DRAM 303 November

DRAM

303

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

@dramscotland

DRAM MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2015 ISSN 1470-241X

/dram.scotland

D

DRAM

303

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

@dramscotland

DRAM MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2015 ISSN 1470-241X

/dram.scotland

SCOTTISH AUTHORS TOAST THE PRINTING PRESS OPENING

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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

DRAM

WINTER WARMERS

WELCOME

T

he Apex Hotel in Glasgow has opened after being closed since the start of the year. This issue we have an interview with the Chief Executive of Apex Hotels, the lovely Angela Vickers, and a design piece on the hotel’s new public areas. We also paid a visit to the new Trading House in Glasgow.

It’s great to see substantial developments open in the city. Our cover also highlights the opening of The Printing Press (see news story) in Edinburgh.

Our winter warmer pages give you some tips on what to serve over the coming months and a few facts to keep you entertained.

While our new columnist Annabelle Love takes a look at the growth of Pop-ups, next month she is examining the effectiveness of licensing boards. That should be interesting.

Dundee licensees were out in force at the STAR Awards at the end of September, this issue we have some of the pictures from the evening. See our roundup pages.

And finally, of course, we have lots of news from around the trade. There is certainly no shortage of positive stories to report on.

Susan Young Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com

CONTENTS November

FEATURES

17 24 28 34

/dram.scotland

WINTER WARMERS

DRAM takes a look at some fun and interesting facts about the Winter period.

LICENSEE INTERVIEW

Susan Young catches up with Apex Hotels Chief Executive, Angela Vickers.

CRAFTY CALEDONIAN

DRAM pays a visit to one of the UK’s original craft brewing companies,The Caledonian Brewery.

DESIGN FOCUS

The Trading House, Glasgow and The Apex Hotel, Glasgow.

REGULARS

04 10

@dramscotland

2015

39

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.

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 5

The Steadings re-opens with a new look

The Steadings in Kirkcaldy has just re-opened after a substantial investment. Now the bar and restaurant can offer an improved food offering, and it also has a completely new look. The pub which has a large lounge/restaurant area, a separate bar area and a function room, was closed for six months, and has now been given a new lease of life by owners Punch and partners Alan and Liam Finnegan.

They shared the £250K refurbishment cost.

The Steadings can now offer a wide range of menus for evening meals, lunch, kids menus, Sunday lunch, buffet menus and a separate bar menu too.

The bar, which is very much at the heart of the community, also shows Sky Sports, and has regular entertainment in the form of Karaoke, Pub quizzes and local club nights.

Alan Finnegan told DRAM, “Business has been good, and steady. It’s also getting busier by the day, as we are leading up to Christmas.”

10/10 for No. 10 Aberdeen’s No. 10 Bar and Restaurant is now open for business.

The bar and restaurant, which is located on Queens Terrace restaurant, has been totally revamped and now boasts 90 covers, and a private dining facility called “The Board Room” that can hold up to 14 people. The menu has been inspired by brasserie-style cooking, and offers a range of fresh and seasonal dishes to choose from. Manager, Jillian Sheran, told DRAM, “It’s going very well. We’ve been really, really busy.”

6 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

Brauhaus: reaching for the ceiling German restaurant and bar, The Bavarian Brauhaus, is due to launch shortly in Glasgow.

Owner Raymond Codona has invested £1m in the new venue which was formerly Madness on Bothwell Street. He is hoping Glaswegians will find favour with his German and Bavarian style bar and restaurant. The restaurant’s cuisine is inspired by traditional and regional German foods, including a selection of Bavarian meats. He has also sourced a range of beer from the “Big Six” breweries in Munich, and has incorporated beers from these brewers into the new drink list. With a capacity for 150 people, the new venue also includes a mezzanine seating area. Head of Marketing, Taylor Campbell, said, “We hope that the new venue will speak to the Glasgow crowds and bring something completely fresh to the city.”

The picture shows the ceiling of the new bar.

Have you heard?

Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta are getting set to launch the latest addition to their bar and restaurant empire – the Atlantic Bar & Brasserie, which is in the basement area of Anchor Line on St Vincent Place, Glasgow. The new brasserie will have a French theme, and will open before Christmas. More next month.

Kained Holdings is opening another bar called Chequers Cocktail House, on Great Western Road, Glasgow. The bar aims to offer a “speakeasystyled” feel.

NEWS www.dramscotland.co.uk

The Printing Press Bar & Kitchen officially opened last month in Edinburgh. The new George Street bar and restaurant, part of The George Hotel, saw restaurateur, Des McDonald (far left), famed for his role as head chef at London’s renowned Ivy, and his role at the Caprice Group join Andreas Maszczyk, general manager of The George Hotel, and Laurie Nicol, director of operations – Scotland for Principal Hayley, to welcome some of Scotland’s literary elite, including crime writer Ian Rankin, Chris Brookmyre, Sue Lawrence, Doug Johnstone, Jenni Fagan and Lin Anderson to the venue, which pays homage to the capital’s rich literary heritage: number 25 was home in the 1780s to the acclaimed novelist Susan Ferrier and in late 1840 records show one John Oliphant living there – Oliphant’s and Ferrier’s descendants founded Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier, one of Scotland’s most prestigious publishing houses, best known for the series of Famous Scots books.

Des McDonald has helped shape every aspect of The Printing Press – including the concept design and menu.

Now, the elegant, all-day, 180-seat restaurant and bar is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner – with a late bar serving food and drink till 1am. Look out for our design feature next month.

Fairmont St Andrews gets a new Grill The St Andrews Bar & Grill has opened at Fairmont St Andrews as the hotel’s new clubhouse. The St Andrews Bar & Grill is located in a building set on a spectacular cliff top with stunning panoramic views over both the hotel’s championships golf courses and St Andrews Bay. It is being managed by John Keating. He said, “We believe the new St Andrews Bar & Grill will become the destination of choice for those in the area wishing to experience the best in local steak and seafood.” Serving traditional golfers fayre by day and the finest Scottish Steak & Seafood by night, the two chefs behind the bar and restaurant, Executive Chef Alan Matthew and Restaurant Chef James Hill, have sourced local, seasonal produce from the finest farms and suppliers in Scotland and have tailored their menu to showcase only the very best ingredients.

Section33 returns The Section33 PopUp is due to return in November to Glasgow.

This time it is going to be bigger and it’s open for 5 days (18th - 22nd Nov).

The venue will be a secret until a week before, but tickets are now on sale at £5. Organiser Kyle Steel says, “I’m definitely looking to put on more than just a PopUp food event with lots of varied entertainment, and some very special guest appearances.”

“We bring the best in locally sourced produce, delivered in soulful street food fashion, with a highend foodie twist. I believe that we’re not just a pop-up restaurant or a street food operator: we offer an experience like no other. As always the venue and menu are kept secret until a week or so before the event, but we will be releasing clues and tasters.”

He continues, “Already it is going really well.

More than 450 tickets were sold in the first 24 hours!”

n.b. bar & hotel

Scottish authors on hand as The Printing Press opens COVER STORY

The La Bonne Auberge brasserie at the Holiday Inn Glasgow Theatreland has been awarded an AA Rosette for the 17th year in a row. The restaurant which celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year, offers diners French Mediterranean cuisine. Diana Espersen, restaurant manager at La Bonne Auberge, said, “We are delighted to once again secure an AA Rosette – which means that the restaurant has now held this prestigious award consecutively since 1998.

German chain Motel One has confirmed it is to spend £18m on a new hotel to be built in Glasgow at the corner of Oswald Street and Argyle Street. The 374-bed hotel, bar and restaurant will open in 2018 and when it opens will be the largest hotel in the city.

LJ Research has revealed research that shows that the 2015 SPE Offshore Europe Conference and Exhibition in Aberdeen proved a boost to hoteliers. Room occupancy overall fell by 12.8% to 75% compared to last year, but the conference provided a spike in demand and an occupancy rate of 90% and, mid-week that increased to 99%.

Although that was good news forward bookings for the city for the next six months were down.

Edinburgh on the other hand had occupancy rates of 91.8%, down slightly on last year, but still the highest occupancy rate in Scotland. However rooms slipped to an average £111.53, a 12.4% decline over this last year

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 7

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NEWS BHA calls for new law on tipping and service charges The British Hospitality Association has called for a new law on tipping and service charges in bars and restaurants. According to the BHA, hospitality representatives should be legally obligated to inform customers of how their service charge and tip is distributed among staff members.

The BHA represents approximately 40,000 hospitality organisations in the UK, and has requested that the government issue a law which will reveal exactly what the extra payments that customers make are used for, ultimately putting an end to any confusion on the matter for customers.

The BHA revealed its stance in a letter following The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills intention to hold an inquiry in how cash and non-cash tips, gratuities, cover and service charges are collected and how much employers deduct from their employees.

The inquiry does not only cover the hospitality sector but goes much wider, extending to other industries where tipping is prevalent, such as hairdressing and casinos. The deadline for responses is 10 November.

Graham Forrest, was just one of Star Pubs and Bars licensees who took advantage of a five day residential cookery skills training workshop. Graham who is licensee of The Glen Tavern in Dunfermline and The Burgh Arms in Inverkeithing (front black shirt) joined his colleague Louis Hopkins, kitchen manager trainee, at the practical cookery skills course which was being trialled by the company. Star Pubs & Bars hope to run more of these courses, which are aimed at licensees and members of their management teams, to help them improve their cookery and kitchen management skills, and upgrade their food offers and drive food sales, next year.

