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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

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DRAM MAGAZINE February 2020 ISSN 1470-241X

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BECKHAM DROPS IN ON GEMMELL PREMIER SPORTS – HOME OF KNOCKOUT FOOTBALL IN SCOTLAND

When only the best is good enough

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME

W

elcome to your February DRAM bursting with content to love during this, the most romantic month of

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the year.

I spoke to nine professionals that are are among the top of Scotland’s drinks industry to find out how they’re driving their own businesses forward as well as dispensing advice on how you can do the same.

I had the pleasure of meeting Gordon and Katrien Smith, who run The Victoria Inn, at Carronshore near Falkirk. Read what they had to say in our licensee interview on the centre pages.

We have two design focuses – McLaren’s on the Corner in Edinburgh’s Morningside and Ka Pao in Glasgow and you’ll find them on pages 24 and 28 respectively.

Low and non-alcoholic drinks are big news and on page 16 we’ve spoken to licensees about which ones they’re stocking as well as bringing you bang up to date with brand news and stats.

We had to give a nod to St. Valentine, via Valentine cocktail ideas with which to seduce your customers on page 14.

See you next month.

Jason Caddy, Editor jason@mediaworldltd.com dramscotland.co.uk

Recommended maximum daily output: 200 cups

February

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2020

FEATURES

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18 22 24

VIEWS FROM THE TOP

Q&A with nine people at the top Scotland’s drinks industry.

LICENSEE INTERVIEW

Gordon & Katrien Smith The Victoria Inn, Carronshore.

LOW & NO ALCOHOL DRINKS

A look at the category of the moment.

DESIGN FOCUS

McLaren’s on the Corner.

REGULARS

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JURA – If you love coffee

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CONTENTS

34

NEWS

All the news on pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels.

BRAND NEWS

The latest brand news.

SUE SAYS

Straight talking from our very own Publisher.

DRAM FEBRUARY 2020 3

NEWS STRONG GROWTH FOR BUZZWORKS HOLDINGS

It’s all go at The Mercantile The Mercantile on Dundee’s Commercial Street will re-open in April after a four-year closure thanks to a £630,000 refurbishment by Star Pubs & Bars and operators Tommy and Jacqueline Fox. The pub is also being renamed – although it still under wraps.

SP&A has said that the outside of the Grade A-listed building – which dates back to 1871 – will be sympathetically renovated, including the installation of full-height windows, while the newly refurbished interior will include exposed brickwork, wooden floors, artwork, plus new furniture and fittings. The plans also include a new kitchen, new toilets, and an 80-capacity upstairs private function suite.

The Fox’s searched for a pub they could run together for over a year before choosing The Mercantile. Said Tommy, “We absolutely love Dundee and the plans for the pub are so exciting and extensive, we knew straightaway it was the one for us.”

WOLF OF BATH STREET DINER Mark Lappin closed the back room of Glasgow’s Howlin’ Wolf on Bath Street for five days last month for a refurbishment of its back room. It’s now a 60-cover diner and, according to the man himself, there’s a bit of a pattern developing here. He told DRAM, “I have a habit of doing one room awesomely and forgetting about the other one, like I did in both Slouch and Bag O’ Nails. So this time it was the turn of The Howlin’ Wolf’s neglected room to get a proper finish.”

So how’s it looking? “The new ceiling is something else. It’s a stained glass concept that looks a little bit like a Tiffany lamp plus we’ve decked the place out in actual Tiffany lamps. Because the ceiling is the star of the show, the rest of the interior design is fairly neutral and we’ve installed booths all the way around, with one large table as the centrepiece.”

JD Wetherspoon has exchanged contracts on The former Waverley Tearooms on 18 Moss Side Road in Shawlands, Glasgow, but still needs to secure a premises licence, the company has confirmed. A £2.7m development will start on the site sometime this year once this has been granted.

Did you know?

Edinburgh pop-up, Cauldron Magical Cocktail Experience, on Frederick Street is to become a permamnet fixture. It’s owned by Dave Duckworth and Matthew Cortland.

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DRAM FEBRUARY 2020

THE DUKE TAKES ITS PLACE Buzzworks Holdings’ Kilmarnock café bar The Duke opened at the end of last month on the town’s John Finnie Street.

With a name inspired by Scotland’s first ever steam locomotive, and housed in the former Lucky 7 premises, the renovation works have refreshed the venue creating an interior with cosy sofas and a striking marble bar that we’ll be covering in a design feature in our next issue.

Kenny Blair, Buzzworks Holdings MD, said, “We’re proud to be investing in Kilmarnock and providing a venue with relaxed surroundings and ample choice that can be enjoyed by a range of visitors.”

The company is also in the process of moving its Head Office premises from Prestwick to Grange Street, Kilmarnock, which will feature a world-class training academy.

New aperitivo-led bar Hey Palu, operated by Alex and Rachel Palumbo and Andrew Keams now graces Edinburgh’s Bread Street. They spent years trying to find a suitable venue for their first venture together before finding the Hey Palu site, which is split into two spaces.

