper features in all the contemporary bedrooms (in the new building) while in the slightly more traditional castle rooms its all Casamance wallpaper. The carpets are all bespoke, created by Newhey Carpets in the UK and every stick of furniture has been specially made. So by now you should be beginning to get the picture!

Satellite and Terrestrial Television Distribution Systems throughout the Hotel Satellite to Freeview Reception Conversion – for poor terrestrial TV reception areas

From the reception, you head left into the Tea Lounge – which has a feature doorway as well as a feature fireplace. It's got a very Scottish feel but with a modern twist. It's got oak wood panelling – and bespoke couches - covered in crushed velvet one in gold the other in purple while a leather chesterfield matchs perfectly.

The tartan carpet also features shades of purple and gold. There is a large bespoke cabinet, designed by 360 Degrees, in the corner which Peter describes as his “Ministry of Malt”, it holds 140 malt whiskies.

The Tea Lounge leads into the Fonab Brasserie – a 120 cover restaurant with floor to ceiling windows displaying an amazing view, which leads out to a decked area.

The dining room is on two levels – the upper level hosts the bar and a large wine rack, which lights up, and a white baby grand piano. The walls on the right, as you walk in, have bevelled edged mirrors with a diamond pattern creating reflections of the panoramic views on the top half of the wall and a walnut dado panelling below. This level also features the Fonab bespoke tartan carpet and leather banquettes. While the narrower floor below, leads out onto a terrace and features tiled flooring. This is more of a casual dining space,which will open from breakfast all the way through.

In order to reach the upper level you head back through the reception and up a modern staircase which features huge modern chandeliers. As well as taking you into the Sandeman Fine Dining restaurant, this also brings you to the new bedrooms.

The Sandeman also has a spectacular view and floor to ceiling windows. A modern stainless steel wine rack, the width of the room creates a feature wall, and semi circular booths mixed with seats upholstered in Antique green complete the look.

Head Chef Graham Harrower will preside over the dining at Fonab Castle, and his credentials are impeccable he comes from The Langdale Estate in the Lake District, where he headed up four restaurants and bars. He has previously worked in Scotland as a Commis Chef for Michelin-starred One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow, and at Cromlix Country House Hotel.

The contemporary rooms include Woodland Rooms and Suites both patio versions and balcony rooms, and feature lovely shades of silver and pink, with the wallpaper carrying through the woodland theme – some of it features what appears to be thin tree trunks,

Hotel Door Access and Control Local Area Paging CCTV both local and remote control Satellite Broadband Internet Distribution throughout the Hotel – WiFi or Wired Telephone Systems Phone Lines and Broadband Supply

6A Raik Road • Aberdeen AB11 5QL T: 01224 573 601 • F: 01224 573 602 • e: sales@aberdeentechnical.co.uk www.aberdeentechnical.co.uk

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 39

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40 DRAM AUGUST 2013

RH Morton & Co Ltd

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while the other wallpaper features floral patterns. The rooms also have contemporary furniture, including the bespoke crushed velvet sofas, while the rooms in the castle are more traditional – with walnut furniture and more classical lamps. The colours too in the castle are different – the colours are more traditional from golds to dark reds, but they are still very vibrant.

On the top floor of the castle there is a penthouse with a vaulted ceiling, a massive super emperor bed (the biggest I have ever seen) crystal chandeliers and the previously mentioned Swarovski encrusted wallpaper with a silver shag pile carpet. It's definitely a luxury room. You can get to this room via the lift - which has the bling element... it's all mirrored.

The traditional part of the new hotel features traditional radiators, original windows and cornicing, but the one room which is almost as was is the 'Quiet Room' which was once the entrance to the castle. It has all the original wood panelling, the parquet flooring has been refurbished and the room also host the castle's spiral staircase which takes you to the castle rooms.

Now that the hotel is finished, the Clarks have set their sights on finishing their luxury leisure complex and spa complete with gym and pool, and of course treatment rooms. This two-storey, 1000sqm building will also provide a function suite. It will only be open to hotel guests and is situated two minutes from the hotel.

And the dog loving couple have not forgotten their four legged friends – heated and air-conditioned dog kennels will be completed shortly.

Leeds based practice ‘Edward Architecture’ have been involved with the scheme for over 3 and a half years and have helped the owners gain listed building consent and building warrants for the current scheme.

Barry Armstrong, Technical director said; ‘We are absolutely delighted with the finished product, working on a building steeped in history has been a fascinating experience. Our aim was to achieve a highly sustainable materials specification for the project to reflect its woodland setting and complement the ornate listed building. We are looking forward to working on the new leisure facility with Jed and Joanne’ The estate also includes 12 luxury holiday lodges also built in a scandinavian style one of which Peter Sim is luckily enough to be staying in at the moment. He is loving it, in fact he's obviously loving the whole experience of Fonab Castle and no wonder...