Chris Jowsey, Star Pub & Bars trading director said, “The reality is not all licensees have lots of cookery experience. It is important to support them because as an industry we are faced with a chef recruitment crisis which is limiting the true food potential of pubs. It is our belief that to build sustainable pub food businesses licensees need to improve the quality and quantity of food in their pubs.”

Pernod Ricard see gradual improvement in q1 sales

P

ernod Ricard has revealed growth of +3%, confirming the continuation of a gradual improvement in sales. It’s top 14 brands posted a good performance (+2%), driven by Jameson and The Glenlivet.

Priority Premium Wines rebounded at +8%, due to improvement in the UK and Australia.

Alexandre Ricard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “The beginning of the financial year is consistent with our

scenario of continued gradual improvement in sales in a contrasted environment. We are aiming for +1% to +3% organic growth in profit from recurring operations for FY 2015/16 and we expect a positive but volatile foreign exchange impact*.

“We continue to implement our longterm growth strategy, while increasing investments behind our priority brands and innovations and remaining very disciplined on costs and pricing.”

Diageo sells Chateau and Estate wine brands and Percy Fox Diageo will put £320m in the bank after selling its major wine interests in an agreement with Treasury Wine Estates relating to the US based Chateau and Estate Wines and the UK based Percy Fox businesses.

However the proceeds will be used to repay borrowings. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to complete around the end

of the calendar year.

Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive of Diageo (pictured), said, “Diageo’s strategy is to drive stronger, sustained performance through focus on our core portfolio and this announcement is another element of that strategy in action. Wine is no longer core to Diageo and this sale gives us greater focus.

“With the completion of this transaction Diageo will have released £1 bn from the sale of non-core assets since the start of the financial year. This proactive portfolio

approach has focused the business, enhanced our financial strength, improved our returns and strengthened the business, positioning us even more firmly to deliver our performance ambition.”

Following completion of this transaction Diageo’s wine interests are limited to Justerini & Brooks Wine Merchants, the Argentinian wine business of Navarro Correas, the wine brands of Mey Icki and USL, the Chalone brand and assets and the Acacia winery and vineyard.

Whitbread has revealed that profits rose nearly 14% in the first half of the year as new openings and growing demand at both its Premier Inn hotels and the Costa Coffee chain helped send sales up strongly. Whitbread said its underlying pretax profit rose to £291.3m in the six months to August 27.

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 9

BRAND NEWS Beer

Estrella Damm reveals darker bottle

Barcelona beer, Estrella Damm, has launched a darker glass version into bars and pubs in the UK. The new darker glass also gives the beer 30% more protection from light exposure. Genna Burchell, Marketing Manager for World Beers at Charles Wells which imports Estrella Damm to the UK explains, “We all know that light exposure can change the taste of beer and so we’re delighted to be introducing this new darker bottle which will better preserve that authentic Mediterranean taste until each bottle of Estrella Damm reaches the lips of UK drinkers.”

Estrella Damm is one of the UK’s fastest growing premium world lagers.

Guinness launches Hop House 13 lager in GB Guinness, has launched Hop House 13 lager here, following a successful launch in Ireland.

Hop House 13, the 4th brew from the The Brewers Project, is a double-hopped lager made with Irish barley and aromatic hops. This golden lager is brewed with Guinness yeast, Irish barley and high quality hops from both Australia and USA. The Brewers Project is a group of enterprising brewers who are now on a quest to explore new recipes, reinterpret old ones and collaborate freely to bring exciting beers to life.

Nick Curtis-Davis, Head of Innovation for Guinness, said, “There is huge curiosity, interest and demand for new beers among drinkers nowadays and our brewers are excited to be playing their part in this beer renaissance. We believe Hop House 13 will appeal to premium lager drinkers who are looking for beer with more taste and more character but without compromising on the refreshing taste that lager offers.”

The product will be available in bottled format, as well as in draught.

10 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

Up, up and away Foster’s’ upcoming television series Helluva Tour, a brand new series from Channel 4 to be documented and shown on digital platform All 4 this Autumn, sees four strangers take on a 17,000 mile journey in a tiny van driving from the UK to Melbourne, Australia, the birthplace of Foster’s.

The series, includes 10 five-minute long episodes, and will show the foursome taking part in unusual cultural customs and challenges in along the way.

Ifeoma Dozie, from Foster’s, said, “We’re really excited about the Foster’s Helluva Tour, a unique adventure not just for those in the campervan but also for those tracking their progress on television and at home. This is an epic, once-in-a-lifetime journey - and our awesome foursome, with their ‘why the hell not’ attitude, will have experiences to remember forever.”

To launch the new TV series Foster’s stage a photo call in which showed a Golden Bedford Rascal camper van being lifted 2,000 feet by a hot air balloon.

An ale to treasure from Caledonian Edinburgh’s Caledonian Brewery revealed its newest addition to its monthly guest beer list recently. The limitededition Ruby ale Dark Crystal has been created with three different dark malts in order to produce a rich, but smooth taste. Its gentle combination of flavours including burnt toffee and caramel, complement classic winter warmer favourites such as roast meats and other smoked foods. Craig Steven, Caledonian Brewery’s Beers Manager and Scotland’s first Beer Academy Certified beer sommelier said, “This precious ruby ale is a great addition to a winter cask range, especially with the darker nights now upon us. The brewers here at Caledonian have developed Dark Crystal’s special trio of toasted malts that are perfectly suited to roasted meats, smoked foods and cheeses, making it the ideal ale for food and menu pairings to help drive sales for our customers.”

Dark Crystal is available to order on draught throughout November.

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Enjoy the great range of HEINEKEN draught brands on your bar

Call HEINEKEN on 0344 556 0109 to find out more details about how to become the ultimate sports venue for your customers. * T&Cs apply please see www.online.heineken.co.uk for full conditions. Promotion open to UK trade customers only; premises must be licensed under applicable legislation; requirement for new 12 month stocking agreement with Heineken and new 12 month agreement with BT (Standard Conditions For Commercial Premises (Single Premises)); discount available for 12 month periods; 50% discount package only available to customers which enter into a minimum 3 year agreement for SmartDispense with Heineken; limitations apply in 2015 to customers which are within one of the Qualifying Tiers (as defined in paragraph 7 of the T&Cs) prior to entering into the new stocking agreement with Heineken and which are existing BT Sport Total customers (see paragraph 5 of the T&Cs); promotion excludes premises that are part of a managed group; early termination charges may apply to existing BT Total Sport customers (see paragraph 6 of the T&Cs); promotion only available until 31 December 2016. Promoter: Heineken UK Limited, 3-4 Broadway Park, South Gyle Broadway, Edinburgh EH12 9JZ

Growing together

BRAND NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

Whisky

Johnnie Walker Blue Label releases short film trailer Johnnie Walker Blue Label, has released the trailer for The Gentleman’s Wager II: a short film starring Oscar-nominated actors Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini along with acclaimed Chinese actress Zhao Wei. This new film from the Johnnie Walker Blue Label brand, directed by British director Jake Scott of Ridley Scott Associates, who also shot the first film, also features cameos from Formula 1 heroes, Mika Häkkinen and McLaren Honda F1 Driver Jenson Button.

Nick Temperley, head of Diageo Reserve Brands, GB said, “Diageo is committed to the growth of luxury Scotch, both in the UK market and globally. This film signals Diageo’s confidence in the category and continued investment behind the Johnnie Walker brand to drive the next decade of growth for the world’s best-selling blended Scotch whisky.”

The trailer provides a taste of what’s in store for the second instalment of the Gentleman’s Wager film, as the three lead stars find themselves in the picturesque vistas of Italy and Monaco. The trailer for The Gentleman’s Wager II short film is available to view online now at: www. youtube.com/johnniewalker

Vodka

William Grant take on Russian Standard William Grant & Sons UK has announced that Roust International’s Russian Standard Vodka will be joining its spirits portfolio on 1st January 2016.

This agreement is a continuation of the international alliance between the two companies. Roust International represents William Grant & Sons portfolio in Poland/Central Europe while in the UK, William Grant & Sons UK has represented Roust’s Green Mark and Żubrówka for over two years.

Chris Mason, Managing Director UK, William Grant & Sons, comments, “Roust is one of the world’s leading vodka producers and we look forward to continuing a successful partnership to achieve our ambitious goals.”

Russian Standard Vodka is the number one premium vodka in Russia and now has a 12% share of the vodka market. The brand was previously part of Whyte & Mackay’s portfolio in the UK.

America’s Whisky Advocate has given Ardbeg the seal of approval. The brand dominated the best of the single malt Scotch category. Ardbeg Ten Years Old, Ardbeg Corryvreckan and Ardbeg Uigeadail, were praised for their great quality and value, and ranked as the top three in reviews published in the magazine. The top spot was won by Ardbeg Corryvreckan. Michael Heads, the Ardbeg Distillery Manager said, “Ardbeg’s exceptional quality is a source of pride for the team at the Distillery. We are committed to ensuring that whether someone is part of Ardbeg’s loyal following, the Committee, or are trying Ardbeg for the first time, people can always enjoy a dram of Ardbeg – the Ultimate Islay Malt.”

Whisky as you’ve never seen it before

An ambitious project by the makers of Glenfiddich has brought together experts in the science of Cymatics - the study of visible sound waves – and Caribbean vocalist, Calma Carmona (above), as well as the Co-Operative Orchestra Scotland, in order to explore the effects of live music on single malt. The experiment marks say the company a “suitably fitting way to celebrate their 21 Year Old liquid, an exceptional single malt nurtured in Scotland and finished in rum-infused casks from the Caribbean.”

