DRAM
291 DRAM MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2014 ISSN 1470-241X
DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING
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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING
WELCOME
W
ell winter is well and truly here and this month, as well as our Winter Cocktail Book, we also have a feature on Winter warmers. The perfect drinks to serve to your customers to ensure they visit your bar or pub. I caught up with Neil Morrison of MacGochans on the Isle of Mull, winner of our Tennent’s Quality Award for a chat, while Mairi Clark looked back over the last 12 months and concentrated on what Scottish entrepreneurs have invested in their businesses over the past year. Our design focus takes us to Manorview’s latest opening The Busby Hotel on Glasgow’s South side while The Anchor Line in Glasgow city centre is also featured. In fact there is lots going on in the West these days, compared to what’s happening in Edinburgh or elsewhere. I’m not sure why but it seems like Glasgow entrepreneurs are really getting their finger out. Long may it continue because it gives me plenty to write about. Next month look out for our new-look website and we’ll be announcing some changes to the DRAM Awards. Susan Young Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com
@dramscotland
/dram.scotland
CONTENTS
November
2014
FEATURES
14 19 24 28
RINGING THE CHANGES
It seems that there has never been so much money invested into the Scottish licensed trade. Mairi Clark investigates.
WINTER WARMERS
DRAM looks at how brands are taking their products from summer into winter.
IN THE DRIVING SEAT
Susan Young chats to Mull-born licensee Neil Morrison to find out the secret of his success.
DESIGN FOCUS
The Anchor Line in Glasgow and The Busby Hotel in Clarkston.
REGULARS
04 11 41
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. NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 3
NEWS Ollies brightens up Southside
A TriBeCa opens
in Woodlands The bar and restaurant formerly known as The Richmond, in Glasgow’s Park Road in Woodlands, is now a a TriBeCa Bar and Grill. The restaurant which was fully refurbished by Rahul and Bubbles Randev just over a year ago, has been taken over by Amanda James. She bought the TriBeCa Cafe in Glasgow’s Dumbarton Road in 2013, and has since opened a TriBeCa Bar and Grill in Giffnock. The newly formed TriBeCa Group is also planning a TriBeCa Metro in Glasgow’s Merchant City. Bubbles Randev told DRAM, “It no longer fitted within our portfolio and Amanda made us an offer we couldn’t refuse and we were happy to lease it to her.” He continued “We’ve also leased out our club in Kirkintilloch, Tantra.”
Have you heard? Society in Aberdeen will re-open as a new Champagne bar called Eclectic Fizz in early November. Owned by Effervescent Venues, whose boss is Russell Davidson, the new bar will offer 40 champagnes. The owners say it is the first dedicated champagne bar for Aberdeen.
lan Tompkin’s new Glasgow Southside venture, Ollie’s, has a feel of a coastal style kitchen you could imagine a Hollywood couple renting in The Hamptons. As Alan Tomkin’s first opening since Urban Bar & Brasserie St Vincent Place in 2006, Ollie’s couldn’t be further from the style of his other outlets which include Vroni’s, Vodka Wodka and Blue Dog. Alan refuses to take the credit for the style. Says Alan, “It was my wife, Hazel’s inspiration. We hired Michael Dunn’s Design Build Deliver, and gave them a strong brief.” Ollie’s, which is situated on Nithsdale Road, was a coffee shop called Rhubarb in its previous incarnation. Alan comments, “It was a coffee and cake kind of place and we still want to offer that, but we also wanted to create a nice neighbourhood place where you can come and have a coffee, a glass of wine or pop in for your tea.” Even though it’s been open just over a month, it is already proving a hit with locals, and the ambience is more city chic than suburban which Alan puts down to the manager, his daughter Emma. “Emma was very influential from the beginning,” he says. “She was clear what type of restaurant we had in mind and has created that.” As for the menu, says Alan, “I was keen to put stuff on at a price that people can’t quibble at. Pizzas had to be on there so people will come in for a glass of wine and stay for a pizza.” He concludes, “We’ve been mobbed since we opened. I was expecting the evenings to take a while to take off, but they’ve really been busy. Evenings here are ‘lights low, candles on the tables’ and people seem to love it.” Meanwhile he is gearing up for his the opening of The Western Club on Royal Exchange Place. More next month.
Element on Edinburgh’s Rose Street was getting ready to reveal its new look as we went to press. The refurbishment of the bar, which now boasts a blue and tan colour scheme with elements of muted tweeds and a bespoke Edinburgh inspired mural by Lynsey Jean Henderson, cost in the region of £130K. More next month. 4 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
www.dramscotland.co.uk
Husband and wife team open The Scullery The Scullery is the latest addition to open in Glasgow’s Finnieston strip. It is owned by Kathleen Sheridan, formerly of The Ubiquitous Chip, and husband Scott Burgess. The new restaurant is housed in a typical Glasgow tenement, and it has a stripped back interior, but feels decadent too. At the helm of the kitchen, is Laurie Macmillan, who has worked in various eateries in Fife and Tayside, latterly earning her stripes at the prestigious Balbirnie House Hotel. Assisted by senior sous Donnie Cameron and one time Masterchef contestant, Julie Macleod, who will tie her popular blog, ‘Breakfast at Julies’ in with her newly appointed junior sous role. With a drinks licence pending, the restaurant is currently encouraging customers to bring their own bottle, and is charging a minimal corkage fee. The new restaurant also boasts a substantial function space which will host cinema nights, pop up kitchens, and whisky tastings The Scullery is at 10 Claremont Street.
Chinese restaurant chain Chop Chop, which achieved instant fame on Gordon Ramsay’s F-Word, is using crowd funding to open its latest venture in Glasgow. Owners Roy King and Jian Wang plan to open In December and are inviting people to invest in the new Mitchell Street restaurant. This is despite closing one of their Edinburgh outlets, which has now been taken over by Tom Kitchin. Chop Chop still have a Morrison Street restaurant in Edinburgh and say they are planning four or five more places including Glasgow. All its investors will receive vouchers to spend at Chop Chop along with extra discounts for larger investors. The public can easily invest as little as £100 on Angels Den (www.angelsden.com/ project-view/chop-chop/). The money raised will go towards the new restaurant in Mitchell Street Glasgow, which will total £430,000 in construction and pre-opening costs. Any surplus funds raised will be applied to the opening of their second site.
Dundee’s Fat Sams gets revamp Tony Cochrane of TC Promotions has taken over Fat Sams in Dundee from Luminar Leisure and has just reopened. Now there is a club called Tropicana which has an 80’s theme on one floor and and on the other floor there is a 90’s-style venue which goes by the name Vogue. The clubs cocktail bar has also been revamped
and has re-emerged as Fat Sams Piano Bar. The club remains one of the biggest in Scotland with a capacity of 3,500. Cochrane already operates nine clubs including ones in Dundee, Aberdeen, Fife and Edinburgh but probably is best known for owning gentlemen’s club Private Eyes.
n.b. bar & restaurant
Crowd funding for
Michele Pagliocca has closed Singl-end the Glasgow bar and restaurant he opened with son Gianni last year.Said owner Michele Pagliocca, “We decided to close it for six weeks. My son was running it very successfully and it was getting great reviews, but it just burnt him out. There was a party interested in taking over the lease, but they’ve decided not to. We haven’t decided what we’re going to do with it but we have several people interested in renting it, but failing that we’ll reopen it again in January as a pub/ bistro in the same style as the Butterfly and the Pig.” The Urban Resort, Aberdeen, opens on 1st December at Kingswells. The new resort is the first urban village to be developed in Scotland by hotel group De Vere. The £25m investment includes a five storey 148 bedroom hotel, business and conferencing facilities, restaurants, bars, and a luxury health spa and leisure club, including a gym and swimming pool. Donald Trump’s first Scottish boutique hotel, Macleod House and Lodge, has been given five star status by VisitScotland. The hotel at Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, has 19 bedrooms land sits just a hundred yards from the tycoon’s championship 18hole links course. Martin Wishart will open his first Glasgow restaurant at the Malmaison Hotel mid November. He already operates in Leith and at Cameron House at Loch Lomond with both restaurants having a Michelin star.
NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 5
NEWS New Yorkesque venue for Phil McDonald Salisbury opened a couple of months ago on Glasgow’s Southside and is already proving a success for owner Phil McDonald who also owns Finnieston’s Neighbourhood bar. The new bar and restaurant, on the site of the former Cookie’s, has been totally revamped and the kitchen has been moved into the basement. A hoist has been introduced to bring the food up, and a bar has been added. Phil McDonald told DRAM, “Cookies was a popular restaurant but it was very small. I wanted to open a New Yorkesque neighbourhood bar and restaurant, and I think we have achieved this.” The Salisbury, is very light and airy. It boasts floor to ceiling windows on both sides. The interior has a mix of exposed stone walls and dark vintage-green and light
green walls and a wall of framed mirrors. Says Phil, ‘I didn’t pick the colours, but I did suggest the wall of mirrors.” The small bar features the exposed stone, and glass shelving displaying a wide variety of premium drinks, and the space has been well utilised with an over bar glass rack. Says Phil, “I didn’t just want to have a restaurant, but I wanted people to come for a drink too. And so far the feedback has been good. We are already full at the weekends and during the week business has steadily increased. People are still discovering us.” Manager Kevin Jamieson adds, “We’ve got a whisky club and have just set up a gin club, in fact we have a wide range of gins here, and we have also a small cocktail list and make all our own syrups.”
Award winning seafood restaurant, Gamba celebrated its 15 year anniversary this month with a charity dinner for The Fishermen’s Mission. The charity evening marked six months of fundraising for the Fisherman’s Mission – a charity which offers welfare and emergency support for fisherman and their families, and Chef patron, Derek Marshall served a reflective ‘best of 15 years’ menu.
Accolade for Grand Central’s Laurie Nicol Congratulations to Laurie Nicol, general manager of Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel. She is among the first group of just 12 hotel industry leaders from across the globe to graduate from the exclusive Executive Masters in Hospitality and Tourism course. The highly sought-after qualification is offered through The International Leadership School – a partnership between three of the world’s leading universities, Ivy League Cornell University in New York; Ecole Hôtelièr de Lausanne in Switzerland, recognised as the world’s top hospitality management school; and Scotland’s Strathclyde University, Glasgow. Other famous alumni who have graduated from the universities include former presidents of Taiwan and Cuba, the inventors of the Atkins Diet and the Pacemaker as well as the founder of global retail chains Burger King and Staples. Laurie Nicol said, “It is an incredible honour to stand alongside some of the world’s most respected and highranking leaders in the hospitality industry to receive this fantastic qualification.”
New Aberdeen company to help hotels and hospitality sell whisky Peaty Nose Ltd is a new Aberdeen company that has been set up by former hotel manager Peter R. Sim (pictured). Peaty Nose aims to helps hospitality businesses achieve better renown and profits by teaching their front line staff the secrets of whisky’s manufacture and history, so as to open up its artisan heritage. The geography of taste is explored so that recommendations can be made to customers to fit their own personal taste and aspirations and the correct service of whisky is explored so that guest experience is maximised so as to consolidate reputation, trust and recommendation.- reputation and quality are central to giving a business an edge on it’s competitors and giving a great guest experience. Says Peter, “We understand reputation and quality as central to giving a business an edge on it’s competitors as well as giving the great guest experience that gives a business a distinction and renown that increases sales and the quality of sales. To illustrate this an entry level whisky costing £28 per bottle could be sold at a profit of £90, after tax, but if the customer trades up to an expression of the same whisky that is of a better quality and age then the profit could be £145 - an incremental profit increase of over 60%.” NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 7
BRAND NEWS
ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS
Whisky
Dramatic landscape inspires Arran
The long-anticipated Haig Club started arriving last month accompanied by a flurry of publicity and a new ad. The David Beckham backed whisky, say makers Diageo has been “Designed to be different... with a modern look and feel”. The whisky itself is a single grain Scotch, and it is being promoted via outdoor advertising and TV advertising which launched on YouTube before moving to TV. Nick Temperley, Head of Diageo Reserve Brands, GB comments, “Haig Club is a fresh, new, vibrant whisky that is challenging category norms in a way that no other whisky has done before. It looks different and behaves unlike any other whisky on the market.” See Sue Says on page 41.
Glenfiddich’s 18 yo redesign The core packaging of the range of Arran Malts from the Isle of Arran Distillers has been given a makeover inspired by its location. The four key expressions of the Arran Malt have utilised the colours from the island’s dramatic landscape to illustrate each of the new bottles. Isle of Arran Distillery managing director, Euan Mitchell, said, “We feel very lucky to call such a beautiful place home. It offers us so many perfect conditions for making top quality whisky and as so many of our expressions are inspired by the legends and landscapes of Arran, it makes sense that the packaging does too.”
Woodford Reserve launch Double Oaked
Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands has added Woodford Reserve Double Oaked to its collection. The new variant is a permanent extension of Distiller’s Select and was inspired by the Seasoned Oak Master’s Collection. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked was created by Master Distiller Chris Morris. He has taken fully matured Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select, reduced the barrel proof and added it to a second barrel for a further 6-12 months. The second barrel has been given an “extreme toast”, which is at least twice the level of Distiller’s Select and then “flashed charred” for a matter of seconds to create a barrel that creates a further level of complexity to the already outstanding Woodford Reserve. Double Oaked has mixes of vanilla, dark caramel, hazelnut, apple and spices with a long and creamy finish with lingering hints of honeyed apple.
8 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
Glenfiddich has launched its new packaging design for the Glenfiddich 18 Year Old. The new Glenfiddich 18 Year Old bottle is crafted in clear glass with an embossed cartouche, and is sealed with a classic wooden stopper. Peter Gordon, Glenfiddich company director said, “Our Glenfiddich 18 Year Old is a superior whisky so naturally we want its presentation to match the quality of our award winning liquid. The prestigious new look of our Glenfiddich 18 Year Old will hopefully capture and reflect the expertise of our master craftsmen and the brand’s authenticity and heritage.” Glenmorangie has announced a threeyear continuation of its successful partnership with golf’s Open Championship. Glenmorangie will be the ‘Spirit of The Open’ when the contest comes to St Andrews, the home of golf, in 2015, and the subsequent two years at Royal Troon and Royal Birkdale. Marc Hoellinger, President & CEO, The Glenmorangie Company commented, “Glenmorangie’s pursuit of perfection mirrors the mindset required from the world’s top golfers as they seek to lift the iconic Claret Jug.”
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BRAND NEWS
ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits has released a new exclusive series of bottlings for the Exceptional Casks Collection. Each Exceptional Cask has a story to tell, whether the spirit comes from a closed distillery, reveals a distinct flavour characteristic or has been matured in a particular barrel. Four bottlings have been chosen – starting with a rare 50 Year Old North British, Single Grain whisky taken from two remaining sister casks on their 50th birthday, December 18th 2012. Two Single Casks of 1972 Glenlivet Single Malt, a hallowed vintage for those in the know, have been specially selected. Finally, a Single Cask of 1977 ‘Overproof’ Jamaican Rum has been deemed extraordinary enough to be included.
Whisky
New era for Gordon & MacPhail A unique and historic series of whiskies is to be launched by single malt specialists Gordon & MacPhail to celebrate the steady transition of the family-owned business to the next generation. Four extremely rare Speyside whiskies, chosen jointly by members of the third and fourth generations of the Urquhart family, will be released under the prestigious Private Collection Ultra label this Autumn. The whiskies are: A 61 Year Old Linkwood, selected by retired director Rosemary Rankin and her son Stephen Rankin, Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of UK Sales; a 62 Year Old Glenlivet, selected by retired Managing Director Ian Urquhart, his son Neil, Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of Logistics and Facilities, and daughter
Jenny Houldsworth, who is a Non-Executive Director of the company; a 63 Year Old Mortlach, selected by retired Joint Managing Director David Urquhart and his twin sons Stuart, Gordon & MacPhail’s Whisky Supply Manager, and Richard, Export Sales Executive and a 57 Year Old Strathisla, the oldest ever released, selected by current Managing Director Michael Urquhart and his daughter Laura Urquhart, Gordon & MacPhail Brand Manager. Rosemary, Ian, David and Michael are the daughter and sons of Gordon & MacPhail pioneer George Urquhart, who succeeded his father John in the business and established its reputation as custodian of some of Scotland’s rarest and oldest single malt Scotch whiskies. Michael Urquhart, who will retire as Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail at the end of October, said, “The release of the four whiskies marks a historical period of time for Gordon & MacPhail. Our business is built on a foundation of the long term vision and of the handing down of knowledge and expertise, along with stocks of maturing whiskies, to future generations.”