Two Glasgow music institutions turn 30 If they were rock stars they might be considered over the hill. But as they both turn 30 this year Glasgow music institutions King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and The Cathouse Rock Club are still in their prime.

King Tut’s is where Oasis, Radiohead, The Verve, Pulp, My Chemical Romance, Biffy Clyro, Manic Street Preachers and Texas plus hundreds more launched their careers and the St Vincent Street venue is planning a year of celebration, with artists who started their career in returning to help celebrate.

The Cathouse Rock Club, meanwhile, aims to raise over £30,000 for charity in the coming year to celebrate reaching its fourth decade and this, the first month will be dedicated to Epilepsy Scotland . For each monthly charity, the club will run a 50/50 Raffle with 50% raised as the prize and 50% for the charity.

North East gets go-ahead Macmerry 300 Ltd’s new restaurant in Dundee, North East, has got the green light from licensing chiefs.

Building work will now start in May. The new restaurant will be located on the second, third and fourth floors of The Nethergate Building.

Macmerry 300 co-director AJ McMenemy told DRAM, “It’s going to be an Asian-Scottishfusion restaurant and the commercial kitchen will occupy the top floor with the bar and restaurant split between the two floors below.”

Macmerry 300 Ltd also owns the Bird and Bear restaurant and the Abandon Ship bar at Dundee’s waterfront, as well as operating a number of venues in what is the former Draffens building on Nethergate.

Buzzworks Holdings has reported an increase in turnover, up 14 per cent from £16.2m to £18.4m, for 2019, with operating profit up 15 per cent, from £633,700 in 2018 to £731,484 in 2019.

Buzzworks has invested a total of £3m across the portfolio, including the Ayrshire based company’s first venue on the east coast – Scott’s, South Queensferry.

Colin Blair, Chairman of Buzzworks Holdings, said, “It’s essential to evolve within the hospitality industry and look at innovative ways to create new and exciting concepts for our customers, whilst benefiting the local community and Scotland’s hospitality industry.

We look forward to unveiling our new venue in Linlithgow, The Bridge Inn, with a further two projects to be announced soon.”

IT’S ÇA VA FOR SLOAN Restaurateur Paul Sloan will open a new bar/brasserie early next month called Ça va at 227 Fenwick Road, Giffnock in what used to be the Cherry Tree. It’s a solo venture for Paul who also operates Chaakoo Bombay Cafe, Topolobamba and Mezzidekia with The DRG Group and Calum MacLachlain. Meanwhile, Macgochans on the Isle of Mull, owned by MacLachlan and operated by Neil Morrison, is being refurbished.

David and Ruth Wither sell Flow to US investor Montpeliers’ bosses David and Ruth Wither have sold their training arm, Flow Hospitality Training, to US investor Providence Equity Partners, who have merged it with Spanish business MAPAL. David and Ruth, who founded Flow in 2009, will retain a stake in the business.

Said David, “Flow is a company with tremendous growth opportunities and as such we were keen to secure significant investment for the business to reach its full potential.

He continued, “It was however incredibly important to Ruth and I to get the right fit for the business and find like-minded investors and partners to go forward with. Having spent time with both Providence and MAPAL during the process, we are extremely delighted with the partnership and confident of continued growth and success.”

Since 2009, Flow has developed a leading Software-as-a-Service learning platform for the Hospitality sector. The Hoxton, Soho House and Sodexo are among the operators using its learning platform.

n In Dumfries, The Coach and Horses on The Whitesands re-opened at the tail-end of last month following a fire last year.

Owners John and Heather Owens are also taking back the first floor of the building that they previously leased as a restaurant, and which will now be used as a function space. n Plans to turn the Malt Mill on Holburn Street Aberdeen into a wine bar and private members’ club have been submitted to Aberdeen City Council by agents Cumming and Co on behalf of applicant The Mill Scotland ltd. The building has been empty since closing in 2016 following noise complaints. n Linden Wilkinson and Rachael Carpenter - aka Edinburgh’s Pop-Up Geeks – are changing the theme of their pop-up on the city’s East Market Street next month to a Witcher theme in honour of the hit Netflix series. It will replace their current Star Wars themed pop-up.

DRAM DRINKS

RETAILING

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DRAM MAGAZ INE Februar y 2020 ISSN 1470-2 41X

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PREMIER SPORTS – YOUR HOME FOR KNOCKOUT FOOTBALL This month’s cover features Old Firm legends Mark Walters and Harald Brattbakk promoting Premier sports’ now being the home of knockout football in Scotland by becoming the exclusive broadcaster of the Betfred League Cup. Following on from last year’s successful coverage of the William Hill Scottish Cup,

the addition of the Betfred league cup to the William Hill Scottish Cup and summer European qualifiers makes Premier Sports a musthave for Scottish licensed premises with Scottish Football content broadcast from January to December.