A Franz Ferdinand track, Love Illumination, was selected as the experiment’s catalyst, and the artists performed the unique track in a London warehouse in real time to an ‘audience’ of bespoke, precision-crafted devices, developed to capture the various cymatic effects of the music on the 21 year old liquid. Each device was specifically attuned to respond and react to different note ranges and sound frequencies, isolated through a speaker via specially programmed software. The results now feature in a new film which can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/embed/9J_ ziyz69Aw. DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 13

BRAND NEWS Spirits New Diageo winter campaign aims to shake up spirit sales Diageo has launched its latest winter multibrand campaign to inspire and advise the ontrade how to create innovative spirit serves and consider food pairings to drive incremental sales throughout the winter period.

As part of the activation Diageo has launched #LetsCocktail to tap into the social media opportunity and encourage consumers to interact with the campaign.

The company hopes the campaign will inspire licensees to consider spirits as the perfect partner to any food led occasion and capitalise on the impressive profit margin opportunity within the category. Last year the average on-trade outlet sold an additional 569 serves vs. an average month – half of which were spirits and saw premium spirits sales grow by 16%. The activity will showcase new winter serves created with top selling Diageo brands, including Tanqueray, Gordon’s, Baileys, Captain Morgan Spiced, Johnnie Walker Red, Ketel One, Bulleit Bourbon and Smirnoff and be supported by the hashtag #LetCocktail.

Hi-Spirits have launched three limited-edition Barrel Reserve gins in the UK, from San Francisco’s Distillery No. 209. Barrel Reserve gin is made by aging it in French oak wine barrels that have been taken from the distillery’s sister business, the Rudd Oakville Estate winery in Napa Valley. The three new varieties include No. 209 Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Reserve Gin, No. 209 Sauvignon Blanc Barrel Reserve Gin and No. 209 Chardonnay Barrel Reserve Gin, each gin taking on its own distinctive aroma and taste. Dan Bolton, Managing Director of Hi-Spirits, said, “The combination of distilling and winemaking experience makes the No. 209 Barrel Reserve Gins unique, and the care and craft that have gone into barrel aging gives each of them a very special character”.

No. 209 Barrel Reserve Gin has a 46% ABV.

Gin Range of flavoured gin for Gordon Castle Gordon Castle has released a new range of small batch gin liqueurs, infused with its own fruit from the historic Gordon Castle Walled Garden in Moray. The new range marries together Gordon Castle Scotland Gin with fruit from the abundant 8.5 acre Walled Garden to create two exquisite flavours of small batch liqueurs, Raspberry and Plum.

Each bottle of Raspberry gin liqueur is packed with flavour from over 40 raspberries while its plum gin liqueur is infused with Gordon Castle’s own eponymous variety of plum. The two new liqueurs come in 50cl bottles.

Cider Magners launch employability programme with Celtic FC Foundation and Tennent’s Training Academy Magners, Celtic main sponsor, has teamed up with Celtic FC Foundation and Tennent’s Training Academy to deliver a new employability programme aimed at getting participants back into work after long-term unemployment. The Magners Employability Project, targeted towards adults aged 25 and over who are registered unemployed, is a bespoke 10-week course with a focus on developing skills in the hospitality industry.The project is designed for participants to not only engage with a varied mix of employability activities and certified industry training.

The project was funded thanks to Magners’ Goals for Charity initiative which saw Celtic’s shirt sponsor donate £150.00 for every competitive goal scored during the 2013/14 season. £18,300 was raised as a result of the Hoops notching 122 14 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

competitive goals with fans choosing to allocate the funds in support of Poverty, a key area of work for Celtic FC Foundation.

George Kyle, Head of Sponsorship for Magners, said: “It’s fantastic to see the funds from our Goals for Charity initiative put to such great use. The Magners Employability Project is making a really positive impact on the lives of those participating in the programme and the feedback we’ve had from them has been very encouraging.”

Gayle Johnstone from Tennent’s Training Academy said, “It was a natural fit for us to partner with Magners and The Celtic Foundation to create the Magners Employability Project.” She continued, “For us, it’s about finding people that have a passion for the industry and then developing the skills that will help lead to employment, and we have high hopes for this group.”

LIGHTLY HOPPED AND REFRESHING

INSPIRED BY THE PAST.

CRAFTED FOR TODAY. Inspired by our 1850’s pale ale, McEwan’s IPA is a modern twist on a classic. Our expert brewers have produced a lightly hopped and refreshing ale, that delivers a

ORDER TODAY TO RECEIVE YOUR POINT OF SALE KIT AND A FREE KEG OF McEWAN’S IPA. 4.2% ABV.

CALL OUR CUSTOMER SERVICES ON 0131 339 3300

LIGHTLY HOPPED AND REFRESHING

INSPIRED BY THE PAST.

CRAFTED FOR TODAY. Inspired by our 1850’s pale ale, McEwan’s IPA is a modern twist on a classic. Our expert brewers have produced a lightly hopped and refreshing ale, that delivers a

ORDER TODAY TO RECEIVE YOUR POINT OF SALE KIT AND A FREE KEG OF McEWAN’S IPA. 4.2% ABV.

CALL OUR CUSTOMER SERVICES ON 0131 339 3300

In the USA there is a National Hot Apple Cider Day which was the 30th September.

Did you know: Cider or the forerunner to cider, was first drunk hot around the late 1500’s.

Apple cider then was drunk in Southern England as wassail, a beverage made from tart apples and warm mead. In an annual tradition called Wassailing, locals would drink and then stagger through the orchards shaking the apple trees to rid them of evil spirits. The hope being they would get a good harvest!

Whisky is another great winter drink.

According to the William Grant’s 2015 Market Report there are 19.3 million whisk(e)y drinkers in GB, with more than 73% being male. Blended whisky is the largest sub-sector valued at £409m, while malt whisky £158m, and American whiskey £351m.

Sugar and spice and all things nice...

Cloves a mainstain for winter cocktails and drinks...

What are they?

Cloves are unopened sun dried flower buds of the tropical clove tree.

Look out for Kopparberg not only are they supplying urn kits to the On Trade, but this year’s offering includes a Spiced Apple option.

Sounds good!

Winter Warmers The Winter is well upon us, and many of you will have, or be having, a look at your drinks menus to introduce some new flavours and some familiar faces. Winter warmers don’t just come in the shape of drinks as you know, food offerings change too as consumers look for comfort food. This month we take a look at some fun and interesting facts about the Winter period and some drinks and food suggestions.

Cider can be drunk hot or cold. But did you know that cider was said to promote longevity.

An ancient English tale tells of a famous Morris dance performed in 1609 by 12 sprightly ciderdrinkers whose ages totalled 1,200 years.

Mulled wine has been around for hundreds of years in the UK. We call it ‘Mulled wine’, the Germans and Austrians call it ‘Gluhwein’, and the Nordick countries call it ‘Glogg’. Usually contains red wine, cloves, sugar, cinnamon, and orange.

Popular winter traditional drinks Hot Toddy Eggnog Hot Cider Ginger Wine Hot Buttered Rum

Worth their weight in gold...

Cloves have been for centuries one of the world’s most valuable and expensive commodities.

In Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries, cloves were worth at least their weight in gold, due to the high price of importing them.

Cinnamon Ancient folklore says the smell of cinnamon is the best cure for the winter blues and it is also a good preventative cure for coughs and colds... apparently if you take some cinnamon within 5-10 minutes of sniffles it is said to stop an impending illness in its tracks. This is related to the anti bacterial properties and warming properties of cinnamon and its propensity to increase blood flow.

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 17

- 1 in 3 customers are open to trying a new serve at Christmas1 - Last year outlets saw a 16% growth in premium spirits2 - On average an outlet will sell an additional 569 serves vs an average month - with spirits growing within this year on year3

The SMIRNOFF, BAILEYS, GORDON’S, JOHNNIE WALKER, TANQUERAY words and associated logos are trademarks. © Diageo 2015.

CHRISTMAS

is for Cocktails

The festive period provides a huge opportunity for driving customers into a highly profitable Drinks category during four key occasions – Christmas get together, work party, big night out and formal meal. Make your customers Christmas special and extend the occasion with unique and inspired serves.

MAXIMISE

your DRINKS SALES THIS FESTIVE PE RIOD

PL AN WELL IN ADVANCE & STOCK UP ON MUST STOCK PREMIUM VARIANTS CONSIDER SPIRITS AS THE perfect partner TO YOUR FOOD LED OCCASION

Big Night

out

SMIRNOFF CHRISTMAS CRANBERRY

Recipe:

Formal meal JOHNNIE’S WINTER GINGER

Recipe:

- 50ml Smirnoff - 125ml Cranberry Juice - Cranberries - 1.4 units

- 50ml Johnnie Walker Red - 150ml Ginger ale - Pinch of cinnamon powder - Lime wedge & gingerbread garnish - 2 units Add all the ingredients to a tall glass full with cubed ice, stir to mix, garnish and serve.

Add all the ingredients to a tall glass full with cubed ice, stir to mix, garnish and serve.

CHRISTMAS get

together

BAILEY’S FLAT WHITE MARTINI

Recipe:

- 50ml Baileys - 25ml Smirnoff - 25ml Espresso - 3 Coffee beans - 1.4 units Add cubes of ice to a cocktail shaker.

Pour Baileys, espresso and Smirnoff into the shaker. Shake until cold.

Strain into a glass.

work party

WINTER TANQUERAY & TONIC

Recipe:

- 50ml Tanqueray LDG - 150ml Premium tonic water - Lime wedge sugared rosemary sprig - 2.2 units Add all the ingredients to a tall glass full with cubed ice, stir to mix, garnish and serve.