Gin
Edinburgh Gin introduces new Rhubarb and Ginger Gin To complement the season, multi-award winning Edinburgh Gin has unveiled a new Rhubarb & Ginger Gin Liqueur as part of its popular flavoured gin range. Matching the classic combination of tangy Scottish rhubarb and oriental ginger with the distinctive flavour of Edinburgh Gin, the new variety has a warming hint that is perfect for Autumn. Rhubarb & Ginger is the latest addition to the Edinburgh Gin Liqueur range which features flavours native to Scotland including raspberry and elderflower varieties.
Tequila Bacardi Brown wins Patrón tequila from Cellar Trends Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands (BBFB) now has the rights to distribute Patrón tequilas and liqueurs in the UK market. The Patrón Spirits’ distribution agreement with BBFB is part of a pan-European strategy to consolidate distribution of the Patrón portfolio with Bacardi in pivotal markets. Patrón will join the BBFB portfolio of premium brands which includes Grey Goose vodka, Bombay Sapphire gin, Bacardí rum, Jack Daniel’s and Chambord. Patrón was previously distributed by Cellar Trends. NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 11
BRAND NEWS
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Alex James, cheesemaker and bassist of Blur, contributed a soft cheese and raised a glass recently as Kronenbourg 1664 celebrated 350 years since the original brewery opened.
ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS
Beer
Liqueur
Heineken to continue rugby sponsorship Heineken is to continue its sponsorship of European club rugby, by sponsoring the new European Rugby Champions and Rugby Challenge Cups that replace the Heineken Cup and Amlin Cup, which ended in May. Heineken will run competitions to give rugby fans access to the matches in the Heineken Back Stage Stadium Tour and also to be present at the Heineken Coin Toss alongside the Referee and two Captains. In addition, the Heineken Man of the Match will be presented after each game and Heineken will also have extensive online and social media rights. In the UK, the brand will use its trade and consumer opportunities to run promotions, advertising and POS. David Forde, UK managing director commented, “We are proud to be part of the new era in European Rugby. We see our support for the new competition as a natural progression.”
Black Wolf takes trio of awards Scottish brewery Black Wolf has scooped three awards at this year’s World Beer Awards (WBA) with beers from its recently launched craft range. The Stirling-based brewery won two highly acclaimed European Gold awards for its its Florida Black beer in the Stout and Porter category and one in the Flavoured Beer category for its Tundra wheat beer, which is infused with flavours of elderflower. Black Wolf also won a European Silver for Big Red, an amber ale, in the Pale Beer category. The WBA bottled beer competition involves tasting which take place in Europe, Asia and America.
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Disaronno unveils limited edition Versace bottle Disaronno has collaborated with Versace to create a limited edition bottle. The Versace Disaronno design takes its inspiration from the Versace Home Collection. The striking bottle is draped in light blue and embellished with a white and gold motif. Augusto Reina, CEO of Illva Saronno, Disaronno’s parent company, commented, “For the second year running we have partnered with another of the world’s finest Italian fashion houses, which is a real honour and a testament to Disaronno’s position as the world’s favourite Italian liqueur.” If you can get hold of it, it will look great on the back bar.
The Drambuie Hot Apple Toddy Bar set for Christmas Drambuie is to return to Edinburgh with the The Drambuie Hot Apple Toddy Bar. Located at Princes Street Gardens ice rink beneath the Big Wheel, the bar aims to offer a taste of the extraordinary to the Scottish capital for the festive season. Dressed in a style inspired by the surreal optical illusionary art of Salvador Dalí, this drinking destination will invite guests to step into the surrealist world, wrap up and get cosy with a snug comfortable blanket and warming winter cocktail. It will be open from 21st November 2014 until 4th January 2015, and will offer cocktails including Drambuie Mulled Cider, Mulled White Wine, Celtic Perk, Drambuie and Ginger and Drambuie’s signature winter serve, the Hot Apple Toddy.
The Drambuie Hot Apple Toddy Bar set for Christmas Drambuie is to return to Edbinburgh with the The Drambuie Hot Apple Toddy Bar. Located at Princes Street Gardens ice rink beneath the Big Wheel the bar aims to offer a taste of the extraordinary to the Scottish capital for the festive season. Dressed in a style inspired by the surreal optical illusionary art of Salvador DalĂ, this drinking destination will invite guests to step into the surrealist world, wrap up and get cosy with a snug comfortable blanket and warming winter cocktail. It will be open from 21st November 2014 until 4th January 2015, an will offer cocktails from Drambuie Mulled Cider, Mulled White Wine, Celtic Perk, Drambuie and Ginger and Drambuie’s signature winter serve, the Hot Apple Toddy.
RINGING THE What a year Scotland has had – and I’m not just talking about the Ryder Cup, Commonwealth Games and the Referendum... it seems that there has never been so much money invested into the Scottish licensed trade. Progressive operators have been growing the businesses, and have invested millions in the Scottish hospitality industry.
T
he combined spend of independent operators SimpsInns, DiMaggio’s, Maclay Inns, Buzzworks, Manorview, Signature Pubs, Montpeliers, Costley & Costley, Aurora Hotels, BrewDog and James Rusk alone this year exceeds £20m. And obviously there have been millions spent across the board when you consider all the larger operators such as JD Wetherspoon. They alone have opened eight places over the past year with an average spend of £1.5m per unit. Smaller operators have also invested heavily in their business by renovating or adding space and buying new businesses. It certainly is a welcome turn around. One company that is growing its business is SimpsInns. This year they acquired North Gailes Golf and Leisure, which is adjacent to the Gailes Hotel, which it already owns and owner Malcolm Simpson has his eye on a few potential acquisitions for spring next year. He told DRAM. “Things are easing off, but it’s not a lot easier. It’s like a great big ship turning. We made a decision to go into the recession and be in pole position so we continued to invest, and we got a lot of support from our bank. We were determined not to go into the recession and play catch up. That
Gailes Hotel, Irvine
Things are easing off, but it’s not getting easier. It’s like a great big ship turning. MALCOLM SIMPSon, Simpsinns
14 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
smaller scale operators are investing in existing outlets is also a positive flag. When the big players start to creep back in, that’s when you know things are getting better. We’re starting to get lots of corporate enquiries, so when they’re reaching out for quotes it’s getting better.” He continues, “Our business is diverse across food, drink, hotels, corporate and weddings, so we can see different aspects of the business changing and volume is starting to grow slowly. The discounts culture has been very damaging, so it’s good that that’s starting to ease off too. You can’t really compete. You can’t sell a product at the same price it was five years ago, when your overheads aren’t the same price.” Two other Ayrshire group have also been investing. Costley & Costley re-opened Soutar Johnnie’s back in the Spring (it was destroyed in a fire) and have also embarked on a programme which included refurbishing the Cochrane Inn and Brig O’Doon. While Buzzworks re-opened Lido and did a glitzy refurbishment on Elliots. In Glasgow the Di Maggio Group has invested over £3m on new
Amarone, Aberdeen
Scotland is very positive at the moment There’s a real feelgood factor around. MARIO GIZZI, Di Maggio Group