Upcoming fixtures can be found on page 7.

BECKHA M DROP IN ON G EMMELS L PREMIER SPORTS – HOME OF KNOCKOU T FOOTBALL IN SCOTLAND

DRAM FEBRUARY 2020 5

NEWS BOTECO DO BRASIL IS 10

Glasgow institution Babbity Bowster changes hands Babbity Bowster on Blackfriars Street in Glasgow’s Merchant City has been acquired from Fraser Laurie by Merchant City Hotels Ltd. – a joint 50/50 venture between Robert ‘Bobsie’ Mullen (pictured) and Caledonian Heritable.

Bobsie, who also co-owns the city’s Rab Ha’s with Kevin Doyle’s pub group, told DRAM, “We’ll be re-opening Babbity Bowster (we’re keeping the name) in March after a refurbishment that will be as faithful as possible to the downstairs bar.

“The first floor restaurant is being renovated. It was under-utilised before and will become an overflow for when the downstairs bar is busy as well as a function room.”

He continued, “All six hotel rooms are also being stripped out and we’ll be putting in flat-screen TVs, new bathrooms and furniture.”

It is the first time in three decades that the pub has changed hands.

Edinburgh-based Caledonian Heritable is owned by the leisure industry entrepreneur Kevin Doyle, and is one of the biggest pub co’s in Scotland.

The First Edition makes a comeback in Kilmarnock The Stonegate Pub Company re-opened its Kilmarnock pub, The First Edition last month following a £250k investment. It has undergone a complete transformation with, say the company, a cosy and homely feel, warm and inviting colours and comfy dining seats, as well as al-fresco dining options, bric-a-brac and graphic artwork that add a modern touch. The beer garden has also had a refresh.

BLACKNESS NO LONGER DRY The Lobster Pot, Blackness’s newest and only pub, formerly the Blackness Inn, shines like a bright yellow beacon in this little village.

Sheena and Colin O’Rourke took over the Queensferry pub last year have reinvented it.

Sheena and former trawler man Colin, both from Ireland and both semi-retired, spent six months refurbishing it. Sheena told DRAM, “We ripped the whole place out, replacing the interior with a bright nautical theme which. It has been very well received by our customers.”

Craft brewery Jaw Brew, founded by Mark Hazell, has opened its first ever bar, The Jaw Brew bar, located next to Milngavie train station in East Dunbartonshire. It has a 28-capacity. The company’s brewery will also move to the Milngavie premises this year.

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DRAM FEBRUARY 2020

Boteco Do Brasil on Trongate – Scotland’s first Brazilian barrestaurant - celebrated its 10th birthday in January with a party featuring handcrafted cocktails, Brazilian food, live music, samba dancers, DJ performers and face-painting.

Director of Boteco Group Luigi Aseni said, “It has been a fantastic decade for our family. We reached so many people, organised many great events and achieved continuous growth. It all started Boteco Glasgow, after our great success we opened Boteco Edinburgh in 2013, Mango Latinoin 2014 and Piccolino Edinburgh in 2017.”

SECOND GLASGOW VENUE FOR ADAIR Michael Adair has opened a second barrestaurant called Southside, on Fenwick Road in Giffnock. He also owns and operates Brodies Bar & Restaurant on Pollokshaws Road.

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BRAND NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

WHISKY LIMITED EDITION BLACK BOTTLE 10-YEAR-OLD RELEASED Black Bottle has released its new 10-year-old variant - the first release from the brand in over 20 years.

Laura Thomson, Global Brand Manager, Black Bottle, Malts & Gin’s said, “Fans of Black Bottle have had to wait a long time for a new release, so we wanted to make sure that this one was pretty special. We are passionate about our whiskies and take our time making sure that what we produce will be loved by new and loyal audiences alike. The last Black Bottle 10 was a big hit and we think this is even better, so make sure you get it while stocks last.”

GIN NEW DISTILLERY PLAN FOR ISLE OF BUTE GIN There are three gins available to licensees at the moment - Oyster Gin, Heather Gin and Gorse Gin. They are packed with handpicked botanicals from the grounds of Mount Stuart on Bute, along with Oysters from Loch Fyne.

Isle of Bute Gin is also opening a bespoke distillery on the island, which is due to open in Spring 2020.

BEER

Wemyss Malts kick off 15th anniversary year with ‘Black Gold’

Craft lager to debut full nutrition facts on cans

The third exclusive release for the Wemyss Malts Cask Club is Black Gold - a single cask single malt from Bowmore distillery.

Black Gold is single sherry hogshead cask of 1989 Bowmore that has matured for 30 years and bottled at a cask strength of exactly 50.0%ABV. Director of Wemyss Malts, William Wemyss commented, “Black Gold is a strikingly distinctive single cask, single malt whisky and a great release to start the 2020 celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the founding of Wemyss Malts.”