1. CGA Consumer Panel December 2013 and 2014 2. CGA Managed EPOS volume pool to 03/01/2015 3. CGA Volume Pool data to 03/01/2015

A fresh take on traditional winter drinks Moroccan Mint Toddy whisky, almond syrup, fresh mint, ginger, honey and lemon.

Topped off with a cinnamon stick.

What is a Snowball?

Simply Advocaat with lemonade.

In 2008 when Nigella Lawson named her favourite drink for Christmas sales of Advocaat went up 40%.

Aberdeen’s Ninety Nine Bar and Kitchen manager, Milo Smith, said, “We will be introducing a new cocktail menu over the Christmas period.

We will also be serving winter warming drinks such as Hot Toddies and Blue Blazers.”

But he will be drinking rum and bourbon based drinks over the winter period.

Haig Festive Flip • 50ml Haig Club • 1 whole fresh egg • 20ml Sugar syrup (1.1) • 5ml PX sherry A perfect alternative to dessert with a creamy mouth-feel, the natural sweetness of Haig Club is cleverly paired with the richness of sherry. Shake with ice and strain into a small wine glass and garnish with nutmeg.

Champagne is always a celebratory drink but it is a tasty winter drink too when drunk as a Royal Plush – half burgundy and half brut champagne over ice.

One of the most alcoholic winter drinks... a Sazerac, 2- 4 measures of Peychaud’s Bitters and two measures of rye whiskey, plus one cube of sugar.

Serve in a chilled glass coated with absinthe.

Colin Barr, owner of Glasgow’s Bier Halle, said, “I think hot chocolate with whisky will be a popular drink over the next few months”. But his drink of choice over the winter period will probably be Gluhwein over the Winter and Christmas period.

New kids on the block Patrón XO Cafe Incendio – a chile, chocolate tequila based liqueur. Very winter warming!

Jack Daniels Tennessee Fire a combination of a fiery hot cinnamon liqueur and Jack Daniels... straight up as a shot.

20 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

Author of Blend Me, Shake Me: 101 Hip New Cocktails Alex Kammerling is also the brains and innovative force behind Kamm & Sons British Aperitif. This bittersweet botanical spirit readies tastebuds before a meal and contains 45 natural botanicals, including ginseng, grapefruit peel, Manuka honey, juniper berries and elderflower.

Alex recommends this easyto-make winter drink.

• • • •

Hot Roots 50ml Kamm & Sons 150ml cloudy apple juice 1 slice ginger

Crush the ginger in a pan, then warm all the ingredients on a stove and strain. Serve in a heat-proof glass and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

IT TAKES FIRE TO MAKE JACK. AND JACK TO MAKE FIRE. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire is the ultimate combination of red hot cinnamon liqueur with the authentic taste of Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 for a classic spirit with an enticing, fiery finish.

Watch the Fire spread this October and November with an impactful multi-media campaign across outdoor, video, digital and social media.

With 42% of spirit drinkers drinking shots, Jack Fire is a must stock.*

For POS support please contact your Bacardi Brown-Forman sales representative or call our POS hotline on 01962 762450.

#JACKFIRE DON’T GET BURNED. DRINK RESPONSIBLY. ©2015 Jack Daniel’s. All rights reserved. JACK DANIEL’S and TENNESSEE FIRE are registered trademarks.

*Nielsen Off Trade data to 28th February 2015; CGA On Trade data to 29th November 2014

Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, takes place each autumn. The festival began as part of a crown prince’s wedding celebrations in 1810 and has continued since. About 1.3 million gallons (5 million liters) of beer are poured during the festival.

Igloos can be more than 100 degrees warmer inside than outside.

They are warmed entirely by body heat.

Since fresh, compacted snow is approximately 90 to 95 percent trapped air (meaning it can’t move and transfer heat) it’s a great insulator.

Wine drinkers are less likely to get cancer than those who drink beer or spirits. A substance found in grapes, called resveratol, is thought to inhibit cancer.

Beer contains no fat or sugar, and has a good amount of carbohydrates, protein and vitamins. But it is a great appetite stimulant so our beer bellies are not caused by beer, but by eating more!

Socialising with your nearest and dearest has considerable health benefits. Heading out and meeting others can alleviate symptoms of depression. Socialising reduces stress, increases our self-esteem and allows us to build on the positive relationships we have. All good reasons to encourage your customers out!

Cold temperatures can have benefits.

It apparently causes us to appreciate things more.

Studies show that constant warm weather and sunshine doesn’t actually make you any happier. People’s moods are the brightest after a stretch of cooler or darker days.

Food... Winter trends Did you know you could benefit from cheaper food costs this Christmas according to purchasing agency Lynx?

Its autumn market forecast estimates that the costs of turkey production has fallen by 4% this year thanks to lower feed costs. Pork and salmon prices are meanwhile flat but the price of beef is rising.

They say the trends mean there is room for negotiation on pricing.

Managing director John Pinder says, “Most hotels, restaurants and pubs have their Christmas menus in place by now and hopefully, bookings starting to fill the December diary. The temptation is to agree the prices being quoted by wholesalers and suppliers in order to secure supplies of core festive menu items. However, with inflation low, and producers benefiting from lower feed and transport costs, we think there’s definitely scope for some old-fashioned haggling.”

But he warned that prices will start to rise and suggests that operators who can keep their menus flexible and work with suppliers to feature the best value produce will see the biggest benefits.”

22 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

According to the tenlivegroup, “UK consumers ever more willing to eat out, whether it’s for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or a snack in between, there has been a rise in the frequency, spend and penetration of eating out, with particular growth in fast casual dining and the managed pub sector. This has been driven by those on higher incomes (ABC1s) and has varied from region to region with the North and East showing the highest levels of growth, with 25-34-year-olds being the age group most likely to eat out (80%)”

Advice from Tourism Intelligence “Rich and hearty autumn flavours are on the menu. Root vegetables, mushrooms, figs and game are just some of the season’s highlights. Think roast dinners with root vegetables, game stews and warming winter soups. Chilly winter waters also make November a particularly good month for shellfish, or a healthy fish stew that also makes the most of the greens still on offer. Although it’s game season, goose, duck, grouse and venison are available this month. For vegetarians – and anyone else tempted by a tasty veggie meal – root vegetable pies, butternut squash and spinach lasagne or chestnut and mushroom wellington are sure to be winners. Follow these with fruit crumbles, tarte tatin, or cheese with homemade chutney.”

Kamm & Sons is the British Aperitif A bittersweet botanical spirit that stimulatesthe palate before food.

Kamm & Sons is fresh and citrusy on the nose with a herbal honeyed palate

A re-invented classic British version of the classic Italian aperitif. Kamm & Sons wine. Stirred with cucumber and grapefruit and topped with soda.

A dry, citrus blend of Kamm & Sons with bitter lemon. Served over ice and garnished with celery and a lemon wedge.

www.kammandsons.com @kammandsons

REACHING FO T

he aroma of toast is prevalent as I join Angela it’s spending didn’t match its cash flow, and its difficult Vickers, Chief Executive of Apex Hotels, the to dispose of art collections and helicopters quickly! It family-owned group which was set up by Norman also had a lot of staff.” The merger had a casualty in the Springford, at the hotel’s newest hotel in Glasgow. She shape of Neil Chisman, Stakis’ then Financial Director, is sitting in the hotel’s new bar and restaurant area, says Angela, “Neil was a huge influence on me. He, in which also appears to double as a business centre. fact, gave a lot of younger people at Stakis, who had Breakfast is just over, but as we enjoyed coffee she talent, real encouragement. He pushed me to do things explained the concept of the space, “This is an area I hadn’t done before from presenting to the board to which we believe can be utilised for leisure time, for projects that, to begin with, I didn’t think I could do. He work time and socialising too. We know how important would also send us to London on courses to ensure we wi-fi connectivity is to guests so this is an area we invest were keeping at the forefront of latest developments. heavily in to allow guests to operate the multiple devices He really was a mentor.” they travel with.”

When Stakis was sold in 1999 to Hilton, Angela Funny she should say that because she is, in fact, sitting stayed on for the next year and a bit, but she says it with a Pc-based laptop, her apple phone, apple mini, and was not easy. She explains, “It was difficult. We had to a black notebook. When I mention that she laughs, “I’ve consolidate the Stakis portfolio and merge it with Hilton, just got my mini mac, but I really like it. But honestly I implement new systems and at the same time cut costs still write down everything in my little black notepad. drastically, which obviously included making people I have got years worth of them and I store them at redundant. There was a lot of pressure upheaval and home. But I need the Pc for I had just had my son, and spreadsheets.” thought I am not enjoying Spreadsheets are somethis. So I decided to ask thing that Angela is well for redundancy, and take a WORKING AT STAKIS used to, having qualified step back from hospitality.”

TAUGHT ME A LOT. I STILL originally as an accountant.

Her next role saw her join a In fact, it was her role at Telecoms start-up in 2001 MEET PEOPLE, NOT JUST KPMG as an auditor that called Damavo.

When IN SCOTLAND, BUT IN first brought the hospitality she started there were HOSPITALITY THROUGHOUT industry to her attention. three employees, including She explains, “At KPMG herself.