CH ANGES openings this year alone, and owner Mario Gizzi feels the vibe in Scotland is fantastic. “Scotland is very positive at the moment,” he says. “There’s a real feel good factor around us what with the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games.” The company spent £1.2m on opening an Amarone outlet in Aberdeen at the beginning of the year, invested in £500k in Topolabamba, a Mexican restaurant in Glasgow and then £1.5m on its ambitious Anchor Line venue in Glasgow, which you can read about on p28. “We knew what we wanted to do with Anchor Line so we held off doing it until we felt the market was right,” says Mario. “But like anything, you start to realise what works and what doesn’t so you’re constantly tweaking.” And the business is continuing its expansion. Says Mario. “We are just starting work on our 16th venture, Cafe Andaluz in Aberdeen.” It’s the second Aberdeen venture for the company. They opened Amarone just before last Christmas. Says Mario, “We’re very happy with Amarone in Aberdeen, but like everything, if something doesn’t work we change things.” Topolabamba, which Mario and Tony Conetta opened with Paul Sloan, has received rave reviews and Mario believes it has been a success because it was so unusual. “There’s nothing like it in Glasgow,” he says. “A brand new concept always goes down well.” Three months before DiMaggio’s opened Anchor Line, James Rusk, who also owns The Butchershop, launched Hutchesons, the lease on which he negotiated with the National Trust. The Rusks spent in the region of £1.5m transforming the A-listed
Hutchesons, Glasgow
building, which is set over three floors (around 4,000 sq ft). Rusk agrees that while investing in new openings is positive, operators also investing in their current businesses makes sense. “ James Rusk comments, “Things are going really well. Obviously when you open a business like this, which is actually three businesses, it’s going to be a work in progress. It’s a big investment but one we’re committed to. ” At Hutcheson’s the spend is continuing. Says James, “The private dining room, which we’ve literally just finished, can seat 18.” However he plans on now working on the operational side of business to ensure it’s success. He comments, “We have to make sure we’re still balancing our attention between Hutchesons and The Butcher Shop and ensuring we’re keeping our high standards there. I’m not planning anything else just yet, this is enough!” However then he adds, “But you’re always looking!” Mark Brunjes, managing director of CM Design, which worked on both Hutchesons and Anchor Line, says he’s finding that there’s money out there to be spent on both refurbishment and opening. “I’ve found that the entrepreneurs and individuals have been the ones spending money recently, but what’s good is that the brewers are starting to spend money, as they haven’t been for the last couple of years. There’s quite a bit of money around. We’re finding that while businesses are still looking for value for money, they’ve more to spend. I think they’re starting to see the stuff individuals are doing and know that they have to compete with them. Individuals and entrepreneurs are more open to
Anchor Line, Glasgow
I’m not planning anything else just yet, this is enough! But you’re always looking!
We’re finding that while businesses are still looking for value for money, they’ve more to spend
JAMES RUSK, Restaurateur
MARK BRUNJES, CM DESIGN
NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 15
RINGING THE CHANGES design and willing to take more risks. We’re talking to people all every aspect of our business is constantly being looked at and the time about doing refurbishments and the money they have to evaluated. In the style bar market, which is our sector, we have spend is going up. We’re currently talking to someone in Glasgow to keep looking at what we offering. We probably went through a about a job that’s has £500k spend, so the money is there.” longer extended period than we would have normally have done Glendola Leisure has also been spending. The company invested of doing no refurbishment. But we have made up for it over the £1m developing space at Central Station. They opened a very last 18 months.” However he doesn’t completely rule out opening stylish basement bar and grill – Alston Bar and Beef as well as a new place. Says David, “As David [Wither] and I always say, if an Artisan Coffee Shop. It’s was the first redevelopment for the the right location comes up we’d look at it. But if you look at the company in a few years with their estate also including Waxy £9m we spent on Tiger Lily eight years ago, and if you were to O’Connor’s, the Carlton George Hotel and Hortons in Glasgow ask me would we do that again, I’d probably laugh!” and Frankenstein’s in Edinburgh. However big spends particularly in the hotel sector are still Meanwhile Manchester-based group Living Ventures very much the norm, and its also secured its first site in Glasgow for its Gusto independent operators that Indigo Yard, Edinburgh brand which will open in Bothwell Street shortly, Five are splashing the cash. Steven Guys Burger and Fries are opening in St Vincent Macleod opened his much Street this month and Alan Tomkins is opening The anticipated Colessio Hotel in Western Club at Blythswood Stirling and admits to investing Square... none of these are £10m in the project, while the insignificant investments. Maclean family opened the In Edinburgh the Contini’s Raeburn Hotel in Stockbridge splashed out on the and invested £5m. Graham Contini Cafe at Cannonball Wood spent a similar House, adding to their amount on The Chester portolio which also includes Hotel in Aberdeen, while a IT IS TOUGH OUT Contini Restaurante more modest make-over and the Scottish Cafe saw The Craigellachie in THERE. You’re and Restaurant at the Speyside, revamped and having to dig National Gallery. Iain Pert a new whisky bar created. opened MacSorley’s and Last month we focussed deep and every the Cask and Still, while on Banchory Lodge which aspect of our Garreth Wood’s Speratus has seen all its public business is Group refurbished various areas revamped, while premises and have just the RAD Group, owned constantly opened the Boozy Cow by Vivien and Robert Kyle being looked at. in Aberdeen. Meanwhile bought the Shawlands DAVID JOHNSTONE, Signature Pubs, run by Nic Park Hotel in Lanarkshire, MONTPELIERS Wood, also plowed cash renamed in The Radstone into refurbishing. Element and revamped it. They in Rose Street has had a managed to secure £6m make-over as has The Queens Arms, and The Basement Bar in worth of funding from Santander which help facilitate the Broughton Street too. refurbishment, while Barclays delivered a £6.25m deal for One company that has really puts its heart and soul into the thriving Manorview Hotel and Leisure Group (see design refurbishments over the last 18 months has been Montpeliers, feature). They have just refurbished The Busby Hotel and reand the investment has certainly paid off with a significant sales opened. Jamie Grant, Head of Corporate Banking, Barclays, uplift within its revamped establishments. The man tasked Scotland, commented, “We are increasing our presence in the with developing the premises, David Johnstone, development hospitality and leisure sector where we believe there are strong director at Montpelier’s, has certainly been busy. Indigo Yard, opportunities for operators like Manorview. The company has Montpeliers, the Candy Bar and the Opal Lounge have all had been astute in taking advantage of competitively priced assets refurbishments and Rick’s is also to get it own facelift. He coming to the market and using their extensive knowledge and comments, “It makes sense for operators like us to look at experience to turn them into profitable businesses.” our existing outlets and make them work harder for us. And There are obviously many many more success stories out there, what we’ve learnt from our refurbishments so far we’ll replicate but as you see, there is no shortage of news and recently its over the rest of the business. We are having to dig deep and been good news. Long may it continue. 16 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
WINTER WARMERS
< Gordon’s and apple
Winter can prove difficult to tempt people away from their warm houses, but it can be done by a clever use of the spiced products that are flooding the market. Mairi Clark looks at how brands are tackling taking their products from summer to winter.