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL YEAR OF THE RAT LAUNCHES

Gen!us Craft Lager, founded by Scots Charlie Craig and Jason Clarke, has announced that its new cans will feature full, food-standard nutrition facts and Vegan Society accreditation, a first for UK craft beer, say the company. The 3% lager which contains 1 unit of alcohol per can and only 79 calories, fewer than an apple.

The new 330ml cans prominently display a full nutrition box detailing calories, saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugars, protein, and salt.

Said Jason, “The craft beer revolution has raised people’s expectations of quality however they tend to have high ABVs and a heap of calories. Today’s drinkers still want a great beer but without all the booze and the belly.”

Chinese New Year began on January 25th and Diageo has partnered with artist Shirley Gong to create a limited edition Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle to celebrate the year of the rat.

Gong was tasked with creating a design to highlight the prosperity and abundance symbolised by the rat. She said, “I wanted this limited edition to be something that would celebrate and honour Chinese New Year as well as [a] piece of art that speaks to the rare craft and character of Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

Jim Beveridge, Johnnie Walker master blender, said, “We know that the dedication that Shirley brings to her art is the same dedication that we bring to our craft and this is highlighted by the wonderful bottle design for Chinese New Year – Year of the Rat.” The limited edition design is available from Gordon & MacPhail.

Heineken is pushing its zero alcohol beer, and Heineken 0.0%, in its latest ad for James Bond as it increases ad spend behind its low and non-alcoholic options. The ad shows Daniel Craig refusing a ‘Double O’ cocktail in favour of the non-alcoholic beer, saying “I am working”. It ends with the tagline ‘Now you can while you’re working’. The campaign, which is running cross TV, online and social media, also features another, longer ad that will be the focus which shows Craig constantly being recognised.

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DRAM FEBRUARY 2020

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VIEWS FROM THE TOP EVER WONDERED WHO’S BEHIND THE BRANDS THAT YOU SELL? HERE ARE NINE OF SCOTLAND’S DRINKS BOSSES WITH THEIR PLANS FOR 2020, INCLUDING A STEER ON WHAT THEY THINK YOU SHOULD BE DOING.

realised what an iconic category for Scotland Scotch Whisky is. Once you realise how aspirational it is and itd worldwide popularity, you don’t want to walk away.

How do you plan to drive the business forward in 2020?

By being focused and targeted with our brand marketing programmes.

MATT STARBUCK Greene King Managing Director, ing & Brands ew Br , and Belhaven

You’ve been in your current role since 2018 - what do you most enjoy about it?

I can be discussing malted barley prices, the benefits of some new brewing technology or approving new innovative beers one day and meeting export customers in Russia the next.

Why the drinks industry and what do you love about it?

Fresh cask beer is our national drink and something totally unique to the UK. As an industry we are always innovating and I love the pace, excitement and challenges this brings.

L STEPHEN RUSSEL Managing Director, Inverarity Morton

You’ve been in your current role for an incredibly long time - what do you most enjoy about it?

I’ve been in the business – and this Company – for 45 years. I love having the autonomy to shape our direction of travel.

Why the drinks industry and what do you love about it?

My uncle owned a bar (long gone) and he died in 1974 when I was a business studies student. I took over parts of running the bar. Then, early in 1975, there was an advert for an Assistant Accountant and experience in the Drinks Industry was an advantage and I got the job. It was a very different business back then.

It’s a fantastic business where everyone can relate to the products we sell.

How do you plan to drive the business forward in 2020?

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DRAM FEBRUARY 2020

2020 will see the Company launching a new a state-of-the-art system embracing an eCommerceplatform.

What is your best stress-buster?

Walking, fast. I could bore you with the health benefits of a daily 30-minute walk!

I usually aim to do 5km in 40 minutes immediately after I get home.

Which piece of advice would you pass on to licensees?

Invest your own time in it. Understand how everything works. Look at market trends. Trust your gut feeling.

If you had a pub what would you call it and why?

I’d have to pass on answering that – or trademark it in advance! Honestly, I would never have a pub. I like my weekends too much.

FRASER THORNTON Managing Director Distell International

How long have you been in the role and what do you most enjoy about it?

I have been in the drinks Industry for 25 years and in my current role for two years. The real joy of our business is the geographic diversity of markets we sell our brands in. We can therefore understand

Which piece of advice would you pass on to licensees?

Not knowing your customer is where consumer businesses often fall down.

Consumers love to try new things but are equally as loyal to brands they know and love.

If you had a pub what would you call it and why?

The All Inn. A place that welcomes everybody with the freshest ales, simple pub dishes and plenty of gigs.

different cultures’ relationships with alcohol and brands Why the drinks industry and what do you love about it?

I wanted to work in a sector which helped generate value for the economy. I then Why the drinks industry and what do you love about it?

I love the pace at which the hospitality sector moves. I’ve worked across Wine, Spirits, Beer and Cider and the one thing that binds them all together is that there are so many passionate brand owners who are continually challenging each other to improve their offer and leave no room for complacency. It must be one of the most competitive industries in the world - but with a camaraderie that links producer and seller.