The business THE UK, WHO STARTED OUT our departments were was a management buyAT STAKIS. THE COMPANY organised by industry, and out from Ericsson by a DID LEAVE A LEGACY. I was in the department Venture Capital company that looked after various who placed Pearse Flynn ANGELA VICKERS, hospitality clients from and Graham Bissett at the Stakis to leisure clubs, and helm. Says Angela, “At the CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF APEX HOTELS hotels. There was a lot of time I knew nothing about variety.” She was lured Telecoms. But I helped from KPMG by Stakis to finalise the buyout and take over as Internal Audit Manager and spent the next took the role of Financial Director. In the beginning, I eight years with the group. She says, “Working in audit just wrote down everything. For instance, I hadn’t a clue is a great training ground. I learned how important it is what VOIP was, or converged data networks. Now I look to troubleshoot, to look at areas of the business that back and realise that the business was at the forefront are a struggle and areas that can be improved. In fact, of communications development. We are using this my staff sometimes say why do you always focus on the technology now. During my time there the company grew things that are not working...but it is the way I’ve been to have 120 staff in Glasgow, and business all around trained.” the world. But then another recession hit. By this time She continues, “Working at Stakis also taught me a lot.

I had come to realise actually I preferred the hospitality I still meet people, not just in Scotland, but in hospitality industry. Sometimes you have to branch out and work in throughout the UK, who started out at Stakis. The another industry before you appreciate what you had.” company did leave a legacy. There I got the opportunity Her move to Apex came after a friend told her Norman to look at hotels, restaurants, casinos, care homes Springford was looking for a Financial Director. It was and leisure clubs. These were the glory days when the 2004, and the company was on the brink of opening in bosses took helicopters to meetings. It was a fantastic London. At the time, it had five hotels and a turnover of business, unfortunately when the first recession came, £14m. Today it has nine hotels, 1248 rooms, (with

24 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

OR THE TOP APEX HOTELS OPENED ITS LATEST HOTEL, THE APEX GLASGOW, EARLIER THIS MONTH (SEE THE DESIGN FEATURE), IT’S THE 9TH HOTEL FOR THE GROUP. SUSAN YOUNG CAUGHT UP WITH CHIEF EXECUTIVE ANGELA VICKERS TO FIND OUT MORE.

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 25

REACHING FOR THE TOP LICENSEE INTERVIEW

a further 30 by the end of the year) and a turnover reaching £60m. Says Angela, “I met up with Norman and we got on well, coming from the same accounting background, we spoke the same language. His wife, Dorothy, was at the second interview and it seemed more like a chat over a cup of tea than a job interview. When I joined I loved the job immediately, and I still do, I’ve never lost my enthusiasm for it. Right from the start it was apparent that I could shape things, there was a certain flexibility.”

Eight months after she joined Angela became Managing Director, just ahead of the opening of the group’s first hotel outside of Scotland, in London. She says, “The opening of the London hotel was really pivotal in the development of the group.

Our opening team, headed up by Yousif AlWagga who is now Joint MD at Apex, looked at our potential customer base and set the room rates, and stuck to them. As a result right from the start, we were operating a very profitable hotel.It also created much more awareness of our name. When we opened it the hotel boasted 120 rooms, today it over 200. And now we have two more hotels in London.”

Her role as Managing Director brought her new challenges. Angela comments, “I hadn’t been in charge of HR, Marketing or IT before. I certainly asked a lot of questions. I also used my gut feeling – what would I want if I was a customer? Norman also lets me experiment with things. Even if sometimes he thought I wasn’t getting it right, he let me try, and he never said, ‘I told you so’. There is so much going on in our industry, it’s a dynamic and competitive 24/7 environment that you have to have a broad knowledge of everything. We have a great team at Apex so it is a pleasure to brainstorm and explore new ideas.”

A couple of years ago Angela decided to do an Masters Degree in Hospitality Leadership at Strathclyde University in conjunction with Cornell and Lausanne Hotel Schools assisted by the Hospitality Industry Trust. She explains, “I was asked to be on the board of an industry initiative led by Peter Lederer, to formulate a world leading leadership Masters program that would address the leadership deficit within the hospitality industry, but I felt a bit uncomfortable. I didn’t feel that I had the right to tell people about hospitality when I didn’t have a formal hospitality degree. It was a huge commitment to be part of the first program cohort, but I have never regretted it for a moment. In fact, it was a life changing experience. Eight of us did the course, and we supported each other. I have made lifelong friends through it, we did go through a lot together.

Everyone on the course has benefitted. Now I am a Trustee 26 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

of HIT, we all have our role to play. This is one charity which is totally accountable.”

Apex also participates in Diageo’s Learning for Life apprenticeship scheme alongside hotels such as Cameron House, Gleneagles, The Blythswood and offers Scottish Apprenticeships in hospitality. Says Angela, “The initiative was initially led by Gleneagles , but many more hotels have joined.

In the first year, not one of our apprentices dropped out. It has been enlightening and I am sure they will all go on to work in hotel management. I say to them there are more than 23 careers possible in a hotel - from revenue to social media, IT to health and safety and so on. You certainly have to be a Jack of all trades to work in hospitality.”

However, she doesn’t feel that gender really should play a role, despite the fact that there are very few women at the same level in hospitality as herself. She suggests, “If you really want it, you will work hard to get it. I’ve always had ambition, and I have always been driven and prepared to work hard. This work ethic was instilled in me when I was growing up. It’s not, in my opinion, down to whether you are wearing a skirt or trousers but how hard you are prepared to work and what sacrifices you are willing to make.”

We also touched on the challenges facing hospitality. She believes that Cyber Security is one of them, but it’s one which not everyone has woken up to. Says Angela, “This is definitely going to be one of our biggest challenges going forward. I am sure other people will have other areas of concern. But I feel that we are all open to this. We hold a lot of information on our customers, and not just credit card details.”

Marketing is another challenge, She continues, “Now we have to take a multichannel approach. We are not one of these hotels which are going for Generation Y. We will take customers from across all age groups. So we have to use media ranging from social media to TV to newspapers – the range of marketing methods has got wider not narrower, but we do adhere to ROI’s (return for investment) rules.”

As for the future, Angela tells me she can’t imagine ever leaving Apex. She concludes, “We have grown up together. There is so much more we can still do and I am very proud of the work that our staff do. They have helped us have hotels that compete very favourably against our competitive set – we benchmark very well against them and they are big names. Apex too is now a familiar name, the difference is we are still family-owned, and that is also something to be proud of.”

That certainly is.

WHY MATURE IN

3

CASKS?

WHY NOT? IF YOU DON’T TRY, YOU DON’T GET. WE MATURE THREE WOOD IN AMERICAN BOURBON OAK, SPANISH OLOROSO AND PEDRO XIMENEZ SHERRY CASKS. YOU GET THE SMOOTHEST TASTE, RICH IN HAZELNUT AND CINNAMON, LEMON AND BUTTERSCOTCH.

CRAFTY CALEDONIAN THE EMERGENCE OF THE CRAFT BEER MOVEMENT IN SCOTLAND SOMETIMES OVERLOOKS THE FACT THAT EDINBURGH IS HOME TO ONE OF THE UK’S ORIGINAL CRAFT BREWING COMPANIES, THE CALEDONIAN BREWERY. SUSAN YOUNG PAID A VISIT TO THE BREWERY TO FIND OUT WHAT THE SECRET OF ITS LONGEVITY IS.

W

hen George Lorimer and Robert Clark founded the original Lorimer and Clark Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh 1869 they couldn’t possibly have foreseen the fact that 146 years later it would still be going strong, and not only that, but it is still innovating and creating new beers.

The Caley Brewery, as it is affectionately known, is the only original one, out of around 40 that used to be located in the city. Although there are new brewers that have entered the market locally, the Caley Brewery is without doubt the best known.

What people perhaps don’t know is that it is still at the forefront of the creation original brews in its Edinburgh heartland, and in fact now has a pilot brewery on site too called ‘Wee George’.

Now before you shout out but it is owned

by Heineken these days so how can it be called a craft brewer. Well I suppose that depends on your definition of craft. What is craft beer? Caledonian Managing Director Andy Maddock asked me that very question.

Well the American definition… is a brewery with annual production of six million barrels of beer or less... and certainly that is a lot more than Caledonian brews.

Says Andy Maddock, “Craft beer isn’t mass produced and industrial, or it is perceived not to be. People want smaller and local and they care about the ingredients. Beer is at the heart of the marketing. Caledonian has loads of heritage and provenance but now we want to combine that with innovation and progression.

And we want to tell not only the story of the beer, but the story of the brewery too.”

He continues, “We don’t want to shy away from the fact that we are owned by Heineken. What we have created here, with the support of Heineken, is a modern craft beer brewery.”

The latest additional to the brewery – Wee George, is a state-of-the-art pilot brewery which says Andy will help “drive innovation.” It went into production in June. Andy explains, “We’re thrilled that our new pilot brewery, affectionately known as Wee George in a nod to our founding father George Lorimer, is up and running. We invested over £100,000 in the new pilot brewery and this innovation allows us to remain fleet-offoot in the market and has helped Caledonian enter the world of modern craft on the back of our continued success of Three Hop Lager.”

28 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

As well as creating this new pilot brewery the business has also invested in its core range and since Andy has come on board he has introduced a more regular timetable for brewing, which ensures that the flavour and quality of the beer is more consistent.