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inter is one of the most challenging times for the cocktail incorporating a small slice of soft butter, cinnamon, trade. It’s not easy enticing customers out of their nutmeg, honey, vanilla extract, hot water and brown sugar. warm homes. While we all know that part of the And of course a measure of rum! It can be served in an Irish offering is to ensure that your pub is warm and welcoming, coffee or latte glass. If you find yourself selling a lot of hot it’s likely your drink offering will be tweaked as the seasons buttered rum, you can make up a batch and keep in the change, and adding a bit of spice is the way forward, this fridge so you just need to add hot water and rum and winter. serve. Soft drinks distributor Ben Shaws recently unveiled the Andrew McKay of Glasgow’s Booly Mardy’s, results of a survey that showed that a quarter of drinkers in believes that hot buttered rum is a great rum Scotland would opt for a spicy mixer such as ginger beer or option too. a spiced spirit with a mixer. It also appears that Scots have “We’ve found that a lot of our customers an appetite for spicier drinks too. like the sweetness, almost like Traditionally spiced spirits has been a category dominated dessert drinks,” he says. “We’ve by rum, but just about every spirit is adding a dash of spice always done spiced rum, but to their offering. the hot buttered rum is Whisky is a mainstay for winter, and perfecting a different good for people going serve has been the way that the big brands are developing outside.” their audience. Last year, Diageo launched its Johnnie Kraken also Walker drink combination, Johnnie Red & Ginger, combining encourages Johnnie Walker Red Label and ginger ale, the drink was so licensees popular it’s continuing to push it this year. Auchentoshan Three Wood finish has also got the right taste for winter, with a scent of blackcurrant, brown sugar, orange, plum and raisin. Although it sounds quite rich, the fruit and hazelnut taste with butterscotch makes it a fresh drink, perfect served neat over ice. But you also can’t beat the classic winter whisky drink like a hot toddy. The guys at Whiski swear by their signature toddy, with Famous Grouse, lemon, honey and cloves. Morgan’s Spiced headlines the spiced rum market but many other brands have followed suit. “Spiced rum has always been huge in Scotland,” says Ian McPherson of Edinburgh’s Panda “Spiced rum has always been & Sons. “We serve spiced rum with hot apple juice, huge in Scotland. We serve and our hot buttered spiced rum with hot apple juice, rum has always gone down well.” and our hot buttered rum Hot buttered has always gone down well.” rum is a simple
IAN mcPHERSON, PANDA & SONS, EDINBURGH
NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 19
WINTER WARMERS to mix its dark spiced rum with hot apple cider and also has a nice wintry take on hot chocolate with 1 part Kraken, 1 part butterscotch schnapps and 4 parts hot chocolate topped up with whipped cream. If rum with cider seems a bit alcoholic, The Granary in Glasgow’s south side finds its Hot Sailor Jerry and Apple drink is a winner. Steven McKenzie, its manager, said that they came up with the concoction last year. Take 2 parts Sailor Jerry, 1 part ginger ale, 2 parts apple juice and brown sugar and warm. “It went down incredibly well,” he says. Steven adds that although cider tends to tail off in sales towards winter, a lot of the cider brands are tackling the presumption that it’s a summer drink by offering spicier versions, billed as winter ciders. Rekorderlig’s Winter Cider is only available from October till March - it can be enjoyed hot or cold, and the company charged its global brand ambassador, Joel Persson to come up with some winter cocktails, such as Midnight Forest, with cherry brandy, sweet s h e r r y , bourbon a n d
Amaretto and its winter cider and Rekordernogg, with sweet sherry and rum. Kopparberg has also launched a spiced apple variant which can be served hot or cold. The selling point however is the bespoke ‘Keep Cosy Kits’, a selection of point of sale which includes an urn and festive knit mugs. Kopparberg Head of Marketing Rob Calder says, “Kopparberg cider fans have frequently asked us for a winter variant and after a limited trial in 2013 we have decided to roll the variant out to a wider audience in 2014. The urns and mugs are wrapped with a winter jumper design to make them stand out from the busy back bar”. The idea has certainly captured the imagination of some licensees. Dennis Forsyth of the Cheers bar in Fraserburgh, is going to be stocking Kopparberg’s new variant. “It’s a fantastic idea, and its given me so many ideas,” he said. “We’ve done mulled wine every year for our shopping evenings, which always goes down well, but we’re going to really push the spiced apple. The urn is a fantastic idea and will really stand out on the bar. We’ve also stocked Kopparberg’s alcohol-free version, which goes down really well with drivers around Christmas-time.” This summer saw flavoured gin become very popular, and with this in mind, Edinburgh Gin has just launched a new flavoured gin liqueur, Rhubarb and Ginger, which it’s aiming at the winter market. Alex Nichol, founder of Spencerfield Spirits, says the flavours are particularly relevant to the Scottish market. “We found our elderflower gin went down particularly well in the summer, and wanted a more
“We’ve done mulled wine every year for our shopping evenings, which always goes down well, but we’re going to really push the KOPPARBERG spiced apple. The urn is a fantastic idea” DENNIS FORSYTH, CHEERS BAR, FRASERBURGH
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< Johnnie Walker Red Label & Ginger Ale
WINTER WARMERS wintery gin. Rhubarb is certainly a point of interest in Scotland, we all remember it from our childhood and the combinations you can drink it in are diverse.” Nichol believes one of the most popular – although it sounds odd - will be with sparkling wine, ‘it creates a nice, long drink and is so easy for people to make.” Although Ben Shaw’s research has said that over a third of drinkers will go for a spirit and mixer, the survey also found that nearly 20% would go for a neat spirit, which is good news for brands like Jagermeister. Now Jagermeister is launching its first brand extension to take advantage of the spiced spirits market. Jagermeister Spice was tested last year in the US and Germany, and the brand will be looking to push it out into the ontrade via education programmes with licensees through its ‘Give It A Shot’ initiative. Diageo spiced up stalwart Smirnoff last year by adding Smirnoff Gold, made with a base of Smirnoff Red, with a hint of natural cinnamon and edible 23 carat gold leaf garnishing. It continues to recommend that it’s
served with lemonade and apple juice as an Apple Bite. It is being widely advertised. Not to be outdone, the beer market is also stepping into the winter category. The Caledonian Brewery has just launched three beers for the winter period. Andy Mitchell, trade marketing manager of the brewery, explains; “We’re adding to our core offering by doing a ‘brewer’s choice’ of beers. Brewed in open-fire copper kegs, they each have a completely different flavour and colour. It’s not that unusual to use spices in beers, before hops became dominant, brewers used spices to balance off sweetness. You can find mentions of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and even cloves going far back as the 7th century.” Knee Deep is a spicy, malty beer at 4% and the brewery is recommending it with fruit puddings and strong cheeses “so the flavours don’t dominate over each other” Mitchell says. Rare Red is a Bavarian style beer, that originated before the 15th century, At 3.9%, it’s the weakest of the three, and has a spicy rye flavour. “Bitter Winter,” Mitchell says, “is the highest gravity offering in the bitters family. Richly flavoured with bold malt and hop bitterness, medium bodied with a fruity estery (flowery) character. It’s perfect for those chilling winter evenings standing at the log fire of your local.” Wychwood Brewery’s HobGoblin beer is a keen purveyor of seasonal beers. It’s December beer Christmas Cheer, again has the fruity spicy overtones you’d expect of a winter drink. So if you’re lucky to have a fire in your establishment, put another few logs on it and welcome in your cold customers with one of our winter warmers.
LOOK OUT FOR MORE GREAT WINTER SERVES IN the DRAM WINTER COCKTAILS BOOK 2014 < Lamb’s Swizzle (with Lamb’s Navy Rum) 22 DRAM OCTOBER 2014
< Spanish Hot Chocolate (with Auchentoshan Threewood)
LICENSEE INTERVIEW
In the driving SEAT 24 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
Neil is heavily involved in the Mull Rally
MacGochan’s on the Isle of Mull picked up the Tennent’s Quality Award at this year’s DRAM Awards Susan Young caught up with Mullborn licensee Neil Morrison to find out the secret of his success.