How do you plan to drive the business forward in 2020?

Listen to my team! They’re a talented bunch and have some great investment plans to keep our brands at the forefront of customers’ minds as well as the energy to get some exciting new ideas into market.

What is your best stress-buster?

For Belhaven Brewery’s 300th birthday I cycled between our brewery in Bury St Edmunds to Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar, in aid of Macmillian Cancer Support. Getting on your bike and training gives you the time to think. I also love live music.

What is your best stress-buster?

Playing squash. The physical effort involved is so intense you simply can’t think about anything else.

STEPHEN WATT On-Trade Director, Heineken

You’ve been On-Trade Director since July 2019 - what do you most enjoy about it?

I enjoy being out in pubs, clubs and bars - meeting passionate people in our industry and hearing about their plans and understanding their challenges and opportunities - how we can support our customers better.

How do you plan to drive the business forward in 2020?

We’ll be working with operators to offer premium trade-up options while reinforcing the importance of core brands. We want to further demonstrate how smart technology can benefit operators and the environment - like reducing beer, cider and cleaning fluid waste by 87.5%. No & low products also represent a massive opportunity.

What is your best stress-buster?

I try to run 3 or 4 times a week - it gives me some space to think about issues

Which piece of advice would you pass on to licensees?

Focus on the quality of service and serve, plus the range you provide. Consumers value choice and the quality of the experience.

If you had a pub what would you call it and why?

Fraser’s Sports Bar and Diner. I think there is an authenticity and honesty about putting your name to something - plus I’m a sports’ fan. and challenges and to get away from the laptop and the phone. Our industry is incredibly fast paced but we all need to build in proper thinking time and work to live. My other escape is travelling.

Which piece of advice would you pass on to licensees?

Focusing on the end customer is undoubtedly where to start. Too many businesses try and run to what they perceive are their strengths without fully understanding if the market is there first. Looking at market trends and understanding how best to capitalise and at other categories is important too. Pubs these days play a massively different role than 30 years ago and things will continue to evolve.

If you had a pub what would you call it and why?

I’m a Star Wars fan so I’d love to have a themed bar like the Cantina. My family and I got carried away one night and even got down to some names - it would be called the Admiral Snackbar, and the menu would include Pizza The Hutt, a sandwich called the Ham Solo, with some Whisky Yoda’s and Qui Gon Gin. DRAM FEBRUARY 2020 11

VIEWS FROM THE TOP

BY JASON CADDY

You’ve been in your current role since February 2018 - what do you most enjoy about it?

Every day is different. Working in Heineken is a great place to be, and with our UK head office based in Edinburgh, Star Pubs in Scotland gets fantastic support from everyone based there.

Why the drinks industry and what do you love about it?

I was a late entrant to the drinks industry, not ‘time served’ like most of the guys I meet. I’ve loved every minute of it and have developed a real passion for the on-trade in Scotland (as Susan Young predicted).

BRIAN DAVIDSON Operations Director, Star Pubs & Bars

CE ANDREW LAWREN Director, ns tio era Op & les Sa Molson Coors

You’ve been in this role since February 2018 - what do you most enjoy about it?

It is always amazing to see how our industry is changing and to spend time with operators, understanding their challenges and opportunities and what we 12

DRAM FEBRUARY 2020

How do you plan to drive the business forward in 2020?

Our investment pipeline is very strong again in 2020, and we have approximately £1.5m of capex already onsite in January, including

a flagship investment of The Mercantile in Dundee. We have a fantastic brand portfolio in Star - which will get significant support this year, especially during the Heinekensponsored Euros.

What is the best stress-buster?

When I’m not working, I enjoy listening to or watching live music, especially in and around Glasgow.

What advice do you hae for licensees?

One, think long term, have a plan and stick to it. Two, Have a forensic knowledge of the local market place they trade in. This changes by the day in Scotland, and there are some amazing businesses to learn from.

If you had a pub what would you call it and why?

The Cowshed (Greenock Morton season ticket holder).

can do to support. It is equally a fantastic opportunity to help develop our people and their understanding of the trade.

core brands. We will invest even more in Scotland into community projects through the Carling Made Local fund.

Why the drinks industry and what do you love about it?

Our industry is such an important part of the social fabric of our country and I have been connected to the licensed and hospitality trades for many years developing a passion for the on-trade in particular. It truly is an incredible place to build brands. No matter what is thrown at them, operators resiliently evolve their offerings and continue to get better.

What is the best stress-buster?

Spending time with family or friends, walking the dog or heading to the gym are all ways I relax.

How do you plan to drive the business forward in 2020?

For me, 2020 will be another year of developing relationships across the trade with our customers and wholesale partners. It is important that we also engage with government and legislators at both a local and national level. As a business, it’s important we harness the power of our beer and cider brands to help operators drive more people into outlets. We’re helping customers embace premiumisation, while also focussing on

Which piece of advice would you pass on to licensees?