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 41

George Street, Edinburgh

DESIGN FOCUS

M

centotre

y first experience of Edinburgh's Centotre was its opening way back in 2004 when I reported on it for DRAM. Nearly a decade on, and one of us has aged better than the other, although the George Street Italian restaurant was still in need of a little maintenance according to owners Carina and Victor Contini. The long and short of what they sanctioned was a lick of paint and some new fixtures and fittings – and, as they say, it's amazing what a lick of paint can do.

The husband-and-wife team decided to shut the restaurant for only three-and-a-bit days (last month) for the work to be carried out.

Two companies were involved, Ampersand Interiors and Ambience Furniture, both based in the capital.

The Continis weren't around on this particular visit, but I was treated to an equally as informative guided tour by Assistant GM Sarah Louden.

She kicked things off by telling me just what I was thinking at the time.

She said, “It's amazing just what the team achieved in so little time.

Painting the ceiling alone must have taken a full day as it's domed and so intricate with all the original and intricate detailing.”

The first change any Centotre regular will spot is the difference the miniredesign has made to the outside of the building, which has been brightened up by new pink dividers separating the outdoor seating from the rest of the pavement, and some new A-boards in a similar shocking pink.

Then there's the reception area as you enter. It's only a small space, and is now dominated by a large pendant shade in a red pattern, with the domed ceiling bathed in a cool blue light. A further splash of colour comes from the pink couch, a practical addition too, as there was no seating in this part of the restaurant previously.

The square space you enter into is still unequally divided by a central bar/pizza servery sectioning off a third of the space to the front of the building, and here is located some window seat booths. The majority of the space is to the other side of the servery, the one overlooked by the pizza-making area, and it is here that has seen the mainstay of the work.

The free-standing stylish white Italian-made chairs and tables remain, but some of them have now been replaced by some brand new benches in a light grey leather which are arranged in two parallel rows, and as well as looking great they also make for easier service.

42 DRAM AUGUST 2013

by jason caddy

Sarah explains, “The addition of the new seating, as well as looking really luxuriant, have also allowed us far greater flexibility, and we can now cater for larger parties. We did of course have booths along the sides of the room which have now been reupholstered in grey leather, being previously brown.

“As well as altering the look and feel it has also changed the acoustics by having a softening effect.”

Says Andrew Paterson, Sales Director, at Ambience Designs, “They wanted us to deliver a softer look to attract more evening diners, so the new upholstery on the existing booths as well as the new benches did the trick, as well as the addition of some new window blinds.”

Perhaps the biggest change is the removal of the large pink banners that hung vertically on the wall – ceiling to floor – in pink, and displaying the Centotre sign in white letters. These have been replaced by long mirrors with a black frame and a smoky marbled effect emblazoned on them. The mirrored theme has also been continued beneath the servery to great effect.

New lighting comes courtesy of ceiling spots and huge pendant lamps hanging from the ceiling which, says Sarah, have been a real welcome addition. “With the new lights we now have a greater variety of moods we are able to create and we can single out particular tables to make the lighting more intimate,” she said.

The small space to the front overlooked by the bar has undergone minimal changes like a stretch of padded pink fabric across the bottom of the bar, next to which are some new grey leather upholstered bar stools in a really soft material.

The toilets have also been spruced up with a collage of vintage Italian paraphernalia in the gents paired with gunmetal grey walls, and a burst of pink floral wallpaper in the ladies. The audio on how to speak Italian is still being pumped out in both facilities and, according to Sarah, accounts for unusually long toilet trips.

What's been added or altered hasn't taken anything away from one of the capital's most stunning interiors. Says Sarah, “The overall finished result is a lot cleaner and fresher, and our motto is 'love feeling special' and the design fits this perfectly, as Centotre remains a special place to many of our customers.”

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 43

sue says W

ell the DRAM Awards are well and truly over for another year. I love the run up to the event – meeting all our contenders, and I do enjoy the night itself. It's great to see everyone in their finery.

Our theme of course was the Coronation and we did have two cardboard cutout Queens. Both of which were very popular, particularly with the men who kept kissing her! They also managed to walk home at the end of the night – there is a rumour one has appeared in the Blue Goose beer garden!

Everyone did get into the spirit of the night including my top table guests... when I got to the table the Queen and Prince Philip were there – in the shape of Rena and James Mortimer, who had masks of the royal couple on. They were both on great form.

The award for making an “Outstanding Contribution to the Scottish Licensed Trade" went to Colin Barr. His family had a table which including his lovely daugher Skye and son Josh. But we didn't sh and Jo tell Colin they were coming, and n so th wi lin Co despite spotting them, he didn't daughter Skye see Skye, who had come up from London specially. As soon as she saw her dad approaching she gamely hid under the table! So his face was a picture when she appeared on stage to help him celebrate.