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Neil and staff receive the Tennent’s Quality Award at DRAM Awards 2014
hen myself and fellow judge Stevie Dickson snuck into MacGochans on the Isle of Mull one rainy evening in May it was a real haven. The bustling bar and restaurant immediately lifted our spirits. It wasn’t the only bar that we visited that night on Mull, but it was evidently the most popular, and the service, food and the quality of the outlet were spot on. What struck us immediately was how professionally run the business was, and it was one of the few bars on the island that we could actually see working on the mainland too. Owner Neil Morrison is of a similar opinion. I caught up with Neil at the Ben Nevis Bar in Glasgow and he told me that he was actively looking for other premises either in Edinburgh or Glasgow. In fact he had only that morning been busy helping Paul Sloan clear out a pub in Oban. Says Neil, “Paul offered me some furniture and fittings but I had to get my hands dirty... that’s why I have blisters. I’m not used to manual labour!” But let’s rewind... Neil’s first job in the pub trade was in the Mishnish, on Mull, in fact that is where he first met Calum McLachlainn who is his now landlord and friend. Neil explains, ‘Calum owns MacGochans (and I now lease it from him) but back when I first met him I was working in the Mishnish and he came in and asked for a free pint. I said no, and that’s when he first offered me a job at MacGochans. I took him up on his offer and worked in MacGochans during the holidays and at Christmas when I was off college.” He left the island for Glasgow and attended Stow College where he studied music. Although he did managed to combine this with door stewarding before taking the helm at one of the Student Union bars. By this time he had the licensed trade bug and when he graduated he headed to Campbeltown to open a bar for friend Calum Maclauchlain. This eventually led to a colleague’s mum suggesting Neil would be good at running his own pub and before you knew it he was working for MDP Leisure which was a management company that looked after distressed pubs. Neil comments, “My first role for them was managing the Crosskeys in Renfrew.” His next role at MDP saw him head to Elgin to manage High Spirits where he stayed for two years. Says Neil, “Basically I bullshitted my way into the job at MDP and did most of my training on the job. I got sent to every type of pub you could imagine including a few in Glasgow – The Old Toll, the New Regent and a few in Edinburgh including the Cougar Lounge in Leith. I had a few interesting nights there!” He continues, “I dealt with so many different types of customers over the 15 years that I can handle just about anyone. I also gained a lot of experience with regard to what makes a pub work especially when dealing with distressed pubs – the main issues were always the clientele and the difficulties in getting the target audience in.” After leaving MDP eight years ago he went to work for Rab Orr in Edinburgh, but an illfated trip to Sweden severed that working relationship. Says Neil, “Don’t ask!” He continues, “Then I heard that the guy that was running MacGochans in Tobermory was looking for a new manager. I was reluctant because I didn’t really want to go back to Mull at that time. But I decided to give NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 25
IN THE DRIVING SEAT it a go for six months and ended up working for him for four heavily involved with local events too; from the Isle of Mull Music years before taking the lease on myself.” Festival to the Mull Car Rally. Says Neil, “It’s good to be involved He continues, “I was nervous about taking the leap and working in events which get people to pull together. I have taken over for myself. But I knew the business inside out before I took it the marketing and PR for the Mull Music Festival. The budget on, and I knew what it could do. It had is small but we used social media to been rebuilt in 1998 after a landslide promote it to make the most of the by the owners Calum McLachlainn and budget.” his business partner Allan ‘Winker’ Neil is also one of the Mull Car Rally MacLean, but by the time I took over it guardians - this is a group put together was in need of a refurbishment. Nearly to ensure the rally goes ahead every three years ago I did just that, totally year. Says Neil, “This year my lovely gutting it. Obviously I funded it and job is to find a mainline sponsor for the Calum and Allan gave me a hand. This is 2015 event.” when I got renowned Scottish designer When he is not promoting the music Ranald McColl in. The bar had originally festival and rally he is busy motivating been on the left of the building and we his team. Last year he blew the pubs turned this into a restaurant that locals budget when he took two of his staff and families could use, and the public to New York. Explains Neil, “Every year bar on the right evolved from that. We all the MacGochans staff vote for their put in a nice fire and Ranald gave the two hardest working colleagues to win restaurant and bar a modern Scottish an end of season trip to the states, look. He even had me out fishing for these votes are done in a secret ballot. wood! We had to borrow a local scallop Last year Mikey Macdonald and Steven dredger to tow this massive lump of Higson were treated to a long weekend, Greenhart wood out of the sea. It is flights and accommodation to New York the hardest wearing wood we could including dinner at one of Danny Meyer’s find and weathered over thousands of top restaurants.” Neil continues, “This years to give it a perfect rustic finish. was a fantastic training experience and We used it on the surrounds, to create I wanted them to experience American the bar front, and used the remainder service for themselves without me as seat barriers for the booths. I was preaching about it.” really pleased with the finished look and Certainly keeping his staff happy is one we re-opened in February 2012. Now of his priorities. Says Neil, “It is difficult I would like to we have just completed stage two and getting good staff, and we do employ a have refreshed the upstairs function have at least lot of students during the season, but area and created a large balcony and a during April and May and towards the five or six, even new bar. We already do a lot of functions end of the season the students are not but I wanted it to be a nicer area. I kept seven places. around, and it is more challenging to finding myself apologising for the look of keep the continuity of the service. But NEIL MORRISON, it. So I decided to do something about we do try very hard.” it and brought back Ranald to add his MACGOCHANS So what is next for this island dynamo? touch.” Says Neil, “I would like to have at least Neil continues, “We are just about to five or six, even seven places. I’m torn extend our dining time from 10pm to because although I know that the mainland is the way forward 11pm to make the most of the dining opportunity. You now for the business, I would like to see my son, who was born ten need to do good food, and we use, when we can, locally-sourced months ago, grow up on Mull.” But he adds, “When I am on produce. We are part of the Oban Bay Buying Group but all our Mull I can’t relax. I am always on call.” However he did get his seafood/fish comes straight off the boat and we don’t like to first motor bike a few months back and now can take off on it freeze. During the season we can be doing 300/400 meals a when he needs to get away. I’m sure that with the success of day. It used to be that pubs threw cheap food in to get folk in to MacGochan’s, Tobermory, it won’t be long before he achieves his drink, now it is exactly the opposite.” ambition of opening a second venture. I’m sure his pals will be As well as being passionate about buying locally Neil also owns, spurring him on. with Calum Maclean, the Isle of Mull whisky brand and gets 26 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
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12–16 St Vincent Place, Glasgow
The ANCHOR LINE
DESIGN FOCUS
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alking into Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta’s new Anchor Line Bar and Grill on St. Vincent Place it’s quickly apparent that the pair have paid homage to the building’s nautical theme. It was originally built in 1899 to house the eponymous Scottish shipping company, which was subsequently bought over by Cunard in 1911. The Di Maggio Restaurant Group spent £1.5m on restoring the grade A1 listed building, which was purchased five years ago. The initial plan was to open much earlier. Says Mario, “Tony and I wanted to create Glasgow’s premier bar, and it took us slightly longer than anticipated, but we are delighted with the result. To be honest, The Anchor Line is Tony’s baby. He was inspired by bars in New York and London and he worked closely with CM Design who were responsible for the design.” Many of the building’s original features have been kept due in part to the fact that it is listed and also to the duo’s intention to celebrate the history of the grand ocean voyages of the 1920s and 30s from Glasgow to New York which the original Anchor Line shipping company was famous for. The walls are decorated with old shipping pictures including
BY Susan Young Anchor Line’s iconic marine-inspired advertisements and memorabilia from the company. Lesley McKellar Annison, Senior Interior Designer at CM Design Consultants comments, “We have been working with Mario and Tony on the concept and design for the Anchor Line for a couple of years and are really pleased with the finished project. The former booking office for passengers sailing from Glasgow to New York has been restored and transformed into a fantastic bar and restaurant. We did a lot of research into the Anchor Line and its history and how we could re-create the 1920/30’s feel. The main structure and finishes where restored to their former glory from the marble floors and ornate cornicing to the grand exterior and the timber wall panelling.” Tony adds, “Glasgow University Archive Department have been fantastic. They helped us to source the archive material which we have used. I think it is great that a bit of Glasgow’s history has been preserved and given a new audience.” The Anchor Line is a big venue. In total it can hold over 220 covers, with 120 seated in the restaurant and 40 in a private dining room. While the bar can hold 60 covers. What strikes NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 29