Quality always wins and making sure you are getting the support you need from your brand owners too.That might be as simple as providing advice on industry trends or how to maintain your glassware or ensuring your dispense equipment is the best it can be.

If you had a pub what would you call it and why?

Slàinte – I think it represents a warm and friendly welcome. Being similar in Scots and Irish Gaelic it represents my family (my wife is Northern Irish) and the close link to the word ‘cheers’ reminds me of my time working in Massachusetts and visiting Boston. Hopefully in my pub everyone will know your name!

MARK RILEY On-Trade Director, Edrington-Beam Suntory UK

You’ve been in your current role since 2015 - what do you most enjoy about it?

Without doubt the most enjoyable part of my role is the remarkable team I’m lucky enough to work with. I’m surrounded by a group of passionate problem solvers who drive our brands forward every day. I particularly love to see individuals grow professionally.

Why the drinks industry and what do you love about it?

It’s very easy to fall in love with the drinks industry. Once you’ve witnessed the connection between brands, outlets and consumers, the decision to stick with our industry and build a career here is an easy one.

How do you plan to drive the business forward in 2020?

Three words - people, premium and partnerships. We always focus on our people first, building engagement and developing Edrington-Beam Suntory UK as a great place to work. Then it’s about investing in growing our premium portfolio with great trade partners.

What is your best stress-buster?

Switch off from work at the weekends and relax with family and friends.

Which piece of advice would you pass on to licensees?

Focus on your people. You can have the best location, the best range and the best cocktail list, but if your team is not engaged and supportive of what you are trying to do, you are wasting your time and money.

If you had a pub what would you call it and why?

‘The Black Cats Whiskers’. We all have a cross to bear and mine is supporting Sunderland Football Club - also known as The Black Cats.

EWEN MACKINTOSH Managing Director, Gordon & MacPhail

1. You’ve been in this role since 2014 what do you most enjoy about it?

This a great business - we have great people, products and passionate customers. Our business is involved in all aspects from field to glass and that glass of whisky may be savoured in Elgin, London, New York, Taipei or Tokyo. This allows us to see all perspectives, opportunities and challenges.

2. Why the drinks industry and what do you love about it?

No particular reason, but I’m glad I have.

It is almost unique in how we collaborate together and share knowledge and experience - there is a real respect between businesses. Yes, we all want our individual brands and products to do well, however we also want to the overall sector to be successful. I have also met some friends for life.

3. How do you plan to drive the business forward in 2020?

This year’s our 125th anniversary and will be marked by the construction starting on our second distillery in Grantown. This will be a

MARK RILEY On-Trade Director, ry UK Edrington-Beam Sunto

key milestone for the business and will sit perfectly with Benromach and the Gordon & MacPhail whiskies. We have some exciting projects for Benromach and G&M which we look forward to revealing in 2020.

4. What is the best stress-buster?

Switch off the phone and the laptop and take a break. A game of golf is the ideal tonic for me, although can result in a different kind of stress!

5. Which piece of advice would you pass on to licensees?

My career has been exclusively in the whisky business where we are always looking at the long term. As in all businesses, there will be ups and downs – never lose sight of what you set out do. We don’t always get it right, however we roll with it, learn from it and get back on track.

6. If you had a pub what would you call it and why?

“Blether”, because that’s what it should be about. The pub is the original “social network”. also drinking less but better.

LEONARD RUSSELL Managing Director, Ian Macleod Distillers

You’ve been MD for an incredible 31 years - what’s the secret to such longevity?

It’s a family business so it’s not so easy to get fired, and I hire people that are better than me. Success came about by investing in scotch malt whiskies and buying Edinburgh Gin at the right time. We were so very lucky that interest rates were very low and that the banks were supportive.

Plus we have a very good team.

What do you love about the drinks industry?

It’s the friendliest industry I know.

Distilleries exchange whiskies to make blends, so it’s convivial. Consumers are

How do you plan to drive the business forward in 2020?

By continuing to build the Edinburgh Gin brand. We’re also building a new Edinburgh Gin distillery and visitor centre in Edinburgh and rebuilding the Rosebank Distillery in Falkirk.

What is your best stress-buster?

An Edinbuargh Gin and tonic. And spending time with my family. Include that last part, then I can show this to my wife.

Which piece of advice would you pass on to licensees?

Clean your toilets. Make your pub more of an experience. Retail calls it ‘in-store theatre’ and licensees should think about applying something similar to their business.

Customers want to make memories.

If you had a pub what would you call it and why?

The Edinburgh Gin Bar and I’d make it just what it says. The customer is always looking for different serves, cocktails and garnishes and that’s what I’d be concentrating on in my bar.

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Valentine’s Cocktails

IT’S TIME TO GET SHAKING, STRAINING AND MUDDLING SOME COCKTAILS TO GET YOUR CUSTOMERS PULSES RACING THIS VALENTINE’S. HERE ARE SOME COURTESY OF DRAM, WITH LOVE...