He explains, “When BrewDog arrived on the beer scene it was like someone driving a tank down the Royal Mile. They have done an amazing job when it comes to getting people talking about beer, and now that people are talking about it we aim to make the most of it. But it is important to get the quality cues right. So we looked at the entire brewing process from the grain we use, to the hops, to the process. We have now introduced consistent brew lengths. This allows us to understand the beer more and get the consistency right. When it comes to the freshness of the hops we have moved away from hessian sacks and now use vacuum packed hops. Now when you open the pack you get a hit from the freshness, it’s the same sort of impact that you get when you open vacuum packed coffee. We have locked in the freshness

CALEDONIAN HAS LOADS OF HERITAGE AND PROVENANCE BUT NOW WE WANT TO COMBINE THAT WITH INNOVATION AND PROGRESSION. ANDY MADDOCK, CALEDONIAN MANAGING DIRECTOR of our hops. We also propagate the fresh yeast every 8 weeks the industry average is 12/13 weeks although there are some exceptions. This freshness of the hops and the yeast gives our beer a real zing.”

He continues, “We haven’t stopped there. We now have a trade quality training manager, in the shape of Allan Stevenson. His responsibility is to help licensees when it comes to ensuring that the beer is as good when it reaches the customers glass as it is when it leaves the brewery. It is the last step in the beer journey.

He will help with everything from cellar knowledge to ensuring the glass washers are used correctly.

“We are putting the right investment in to make it work and working with the BII and Cask Marque. Quality underpins everything we do basically we are aiming to bring the news about the importance of cellar management to a new generation of bar staff, some of whom, we have found, have never even been in a cellar! It’s important that bar staff are trained, but we realise that it is not easy for the retailer to teach about craft when the market is so dynamic. That’s why we are happy to do it. Our team are all about the beer, not necessarily about the brand. There is a subtle difference.”

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 29

CRAFTY CALEDONIAN Over the course of the last year improvements have been made the kit has been substantial and there are also two two innovation to Caledonian Brewery’s current range and marketing. Andy brewers – Ross O’Hara who came from Heriot Watt and Peter Mitchell, Trade Marketing Manager comments, “On the traditional Sharp who was formerly at Borders Brewery, employed by the side we have re-appraised our beers particularly Deuchars IPA. brewery. They alongside Craig Steven (Scotland’s first beer We have looked at the recipe and tweaked the brewing process. sommelier) broadly work around a rolling 13 week plan. Andy We have moved the ABV of The Flying Scotsman down from 4% says, “The great thing about having Wee George is that it allows to 3.5% but retained the flavour us to be fleet of foot. We can profile using fresh pack hops and test and trial different recipes re-invigorated 80/- to Edinburgh very quickly. We’ve already Castle 80/- with our agreement brought our Coast to Coast, the with Historic Scotland, which is follow-on to Three Hop, out and great. Because of the success of we have two new brews planned Deuchars IPA people forgot about for 2016. Now we can brew the brewery, and about what else smaller quantities for example we could do. Now our portfolio is Wee George will do 400 litres not only about traditional beer but which equates to 800 pints. Far about modern craft beer too.” below the normal minimum run of Says Andy Maddock, “I’ve worked 20,000 pints. It’s much harder in the beer industry for 20 years to innovate when your starting and ironically Deuchars IPA was my run is 20,000 pints. With Wee favourite pint. My father brought George we can also split the me up as a traditionalist. I enjoy brew in half – we can brew 70% the challenge of getting beer back of the beer and then tinker with to where it should be. We have a the other 30% making it drier, brand new commercial team here, hoppier, more bitter and so with new ideas, there are now 50 on. For instance with Coast to folk on site at the brewery and it Coast the brewers wanted to feels like a different place. We’ve brew an American inspired style also rejuvenated the office space, pale ale. The brewer along with we have definitely changed the Craig worked out the flavour and NOW OUR PORTFOLIO culture here.” characteristics and we didn’t try What has also changed at the and dictate what went into it. It IS NOT ONLY ABOUT brewery is the number of women was one of the 17 beer styles, TRADITIONAL BEER who now come and take part in out of the 114 different brewing BUT ABOUT MODERN tutored tastings. Andy explains, styles, that we had prioritised.

“Ten years ago it was predominantly The brewers are now working on CRAFT BEER TOO. males that were drinking beer, two others as well as a Wild Card but now we are focusing on – basically with the Wild Card the ANDY MITCHELL, the authenticity, heritage and brewers can brew what they like, CALEDONIAN TRADE provenance and brewing around a as long as they don’t blow the MARKETING MANAGER flavour profile, giving the beers a brewery up! We can now also distinctive flavour, which is more fill bottles of all sizes as well as appealing to women. We do tutored cask and kegs, which is another tastings here for about 200 people and we walk them through advantage. the brewing process and then get then to pick a beer to partner “We lock the recipe down and then bring it to the market as with a pie. Now around 35% of the people coming to these events quickly as we can. Now we are in a place where it feels exciting, are female.” but ensuring Deuchars IPA continues to be successful is just as He continues, “There are three different types of beer – lager, satisfying. Now we are telling the brewing story, and linking the ale and Lambic but there are 114 different styles. People whose beer and the brewery together. It is not the Deuchars Beer Co. journey with beer started 30 odd years ago started off with But all our branding now ensures that people know our beers are traditional and are now looking to modern craft, while younger from the same family. people who started off with modern craft move on to traditional There’s never been a better time to be involved with beer, and beers.” certainly the team at Caledonian Brewery are relishing the new Wee George is also a real asset to the brewery. The investment in era of beer.

30 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

POP UPS

POP-UP BARS HAVE SEEN A HUGE RISE IN POPULARITY IN RECENT YEARS AND THEY ARE NOW A REGULAR, IF TEMPORARY, FIXTURE ON HIGH STREETS AROUND SCOTLAND. ANNABELLE LOVE TAKES A LOOK WHERE THEY ORIGINATED FROM AND WHAT THE TRADE HAS TO SAY ABOUT THEM.

BY ANNABELLE LOVE

T

he pop-up idea originated across the pond in Los Angeles, where retailers initially started selling limited edition items from temporary stores, but the trend soon caught on here as UK businesses realised that the concept offers a great way to trial new brands, create a marketing buzz around a particular product or even to attract sponsorship and financial deals – all while keeping their overheads to a minimum.

But it is not quite as simple as setting up stall wherever and whenever the mood takes. Anyone wanting to run a pop-up still needs a licence to operate legally - or they risk fines of up to £20,000 or even jail.

Janet Hood, of Janet Hood Consulting, says pop-ups might have a temporary and spontaneous aura about them but they still require an occasional licence for the area and times they wish to operate – and that could take from one to six months to get processed, depending on which part of the country the licensee is applying in.

She says, “They need to specify any other activities, like sale of food, live music, dancing whatever and whether or not persons under 18 can see the area. Consents may be required from environmental health and building standards and if the pop up is to serve an event it may be necessary for a public entertainment licence to be sought by the event operators. In certain cases they will also need to have a waste removal contract in place. The application is usually posted on the licensing board web site and anyone on earth has a chance to object.”

The benefits of a pop-up is that it draw crowds of people to an area and the fact that they are only open for a short time creates a sense of excitement and urgency – encouraging punters to engage with the products on offer before it is too late and they miss out.

And at peak times of the year, such as the Edinburgh Festival or the Christmas period, when thousands of visitors arrive in the capital to soak up the culture and atmosphere, they really come into their own.

Edinburgh City Council grants around 2,000 occasional licences each year, including for the Festival, the Christmas period and a large variety of other events. The applications are advertised online for seven days to allow anyone who wishes to object or make representations to do so. In addition, the police have seven days to comment on applications and Licensing Standard officers have 21 days to do so.

Pop-up bars are clearly big business with growing numbers of firms keen to get in on the action but are there downsides to them? Do they have a negative impact on existing bars and businesses in the capital that operate year round?

David Johnston, Development Director for Montpeliers (Edinburgh) Ltd, has two views on pop-ups. He says, “From a positive perspective pop-up bars in interesting places which are built around food and drink can be a good thing. In small time spans they can really bring focus to a particular product or aspect of hospitality. It can be really fun and great for invigorating the industry.”

But David also believes that the huge number of pop-ups at particular times of the year can have a negative impact on the capital. He says, “Where I think it’s absolutely atrocious is when you take something like the Edinburgh Festival, for example. Over the last five to ten years there has been an absolute glut of pop-up bars which come in from out with the city and soak up a lot of the trade this is also increasingly the case over Christmas. I don’t think there

is enough control on temporary licences at these key periods. In many cases it appears very easy to get a temporary licence.

“Licensing Boards have to look very closely at what the industry is capable of sustaining as it is and will continue to stifle our ability to invest in our businesses. As a result of these additional bars these days we are not getting the peaks in trade in the same way we used to but the troughs are there just the same. This in turn is having an impact on employment and the local economy. The criteria that you need in order to get a temporary licence are nothing like as rigorous as what you have in a standard license situation.

“Some of the larger events companies arrive with staff from south of the Border and they often don’t use local suppliers either. They come in and make a lot of money, which they take it away with them.

But the guys who are here permanently, paying rates all year long, are not getting the same benefit back from it.”

He concludes, “The licensing process for pop-ups should be as rigorous as it is for other situations. For the good of the industry, the local economy and crucially the public I think it’s time to step back and take a good look at what the whole picture looks like.”

Kevin McGhee, who owns Athletic Arms, in Edinburgh, echoes some of these concerns. He says, “I’m not in favour, to be honest, although they do serve a purpose. We are not impacted directly but they do take prominent positions in the middle of the street and it seems a bit unfair.

“They reap the benefits without having to slug away during the slow months of the year like January and February.

“Some of them are obviously just trying to get their brands out there. It seems to be the same companies that are getting the contracts. A lot of them seem to make a lot of money.”