The celebrations did go on to the wee hours and I was amazed to find that David Johnstone from the Paper Mill was a frustrated crooner. He was wooing us with Frank Sinatra songs, while our own Ms Kelly got in the act too. Our London-based compere Ben Smith (aka Doc Brown) was also there and he certainly now knows that we can party!

Chef Murphy was a star when it came to our menu. After he got the drift of what we wanted he came back with a great menu. Most importantly on the night he and his team delivered. Our guests loved it.

You can see some of their comments on our centre pages. I would also like to say a huge thank you to James and Murray who looked after us very well indeed. Laurie Nichol has a great team at the Grand Central, with a great leader of course. For those that weren't there the menu incude: Coronation Chicken Salad, Ham Roll with a Sage essence and a 'Golden Corn Shot' followed by Lamb Cutlet, Suet Pudding, Cottage Pie, Corned Beef Hash, mushy peas and roasted carrots, and to finish Queen of Puddings with Vanilla Ice Cream.

I love enterprising publicans and Dave Henderson who owns the Jubilee Tavern in Burntisland is definitely in that category.

He has opened a barber shop in his pub and called it 'Hair of the Dog Barbers'. Dave, who has run the Jubilee Tavern for the past 10 years, came up with the idea to give the pub a boost and managed to convince Fife Licensing Board to let him offer haircuts in the pub.

Dave told his local paper, “We’ve got a huge function room next door and a beer garden. It’s a big bus to drive and we’ve got to 44 DRAM AUGUST 2013

get people on it.” I like his attitude.

Paul Miller certainly knows a thing or two about Beer, PR and he has always been a family man. So it wasn't a surprise to see that he had made the most of the Andy Murray's Wimbledon success. Paul, now owner of the Eden Brewery in St Andrews developed a special limited edition brew called Grand Slam – and produced 1,977 bottles. Paul explained the significance of that number: “Tennis fans of a certain vintage will know that 1977 was the year Virginia Wade won the Ladies Singles, the last British player to take a singles title at Wimbledon. So we decided to limit production at that number. I’ll now be making 2013 bottles of the next tennis-themed brew!

And to celebrate the win he got daughter Vicky, a student, in on the action too for a special photocall, but only after she had worked late shifts at the brewery every night to make sure the labelling was done in time for the Wimbledon final. A real family effort.

David Urquhart retired from Gordon MacPhail last year and immediately put on his volunteer hat with Piping Hot Forres - the European Pipe Band Championships. He was instrumental in getting the event to come to Forres, and it this year's event, at the end of June, was an unmitigated success.

Around 18,000 attended the event, hotels were fully booked all around, and shops reported a busier weekend than Christmas.

It just goes to show what a dedicated band of volunteers can do. Well done to everyone concerned.

A recent Facebook post says 'Love how the door staff at Solid Rock Cafe think it's funny that one of their customers is too drunk to get the key in the ignition of his motorbike and take the piss out of me when I point it out... Guess I'm not cool enough to drink somewhere that plays Limp Bizkit! “That is shocking. It constantly amazes me the doorstaff are not paying attention to the fact they have a 'duty of care'. And in this case a moral obligation – that guy trying to get on his bike could have killed someone and not just himself!

While on a mini rant - and I know this is a thorny issue - it is illegal to sell alcohol to someone who is drunk and while a blind eye is often turned it is an offence that could lose you your licence. I know it sounds preachy preachy, but I was somewhere recently when the guy at the bar was leaning so far over it he was nearly in the sink, and his bottle of beer was horizontal, he still got served! The number of people in the vicinity who were also stocious was substantial too. I did say to the doorman that there was an inordently number of folk drunk, and he responded "Like you”. Well no actually and that is the problem... when you go to a bar completely sober you see it how it really is!

September is Pub Month – more next issue - but it is looking good.

We will have a video up in the next two weeks on www.barandpub. tv and MediaScotland have got lots planned to make an even bigger impact this year. This year the Scottish Licensed Trade News is also getting behind it editorially, so look out for news there too.

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AUGUST 2013 DRAM 45

Round up DRAM AWARDS 2013

As you can see from the pictures, everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves at the 2013 DRAM Awards. All pictures are available to view online at www.dramscotland.co.uk/awards

DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING PUBLISHED BY MEDIA WORLD LIMITED UPPER FLOOR / FINNIESTON HOUSE / 1 THE STABLES YARD / 1103 ARGYLE STREET / GLASGOW / G3 8ND t. 0141 221 6965 e. dram@mail.com web. www.dramscotland.co.uk Editor: Susan Young • Chairman: Noel Young 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. 46 DRAM AUGUST 2013

AUGUST 2013 DRAM 47

48 DRAM AUGUST 2013