THE IMPËRIAL 1869

KINTYRE GIN FIZZ

Created to celebrate the houses flagship Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial, highlighting the beautiful fresh flavours of the cuvée.

The grapefruit bitters and orange flower water compliment and enhance the citrus and floral notes of the wine, whilst the agave adds a touch of richness and plays seamlessly with the yeasty character of the wine.

Ingredients • 50ml Kintyre Pink Gin • 20ml Lemon Juice • 20ml Sugar Syrup • 1 Egg White • Soda Water

Ingredients • 15ml Agave Syrup • 2 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters • 1 Dash Orange Flower Water • 100ml Moët & Chandon Impérial Method Pour all the ingredients into a coupe and top with Champagne.

Finish Garnish with a sprig of Baby’s Breath flowers and serve with a smile (if you don’t find an edible Baby’s breath flower, please clip it to the glass so no contact with the cocktail)

Method Dry shake first to set egg white then shake over ice and strain into glass. Top up with soda water.

Ingredients • 25ml Isle of Bute Oyster Gin • 12.5ml Cointreau • 12.5ml Ottos Greek Vermouth • 50ml ​cranberry juice • Chilli • Ginger • Lemongrass

Method Muddle chilli, ginger and lemongrass in cocktail shaker then add all the remaining ingredients. Shake hard with cubed ice and fine strain into a small glass over crushed ice.

BU-TEA-FUL Ingredients • 35ml Isle of Bute Heather Gin • 25ml peach schnapps • 50ml earl grey tea • 25ml lemon juice • 12.5ml lavender syrup (Take sugar syrup and heat gently with fresh lavender.

Stir cool and strain before use.)

Method Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker, shake hard with cubed ice and fine strain into martini glass/coupe.

Finish Garnish with lavender.

Finish Garnish with chili ginger and lemongrass.

Finish Garnish with mint.

EAST COAST NEGRONI

ELDERFLOWER COLLINS

Ingredients • 25ml Seaside Edinburgh Gin • 25ml Suze • 25ml Campari • 3 dashes Grapefruit Bitters • Sea salt & rosemary to garnish

Ingredients • 1 part Black Bottle Whisky • 20ml freshly squeezed Lemon Juice • 12.5ml Elderflower Cordial • 1 part Soda Water

Method Frost the rim of the glass with rock salt and rosemary. Fill the glass with ice before adding all ingredients. Stir with a bar spoon until well mixed.

BUTE(Y) & THE GREEK

Method Pour first three ingredients into glass, fill with ice, add soda water, stir.

Finish Garnish with a lemon zest twist.

GIN 1689 QUEEN MARY CELEBRATION FIZZ

PEACE & LOVE

Ingredients • 50ml Gin 1689 Queen Mary Pink Gin • 75ml Prosecco • Fresh Raspberry • Sliced Strawberry

Ingredients • 50ml Burning Barn Spiced Rum • 20ml Lime Juice • 15ml Spiced Pineapple Syrup • 5ml Barspoon Vanilla Syrup • 10ml Fresh Passion Fruit Juice • Dash of Angostura bitters

Method Add gin and prosecco to a flute glass.

Finish Top with a raspberry and a slice of strawberry.

Method Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a sour glass.

Finish Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

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DRAM FEBRUARY 2020 15

MR & MRS SMITH LICENSEE INTERVIEW

xxxxxx

GORDON SMITH’S STAFF AND CUSTOMERS THREW A SURPRISE PARTY TO MARK HIS 25 YEARS AS LICENSEE AT THE VICTORIA INN ON CARRONSHORE’S NORTH MAIN STREET. HE ALSO SEEMED GENUINELY SURPRISED WHEN JASON CADDY CALLED HIM TO ARRANGE THIS INTERVIEW. HE MET WITH GORDON AND WIFE KATRIEN AT THEIR WONDERFUL WEE PUB ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF FALKIRK.

G

ordon Smith credits 25 years as licensee at The Victoria Inn at least partly to a nugget of advice he got a long time ago from one of his regulars: live within your means.

He explained, “His name was Tommy and his family donated a set of bagpipes that still hang on the wall of the pub. On the back of his advice I pledged to pay off my mortgage before I was 35. Tick. And the pub before 45. I managed to tick that one off a year later. I just turned 48 and business fluctuates month to month as I’m sure it does for licensees of all ages but we are doing well and I have paid off my loans by, quite simply, not living the high life. I couldn’t run this business the way I do if another credit crunch hit, say, and I was paying a mortgage on top of all the other running costs a business incurs.” Gordon, who runs the pub on the outskirts of Falkirk with wife Katrien and Labradoodle Tanis, has created something special at The Victoria Inn and it hits you just as soon as you step inside. Hidden gem does it justice to a point, thanks to an interior replete in everything from a reclaimed pulpit, seats from the stadium of his beloved Falkirk FC, a prosthetic leg hanging down from one of the most elaborate and comfiest smoking areas I’ve ever seen (he spent £7K on it) and a genuine Bendy Bully - from 80s quiz show Bullseye. It’s such a feast for the senses and so slickly run that Graham Baird from Belhaven sang Gordon’s praises after he saw what magic he’d weaved when visiting the

pub for the first time in a while, recommending him for this interview shortly afterwards.