Anne and Gary Still, who own and run WHISKI on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Whisky Rooms and Charwood also agree. They say, “Pop up bars are good for the city residents as it keeps things interesting.

“However the price is too low with a simple application fee to set one up and when compared to the costs permanent operators pay for rent and other costs all year round, it does put them at a disadvantage when the competition heats up with pop up bars, typically during peak seasons.”

But not everyone feels the same way. Mike Smith, manager of Bow Bar, says, “I don’t mind pop-ups and I don’t think they have a negative impact on my business. The Festival is busy enough for everyone.

They can draw more people into the city, into the area and that means more foot fall.

“If someone did a pop-up whisky bar nearby it would be direct competition but other than that they don’t really affect us. We are a niche bar, people seek us out for good whisky, they come here especially for something. I don’t mind pop-ups as long as they are good.”

Whatever the different views, one thing is certain - pop-ups may be temporary in nature but they are definitely here to stay. Councillor Eric Milligan, Licensing Board Convener, said, “Edinburgh is a worldrenowned city which attracts millions of people each year to visit, study or work, which can lead to high demand for services at certain times of the year. The Licensing Board consistently looks at all applications fairly and objectively, and without bias. Members of the public are welcome to comment, and the views of bodies such as Police Scotland are also considered.”

What is your view on pop-ups? Let us know at dram@mail.com.

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 33

24 St. Vincent Place Glasgow G1 2EU

THE TRADING HOUSE DESIGN FOCUS

T

he Trading House, owned by the New World Trading Company and part of Living Ventures, is a new establishment that compliments Glasgow’s bar and restaurant scene very nicely. The venue is located in The Citizen Building, which was built in 1889, and used to be the offices of The Evening Citizen newspaper. The success of the New World Trading Company’s other venues, such as The Botanist and The Smuggler’s Cove, is an indication of The Trading House’s potential.

Our journey to the preview of The Trading House began in a classic, red double-decker horse drawn carriage, which transported us from Glasgow Queen Street to the front entrance of The Trading House. The method of transport signifies what is at the heart of The Trading House’s design, the era of East Indian colonialism. Paul Danson, who is responsible for the interior design of the venue, has used furnishings and ornamental features inspired by the décor of the time.

Visitors to the bar and restaurant can expect to be immediately taken aback by the magnitude of the building. The venue is a magnificent 7,500 square feet, which comprises a bar with a seating and dining area, and a further two dining areas, one of which is located at the far end of the ground floor and another on the second floor, running parallel with an open kitchen.

The bar boasts large, arched, dark panelled windows that stretch to the full height of the ceiling, contributing to the

34 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

overall lofty and expansive feel on the ground floor. The sheer size of the windows allow for a great deal of natural light to stream into the venue, and really open up the space.As well as 140-covers over the two-floor venue, there is a beer tasting room through the back, that runs directly into a private dining area.

As you walk through the front, double door entrance to the bar, there is a beautiful feature staircase leading to the mezzanine seating area which overlooks the bar area. Cream and green are dominant colours in this area and throughout, complimented by stripped back wooden, natural-looking floors.

The ground-floor, bar area is lined with a classic green, wooden panelling that runs the circumference of the room.

The marble-topped bar, which is located on the right-hand side as you enter, is truly spectacular in both style and size, running the full length of the bar area. Three large, green pillars stand behind the front bar and stretch to the top of the ceiling.

The cream ceiling has original cornicing, and has retained a beautiful rectangular panelling that can be seen throughout the entire bar area.

Lighting is a distinguishing element in here, with large, eccentric metallic lights that resemble palm trees. There are also a number of chain pendant, bowl-like lights that hang directly above and run the full length of the bar, suspended from a wrought iron rod. Customers can also dine in this area

BY LOUISE PATERSON of the venue on high wooden tables which are complimented with brown leather stools, lined with vintage brass beading.

The wooden back bar features two authentic barrels and there is a refrigerated space which houses a few kegs of the bar’s signature brews.

From floor to ceiling, this venue really has incorporated as much detail as possible into the bar area, with old-fashioned ornamental features, such as travel luggage and storage boxes from past times.

The rear dining area has neutrally painted cream walls with wood panelling. The walls have been tastefully dressed with photography and historical artefacts from colonial times, such as weaponry and pistols, which could have potentially been collected during an adventurer’s travels. This room has also been separated from the main bar area by wooden partitions containing frosted glass panels.

The neutrality of this area juxtaposes quite nicely with dark wood tables and chairs. The dining chairs are beautifully carved and have an interesting designed fabric element on the back, each design different from the other. This area also contains a comfortable, fixed seating that has been designed with a floral fabric. The fabric furnishing in this room, as well as the low hanging, bell shaped pendant lighting that are lined with quirky red tassels really warm up this area.

To the right of the ground floor dining area is another open,

good-sized space with a corridor leading off into the beertasting room. This room is enclosed with large, intricate wrought iron gates that run the length of the room, which were made especially for The Trading House. They are a work of art! The room has brick walls, with an attractive wooden panelling that runs the width of the room just below the ceiling.

Low, intimate lighting is produced by fairy lights that lie within pendant glass jar containers. In the centre of the room is a long, high timber table and stool area that can accommodate customers for beer tasting.

A separate private dining area, which can hold up to 16 people, can be accessed through a door leading off from the beer tasting area. This room has a classical feel, with neutral walls and a green, wooden panelling that covers each wall. Metallic teapot ornamentals and tall, gas-lit candles sit on top of a decorative mantelpiece. The centre of the room holds another fabulous, dark wood dining table and a feature mirror. This room is also complimented with the previously described large, arched, panelled windows that are a grand and distinctive feature alone.

General Manager, Louise Ralston, is keen to establish The Trading House as a must-go destination for Glaswegians and visitors to the city.

The Trading House is certainly a great addition to Glasgow’s bar and restaurant scene!

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 35

110 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 2EN

APEX CITY OF GLASGOW HOTEL

DESIGN FOCUS

W

hen Apex Hotels bought Marks Hotel in Glasgow’s Bath Street late last year it revealed plans for a total refurbishment of its public areas, and rooms too, and that’s exactly what it has done. The new look Apex re-opened its new lounge/restaurant concept last month, and it now bears no resemblance whatsoever to its former incarnation.

You can enter the lounge/restaurant area directly from Bath Street, or via the entrance to the hotel. The wall to ceiling glass frontage not only makes it bright and inviting, but if you are inside looking out, you can watch the world go by from bench-like high tables that line the windows. These tables, and the marble bar, are the only two areas which have any significant height, with the rest of the furnishings being at waist height.

General Manager Helen Gallagher told DRAM, “Everything has been created to be waist height to allow people to connect with each other. You can see all of the lounge/restaurant area easily from, just about wherever, you are sitting. It’s a Japanese courtyard-like concept.”

The high bench-like tables all have plug points, and are accompanied by high stools which have red seats and black legs. The red accent on the seats is continued throughout the venue with small red coffee tables, and red lamps warming the otherwise quite minimalist look. Plug points are also an

36 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

BY SUSAN YOUNG integral part of the lounge. Helen explains, “We have invested in Wi-fi and connectivity. We have plug points all around and we also have USB ports. This will allow our guests and customers to fully utilise their mobile devices either for work or pleasure.”

Facing the windows are three large booths – with beech-effect round tables and light leather-like fixed seating, accompanied by three upholstered chairs. The colours are all quite neutral – a light browny/grey colour, and the grey is continued on the walls which have been tiled and on the floors which are also tiled in grey. Above each of the booths there are large bell-like dark grey, almost black, shades which are suspended from the ceiling, and on the wall beside these booths is a large Plasma TV. The centre of the lounge boasts a large, long rectangular conference-like table – again fully equipped with plug points, which is split by a rectangular pillar. The table has been built around the pillar and hanging above are glass globes with feature lightbulbs. This table can be used by individuals or booked out for large parties.

Along the left-hand side of the room there is a large marbletopped serving area, which is complemented by a marble bar on the opposite side.

Says Helen, “It’s Carrera marble imported from Italy, and has a lovely feel. The servery area will be used to display a continental selection of nibbles including soup pots, spelt scones and artisan

EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CREATED TO BE WAIST HEIGHT TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER. YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE LOUNGE RESTAURANT AREA EASILY FROM JUST ABOUT WHEREVER YOU ARE SITTING. IT’S A JAPANESE COURTYARD-LIKE CONCEPT. HELEN GALLAGHER, GM, APEX CITY OF GLASGOW HOTEL

breads with unlimited tea and coffee. In the evening it will offer a stylish spread including antipasti and gourmet popcorn. The grazing menu will include sweet and savoury platters serving up everything from breaded monkfish cheeks and arancini balls DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 37

GLASGOW IS A BUSTLING COSMOPOLITAN CITY WITH A THRIVING CORPORATE MARKET AND SOCIAL SCENE AND OUR LOUNGE CONCEPT HAS THE FLEXIBILITY TO MEET A DIVERSE RANGE OF NEEDS WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON QUALITY OR STYLE. HELEN GALLAGHER, GM, APEX CITY OF GLASGOW HOTEL

to strawberry jelly lollipops. We hope this will appeal to people who are in the city, and who require business facilities. They will be able to sit and work while enjoying our hospitality too.”

“The bar on the opposite side is also marble and has a quirky, Japanese-style screen, which is a sliding wall. It is in fact from Italy, but it has a Japanese look with a lovely white and floral design with red flowers. The back of the lounge has some smaller square dining tables. This is the restaurant area which is more intimate. The lighting and the softer furnishings contribute to this. There are a couple of large booths which seat six. They are divided from the rest of this area by a partition that looks like a wall but with large oblong vertical cutouts, spaced with small glimmering lights. There are also two smaller booths at the very back which feature a wall, with a black and grey speckled design. Just in front of these booths are four tables for two and the wall features a large mirror which reflects the lighting. All the chairs feature the grey colour which has been used throughout.