Proud to be associated with The Busby Hotel and The Anchor Line. Wishing both teams great success for the future. PR Interiors 57 Colvilles Place | Kelvin Industrial Estate | East Kilbride G75 0PZ T: 01355 233377 E: info@printeriors.com www.printeriors.com 30 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
you is the quality of the restoration and the quality of the furniture and fittings. It’s pretty obvious no expense has been spared. There are two entrances, although only one is being used permanently. It takes you into the bar, which is dominated by a striking rectanglular island bar which sits below a massive elaborate round cornice. The bar is made of marble. Not just the bar top but the bar’s base is marble too. The contrast of the Portoro Gold marble on the base, and the white Arabescato marble on top is striking. The structure which sits atop the marble bar is also impressive. Says Mario, “We nicknamed it ‘the cage.” The specially commissioned bronze framework has brass fittings while warm amber-coloured Murano-style glass has been used on the top. This not only adds a glow to the bar area, but is a striking feature of the room. The framework also acts as a back bar with glassware hanging from the frame and drinks bottles displayed prominently. Lesley says, “We designed and detailed the fantastic island and restaurant bars, both of which look stunning. The custom designed fixed and booth seating with their fine detailing and contrasting leathers and fabrics sit well in the spectacular surroundings.” Scattered the length of the bar are tall, leather-upholstered blood red bar stools,studded with old speckled studs, and throughout the building there are matching dining chairs to match – all supplied by BDP Furniture. During the day you are aware that the bar and restaurant benefits from natural light from almost floor to ceiling windows. They are draped with cream voiles and framed with dress curtains that let in the light beautifully. Immediately to the left as you come in there are small round solid ash tables with small lamps on them, and comfortable olive leather tub chairs. This area appears to be more a place to while away the time with a cocktail or two, while olive leather-upholstered booths line either side of the bar and are bordered with fabric which includes the colours gold, silver and black. The walls are littered with Anchor Line
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memorabilia – beautifully framed old posters, original postcards and photographs of passengers and ships, old menus, original cutlery and ship captains brass buttons . The black and white marble flooring which runs from the entrance to beyond the bar, has been completely restored and is quite beautiful, as is the ornate carved fireplace which features the original Anchor Line logo. The intricate cornicing on the roof is quite spectacular and has been left plain white. In fact when you look at the bar itself it appears that it is suspended from the ornate ceiling rose. The wall panelling is painted a warm, neutral grey and this is continued onto the custom designed folding doors, which divide the main area from the private dining room at the rear. As you might expect, a room of this stature also boasts marble pillars which add emphasis to its historical roots. All the fixed seating, and there is quite a bit of it, was done by Dimension, and feels and looks luxurious. The long areas of fixed seating are interspersed with elbow rests – just like you get in prestige cars. The fixed seating is primarily the same blood-red although the three main booths in the restaurant are also the olive colour. Lighting too is varied. Lesley comments, “The lighting was a crucial part of the overall design as we were limited by the Grade A Listed interior. We wanted to emphasise the ornate plaster cornice and frieze and create a warm glow throughout all the individual areas. The bespoke, feature pendants and table lights have the look of fittings that have been there since the days of the booking office.” To the rear of the main bar there is a piano, and a substantial area which differs from the main bar mainly because it has a striking black and cream carpet. It is has booths along one side, self-standing tables down the middle and fixed seating to the far side. Mario comments, “We didn’t have the booths in originally and have just added them. It’s always the same when you open a new place, sometimes on the plans it looks different. This 32 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
area is used for diners that are using the bar menu. To the rear of the bar and to the left the flooring changes to dark parquet flooring and this leads into the large restaurant which features a large open kitchen where the hustle and bustle of the chefs mingles with the chat of the diners. The restaurant has its own bar, which you can’t miss. This is a smaller version of the main bar and sits alongside a wood panelled wall. It may be smaller than the original however it is not small by another other standard, and it is also made of matching marble, and has a spectacular back gantry with the same Murano-style glass. A central reservation is flanked on either side by tables but the very front of the restaurant boasts two circular booths which can take around ten people, and there is a similar booth at the opposite end. There’s is also a second fireplace in the restaurant beside a maitre d’ station. Tony comments, “I think the bar is amazing. It looks the part – I wanted it to reflect the style of the Prohibition era of the 1930’s and I think it does just that. When you walk into the bar, even if it is empty, it has a cracking atmosphere.” Says Mario, “We wanted to create best high-end bar in Glasgow and I think we have achieved that. That doesn’t mean to say we won’t be tweaking things, we already are. Since we have opened we have been busy beyond our expectations and we have been changing our design slightly to ensure that our customers needs are met. In the next few weeks you will see some further changes with large sofa’s being introduced in the bar.” Lesley concludes, “The finished design is in the fine detail throughout. The reclaimed trunks at the doorway, the custom Anchor Line clock on the wall, the ships names on the ornate frieze. Every time you visit there is something else that will catch your eye.” It strikes me that the Henderson Brothers who originally commissioned the building would be very impressed by the look and feel of The Anchor Line. I certainly am.
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1 Field Road, Clarkston, Glasgow G76 8RX
THE BUSBY HOTEL DESIGN BY Xxxx FOCUS
DESIGN FOCUS
The Busby Hotel, bought last year by the Manorview Leisure Group, re-opened at the end of October. Susan Young reports.
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he Busby Hotel, situated on the banks of the River Cart in Clarkston, is hardly recognisable. The hotel that was in a pretty run down state when Steve Graham of Manorview Leisure bought it last year has been transformed. To date, the investment by Manorview has been in the region of £2.5m and as Steve tells me “It has been a complete refurbishment – from top to bottom.” He continues, ‘It’s the first time we have gone in and completely re-done everything. Usually we have done a phased refurbishment, but not at The Busby. It is our most ambitious project to date. This is the first time we’ve completely renovated the entire property at the same time. It has been a huge task undertaken over the past ten months to get the project in on time and budget, but we are thrilled with the results.” Designers Space ID were tasked with the project. Space ID’s director, Michael Simmons explains, “We first visited The Busby and The Redhurst in Spring 2013 not long after their acquisition and provided a quick scheme to freshen up both venues including re-decoration and new carpets. Trade picked up but it was decided that The Busby would close its doors on New Year’s day 2014 to allow a full major refurbishment to commence. Manorview demanded as always a top class
establishment and were also keen for us to come up with a design concept they had not seen before. Says Steve, “The brief was to make The Busby look unlike any of our other premises. And I think Space ID have achieved this. I’ve worked with them for seven years now, and they understand where I am coming from. I decide the general layout, but the whole point of having designers on board is that they bring their expertise to the party and help make the venue appealing to a wide range of clientele.” Michael comments, “The first problem was to increase the trading areas of the function suite on the First floor and the ground floor bar lounge.” Not only has the hotel been transformed in terms of interior design, a light and airy extension running the length of the old bar has been added, and upstairs there is a new and substantial roof terrace which is a suntrap, and also has an excellent outlook overlooking the River Cart. Michael explains “We extended into previous back of house areas on the ground floor and extended out the front to provide an orangery type of structure that also provided an external veranda to the function rooms above with views over the river. From an engineering point of view this was very complex NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 35
36 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
as the venue is split level and achieving adequate headroom heights was quite an achievement.” There are two entrances, one which takes you into the hotel, and one which takes you into the bar and restaurant. The bar entrance has a small seated area immediately to the right as you enter, and to the left there is a statement wall made of what looks like old wine crates with some quirky memorabilia. The 140 cover bar and restaurant ‘Carters’, serves up a relaxed and informal dining experience, offering a menu of freshly prepared dishes using the best local produce. It is a bright and airy space. The new extension boasts large round tables and comfortable seating, and large windows, but the coup d’état is the bar. This large rectangle island bar has a marble top, oak panelling and a large brass beer dispense unit which is the largest that I have seen to date. Michael adds, “Due to the shape and depth of the bar lounge it was decided that a central bar feature would be more appropriate operationally and would provide an amazing feature when you walk through the doors, this was embellished with an Italian marble counter top and a 3500mm long brass and copper beer font boasting 16 beer taps.” There is also a large brass coffee machine (which looks a bit like an old-fashioned diving suit, but in brass) which sits prominently in a special curved area at the foot of the bar. Says Michael, “It is a Belle Époque style, although some people think it looks like a copper plated R2D2 type of machine. Most