On the opposite side of this dining area, which is the side nearest the hotel foyer, there is a more casual area with smaller 38 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

red round tables and grey armchairs, which have a quirky red button.

The hotel public areas have all been improved from the foyer area, which now has a glass wall which looks into the lounge, and the signature Japanese-style imagery on the wall behind the reception, to the bespoke carpet, which is a dark grey, which has been renewed on the stairs and in the corridors, as well as in the rooms.

This new concept from Apex certainly offers customers flexible spaces to work, rest and play as well as all-day dining if they require.

Perfect for business and leisure customers.

Helen concludes, “This dining concept is a first for Apex Hotels and set us apart in the Glasgow market. We’ve listened to guests and looked at the market elsewhere. What is clear is that we needed to create an offering that provides flexible working and dining options that suit our customers, not expect them to fit in with the confines of traditional mealtimes. Glasgow is a bustling cosmopolitan city with a thriving corporate market and social scene and our lounge concept has the flexibility to meet a diverse range of needs without compromising on quality or style.”

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority [Telephone calls may be recorded and monitored]

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 39

2 Greshop Road, Greshop Industrial Estate, Forres, Moray, Scotland IV36 2GU Tel: 01309 358082 Mob: 07854 05 3277 Email: seb@speysidecraftbrewery.com

Getting their beers to remote locations has taken a new turn for a Scottish craft brewery.

to provide our beer in perfect condition under any circumstance, and nothing was out there,” he said.

Staff at the Speyside Craft Brewery in Forres, Moray Speyside, hope to quench the thirst for portable bars by installing all the equipment needed to pour a perfect pint in a bright yellow wheelie bin.

“What we wanted was something that had the beer, chiller and taps stored within a unit that can be wheeled into most locations.

As well as holding all that’s needed to pour a great pint, the beer wheelie has been fitted with bigger wheels to help it negotiate rougher terrains, such as a beach, garden or woodland.

Portable bars are becoming available in the drinks industry, but none of them offer the fun and flexibility of Speyside Brewery’s ‘wheel ale’ offering.

Speyside Craft Brewery was founded in November 2012 by former chemistry student Seb Jones (29) and was the first commercial brewery in Moray Speyside, the heart of Scotland’s malt whisky country, for a decade. Its young MD, Seb Jones, said the idea came when he investigated the market.

“We were looking for something that enabled us

“They’re some out there but they’re expensive and use castors which means they can only run on hard level floors.

“We have a lot of customers who have casks for events parties and gatherings, such as a birthdays, fishing outings or shoots. None of those currently on the market would be any good for these so we invented our own and called it a wheelie beer.

It’s so much more convenient, and will add a bit of fun.”

All of the brewery’s core range of beers can be dispensed from the wheelie beer, and replacing the lightweight eco-keg is simplicity itself.

The wheelie beer can be hired for any event by contacting the brewery through social media, on seb@speysidecraftbrewery.com , by phoning 01309 358082 or calling Seb direct on 07854 053277.

www.speysidecraftbrewery.com www.facebook.com/speysidebrewery

@speysidebrewery

@dramscotland

/dram.scotland

SUE SAYS

I

think you can tell that Christmas is merely weeks away by the number of new openings and events that are on. Last month included the opening of The Trading House in Glasgow and The Printing Press in Edinburgh.

The Trading House entertained journalists by putting on a special horse and carriage, followed by lunch... and later in the week a party. But I have to say Principal Hayley, owners of the Printing Press, do bar and restaurant openings well. When they opened the Grand Central in Glasgow it was a party that was discussed for weeks and months afterwards, and although not quite to the same scale the hospitality at the Printing Press was first class from Champagne to cocktails, warm donuts to cheese... needless to say it was a late night. Pictured right: Wendy Johnston and Graeme Gibson, GM Grand Central (far right); Peter Samson, Cat Harvey, Craig Alexander-Wilson (top left), Sean Wheeler, Laurie Nicol and Barry Van Den Berg (bottom left) Douglas Campbell, GM The Bonham and Alasdair Roy (inset).

I enjoyed a lunch recently with the guys behind Patron Tequila and managed a tour of the distillery from my seat. They had brought a long a ‘virtual reality’ head gadget – I may have looked a bit stupid, but I loved the idea. Mind you just as well we are friends with the DRAM pub in Glasgow, because when they sent their package of tequila for me to try, despite the fact that it was addressed to our office, it managed to make its way to the DRAM pub. Thank you Erin for calling me!

I am going demented. (Ok so you know that) but the latest antialcohol message… suggests that if you drink alcohol you are more at risk of Dementia. Apparently not only do we have to cut back on drinking, but we have to lose weight and take exercise too. NICE are apparently telling GP’s to tell us there is ‘no safe level of alcohol consumption’. I’ve got news for them... the older I get, the more I enjoy a wee glass of wine to get over my aches and pains! Think of the money I’m saving the health service in pills and potions!

However the good news is another article in the Daily Mail tells us actually the opposite is true. Heavy drinkers (downing more than 40g of alcohol a day - half a bottle of wine) halved their risk of dementia by drinking compared to non-drinkers. And those who drank a little less than that between 20g to 29g of alcohol a day reduced their chances of getting ‘overall dementia’ (i.e. all types) by two-thirds, and Alzheimer’s specifically to almost zero. There’s not a pharmaceutical drug, herb, vitamin supplement, diet or other lifestyle change that can get anywhere near achieving that level of protection.

The furore around Back to the Future has had everyone talking about things that 20 years ago we thought were so far out to be impossible. But some things that people talk to me about today I find equally as baffling. For instance... Gamification? My sister and I have had various conversations about this very thing.

DRAM NOVEMBER 2015 41

SUE SAYS @dramscotland

/dram.scotland

She has been involved in persuading folk to save energy using a gamification platform. Apparently it is very effective at changing behaviours. It is basically game playing (e.g. point scoring) online to encourage engagement which leads to a change to behaviour! Perhaps we could come up with one to encourage people into bars and pubs to drink sensibly! Getting points (or should that be pints) every time we go to a bar?

The Robertson Trust was in the news last month - due to the fact it has contributed a massive £18.2m to some 742 charities over the last year. Some of you may not be familiar with the name, however you are familiar with The Famous Grouse, The Macallan and Highland Park… and its the family-owned Edrington Group which owns these brands, which funds this Trust with its profits. The Trust is now the largest independent grant-making trust in Scotland… that really is amazing. I’m sure the Robertson sisters who established the Trust in 1961, to ensure that their family businesses (now known as Edrington) remained active and independent, and continued to support charities, would be very proud.

Our new book on Scotland’s Top Whisky Bars is now out. You can see it online or if you would like a copy let me know. You can also find our wee Cocktail Guide in your magazine... I love it when the recipes come through, some sound absolutely delicious.

I read an interesting article recently by Iain Scott called ‘Can Craft Beer Save Our Towns?’ He is making a documentary but has written a piece ahead of it. In the article he says of the documentary... “I get a chance to question who really benefits from these high tech businesses. How much of the money they make stays in the local economy? I also question why the mainstream media does not discuss local businesses and their impact on the economy. The natural starting point was the new wave of craft brewers, because they encapsulate both the ‘local versus global’ and the ‘local meets global’ issues…” It’s certainly worth reading.

The recent Greene King Leisure Tracker reveals that there has been a notable fall in leisure spend year-on-year, among households where the respondent was aged over 55. It suggests that those with an older age profile are responsible for holding back spend growth across British households... but then again I can’t remember the last time I saw an advertising campaign or promotional campaign from a drinks company, or indeed a pub company, aimed at attracting over 55’s. It reminds me of the research done earlier this year by Barclays which said that the licensed trade was missing out on revenue estimated at billions because it didn’t target and attract older people. Maybe it is time for a rethink?

I think Donald Macleod is going to be even more popular next month than he usually is... Tickets for the Bay City Rollers’ comeback gigs at Glasgow’s Barrowlands, which Donald happens to be the promoter of, sold out within hours... in fact a fourth date was also added. And still tickets are like gold dust... I can’t wait to see Donald in his tartan trews! Although I have to admit, I’ve known him 42 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015

since I was 14! I remember him wearing his Bay City Roller high-waisters, and platform boots! A sight to behold.

Lynn Adams, the lady behind The George in Hamilton, died last month. As well as being a local SNP Councillor for Hamilton North and East, she also supported the trade as Treasurer of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association. I didn’t know her very well at all, but I understand she was a very lively character.

South Lanarkshire Council Leader Eddie McAvoy said, “We were all shocked and very saddened to hear the news about Lynn Adams. She was only in her first term as an elected member but was well-respected and popular. Lynn was well known locally as a publican and I am sure her death will be met with a great deal of sadness.” She is survived by husband Colin and sons Gary and Andrew.

Next month I write my review of the year. It just seems yesterday that I was doing it for 2014! However as Lynn’s untimely death reminds us, time is precious.

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ROUND UP

The STAR Awards took place in Dundee at the end of September and it certainly was a funfilled night. Well done to all the recipients, and what a great turnout from Dundee’s licensed trade.

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 Emma McDonald Advertising Lucy McGovern, Robert McManus • Production Gareth Neil • Admin Cheryl Cook 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 2015.

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46 DRAM NOVEMBER 2015