coffee machines only look good from the front, but this needed to look good from 360 degrees, and it does. It also makes amazing coffee.” Beyond the bar are some booths and an area that can be used for entertainment. Steve comments, “The facility is there, and there is also a DJ box, but we will wait and see whether we can utilise it. It will all depend on what the customer wants”. To the right of the bar there are a few steps which take you up to a carpeted dining area and the open kitchen. Providing great day and night time food was also top priority so the venue also had to be conducive to dining so we designed an open kitchen pass alongside booth seating and other furniture that although very comfortable for drinks was also perfect for dining. Leather booths and quirky small lampshades hang in a bunch above the tables. Says Steve, ‘I think people will eat in this area and in the extension area. While around the bar there is plenty of space to stand with a drink.” The bar and restaurant is warm and cosy but also light and airy. This has been achieved with a variety of different wall effects from exposed stone to slate and some expensive looking wall coverings. It’s not just the fittings and fabrics that look expensive. The sound system is Bose and the sanitary ware in all the toilets is Porcelanosa, while the flooring is a mix of oak and Spanish looking tiles. The hotel entrance, which has an elegant chandelier takes you up to the function suites and 29 bedrooms. The first NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 37
function suite has a 80-capacity and boasts its own dance floor, bar and views over the river with French doors leading to the outside terrace. This suite is immediately adjacent to the main function suite which takes 180. It has a larger bar and a larger dance floor, and boasts some large ornate mirrors and some classy looking chandeliers. Says Steve, “I think this is my favourite room.” While Michael says, “Manorview specialise in providing that amazing wedding experience so the first floor function rooms and guestrooms had to tick every box. The bespoke furniture in the executive rooms and Suites provide that extra bit of luxury with Spanish porcelain tiles and sanitary ware providing that extra bit of quality.” The hotel has 29 bedrooms and three suites all of which are decorated to the same high standard and in a similar style. The predominant colour is chocolate, the carpets are all Wilton, while the bathrooms have Porcelanosa tiles and quality fittings. It’s not just the rooms that have had attention to detail. The hall areas feature artwork of Glasgow and bespoke Wilton carpets with an over-scale floral design. But it is the Honeymoon Suite which gets everyone talking. It boasts a luxury bathroom and its very own rooftop hot tub with love seat. It is totally secluded (fortunately), and gives the room an extra wow factor. There is also a special pathway which takes you from the function suite to the special gazebo where bridal parties can get their photographs taken. It seems they have thought of everything. Michael concludes, “All in all it’s been a pleasure to have worked on and is totally different from all of the other Manorview venues we have worked on, I would like people to walk in and see something they’ve never seen before. Ultimately they should walk away and feel they’ve been part of something special. As a designer, that’s always important.” It certainly is special. 38 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
£500
Sue Says @dramscotland
/dram.scotland
W
e’ve all heard about whisky and vodka fraud, but now, funding for businesses, particularly in the licensed trade. He was wait for it, consumers are being warned to look out a real character who bounced into a room and made it his own. for walnut fraud... Due to walnuts becoming more He was engaging, infectious, loud, funny and great company. He expensive, apparently some folk are substituting peanuts for helped many a licensee out of a hole and probably saved loads of walnuts, according to Professor Elliot of Queens’ University businesses by getting the owners the investment they needed, Belfast. So next time I order a Waldorf salad, I will be checking! when they needed it. But like many people who put on a gregarious On the wee subject of ‘fraud’, I met someone the other day who front, he had his own issues. Our thoughts are with his family, said, “Oh I’m meeting a friend of yours from xxxx this afternoon.” friends and colleagues. He was only 42, and leaves a wife Luanna “Who? I don’t know that person.” said I, “They definitely said they and daughter Amelie – he may be gone, but he won’t be forgotten. were your friend”. Mmmh, Maybe they were confusing me with I paid a visit to St Andrews last month to see the Eden the licensing lawyer who is also called Susan Young, or maybe Brewery and Eden.Mill, the new distillery set up by Paul they were just chancing their arm in order to get a meeting. Miller and his partners. I don’t know what I expected, but I For 20 years I’ve been reporting on the prospect of bringing didn’t expect it to be as large as it is. The still room is still the drink driving limit down... personally I think what the craft-sized, but Paul and his partners have big plans for the government needs to do is educate folk with regard to what rest of the brewery/distillery/visitor centre. He gave me a a unit is and what constitutes tour, and although it is very much being over the limit. It’s not the work in progress, I could see the drinking the night before that opportunity there. Luckily he has will be the issue... but how much invited me back later this month you still have in your system to fill my own bottle... I can’t come 8am the next morning! I’m wait. More next month. also curious about what happens Talking of whisky, Haig is certainly per chance you are caught just getting a lot of publicity, no doubt over the new limit, but the old due to the Beckham factor. Some limit still exists in England and folk are suggesting that’s not the Wales - where incidentally the only football connection The bottle DVLA is situated. So who puts is blue and the brand’s signature – the points on your licence and an interlocked HC - bears more than do they come off when you cross a passing resemble to RFC (see the border? What if you are above). Personally, I think the bottle Is Bramble the best bar Scotland has to offer? banned in Scotland, are you still looks more like a giant aftershave banned in England if the amount bottle and the TV ad looks like more you were over by is still within like the Chanel ad than one for 80mg? Mmmm. whisky. But why don’t they drink the liquid? However, I do think the I really like the guys behind Edinburgh bar Bramble - Jason Scott brand team have been clever when it comes to the bottle design. and Mike Aikman - and I can understand that they’re delighted First of all by making it broad and small it will sit right at the front that Bramble has been singled out as one of the best bars in the of the bar, and the unusual colour will give it stand out. World coming in at 32 out of 50, according to a drinks publication. According to a Welsh newspaper, Wales now boasts an iPub, However, not one other Scottish bar made the list. Is Bramble where bar staff have been swapped for computer pads. This really the best bar that Scotland has to offer? It’s certainly a great self-service bar allows customers to pour their own pints by wee bar, with great drinks, but it hasn’t been updated in years and tapping into an iPad, which has led to the landlord cutting in my opinion it has been eclipsed by too many others to mention. queues at his bar. Could that be because folk don’t want to It seems that the folk that compiled the list either haven’t been drink there? I hate self-service full stop! Whether its in a to Scotland for years or simply enjoy Jason and Mike’s company. bar, supermarket or restaurant. Here’s hoping this doesn’t It’s all change at the top of Scotland’s drinks companies. catch on. John Gilligan has now stepped away from Tennent’s, although Finally, Reuters reports that there is a new trend in the USA... he remains on a part-time basis, and new boss Brian Calder folk staying in hotels are being offered the opportunity to forgo is now firmly in the driving seat. Mike Keiller, Chairman of in-room hotel housekeeping in exchange for points, discounts or Morrison Bowmore has also resigned while there is a new a cash vouchers. So instead of getting your bed made every day, broom at Gordon & MacPhail following Michael Urquhart’s you can get, for example, free wifi. I don’t know about you, but part retiral, Ewen Mackintosh, Chief Operating Officer is now of the enjoyment when you stay at a hotel is that you don’t have boss of the family-owned company. to make the bed! However this growing ‘green’ movement could Last month I was shocked to hear of the death of Scott McHugh be with us soon. Apparently Starwood will be offering this option who over the years was the ‘go-to’ guy when it came to raising globally next year and not just in the USA. NOVEMBER 2014 DRAM 41
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ROUND UP Punch Roadshow a success
Dundee City Council hosted its first STAR Awards last month. Around 250 guests from licensed trade businesses across the city attended the awards, which take the place of Best Bar None in Dundee. As you can see from the pictures everyone had a great time and Kopparberg and McEwan’s were kind enough to sponsor some drinks for the evening which was most appreciated.
COVER STORY > Over 130 pub Punch licensees, who run more than 50% of the pubco’s Scottish estate, attended its recent annual roadshow. Visitors were able to share best practice with fellow licensees as well as take advantage of special discounts and exclusive deals and sample thousands of products offered by the numerous different exhibitors, including Belhaven, at the event. Punch’s Regional Operations Director for Scotland, Brian Davidson said, “The event was a great success. It is such a unique but valuable opportunity to bring together brewers and ontrade suppliers, licensees and Punch personnel under one roof, all for mutual benefit.
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 Editorial: Jamie Allan • Advertising Manager: Emma McDonald • Advertising: Lucy McGovern & Vicky Corrieri • 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 Stephens & George Print Group. 46 DRAM NOVEMBER 2014
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