It’s also the beating heart of the community and as soon as you walk in you get the sense of just how much love, care and attention have been ploughed into it.

Said Gordon, who is forever on the lookout for new additions to salvage for the pub, “It was Belhaven’s 300thanniversary bash where I discovered that they’d uncovered some old stuff when they were doing up the brewery and they invited me down to see if I could salvage any of it.

I met Gordon Muir there who showed me around. I got two Aitken’s Brewery (Falkirk) stained glass windows. I also acquired two wooden kegs that two former Miss World’s posed next to back in the day. It was at the anniversary party that I bumped into Graham Baird who said that he must pop into the pub because he hadn’t paid us a visit for a few years.”

He continued, “We are so loyal to Belhaven because they have been to us and I GORDON SMITH can’t speak highly enough of them. Our rep Stephen Logan provides amazing personal service and has always worked closely with us and supported us over the years.”

The entire pub has been ripped out refurbished and has widened its appeal beyond mainly guys from the local area and two pivotal events helped shape the pub this way.

Gordon explained, “The cleaner called me one morning jin 2007 to tell me that it was ‘raining inside the pub’. Turns

BUSINESS FLUCTUATES MONTH TO MONTH BUT WE ARE DOING WELL AND I HAVE PAID OFF MY LOANS BY, QUITE SIMPLY, NOT LIVING THE HIGH LIFE.

DRAM FEBRUARY 2020 19

MR & MRS SMITH

2 5

TH

A N N I V E R SAR Y

LICENSEE INTERVIEW

out the boiler in the upstairs function room had sprung a leak and the entire pun was ruined. This was the springboard that we needed to start ripping out the old interior.”

Said Katrine, “The place was unrecognisable to how it looks today.

It was full of old boys, there was fake wood panelling on top of... wait for it, even more wood panelling on the walls and the density of the smoke was something else. Gordon added, “The front of the bar was carpeted - maybe just in case a customer fell into it!

The bar-top was made from Formica. It was in a massive state of disrepair and we have completely gutted the place and continued to add to it.”

And it was another chance meeting that resulted in what has become the pub’s signature look.

Said Gordon, “I was a member of The Royalty Burns Club and I happened to be sitting next to former hotelier Hugh Patterson at one meeting just after the flood in the pub – he used to run The Shawlands Hotel, now the Radstone, Larkhall. I was telling him what happened and it turned out that he had just reclaimed a church would you believe and invited me to have a look. This is where I got a lot of what you see before you, like the pulpit gantry, the pew doors, the former balcony bar-front, high door surrounds and Tiffany lamps.”

The second shift for the business was as recently as 2018 when we were visited The Beast from the East, and, as Gordon explained, it is an ill wind that blows no good. “Someone posted a picture to social media of the Belhaven delivery truck outside the pub and I remember that it was barely recognisable in the blizzard. The next day the snow started falling and falling and all the ‘young team’ from all over came to my pub because they knew we had beer because of said picture. Girls arrived wearing waterproofs and wellies, with a change of clothes in a backpack.

There was even a guy wearing cross-country skis and another in fishing waders.

“The wonderful thing is that we have kept that younger business – plus they have brought me bang up to date digitally because before this happened we didn’t even have a card machine for payments, never mind USB ports, digital jukebox, etc. The first thing I did when the Beast from the East went was call my electrician and get all of this installed in the pub.”

Katrien is also heavily involved in the business. They met in 2007 while Gordon was away on a boys’ fishing trip in her native Chilliwack, Canada. They married in 2010 and have three kids.

Said Katrien, “We met in October and I moved to Scotland in the following April. My parents organised an Alaska cruise to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary and we decide that we’d get married on it so we made sure they were okay with us effectively hijacking it, which they were, so we went ahead and did it in a place called Juneau. I had to wear a plastic bib over the top of my wedding dress so that we could tuck into fish and chips, lobster, crab, and slabs of Halibut at the Crab Shack for our reception. Gordon was in full kilt regalia so we stood out like a sore thumb. We also visited a great wee pub there called The Red Dog which was a real spit and sawdust place. The locals 20

DRAM FEBRUARY 2020

shelled nuts and nutshells littered the floor.”

But Gordon started the pub with his late father Alex of course, when the previous licensee agreed to lease the pub to them for six months. Neither had any experience on the other side of the bar.

Said Gordon “My dad Alex ran the local car spares shop and we discovered that the previous licensee Jim Hamilton had run into financial difficulty in 1994. He was an old school operator. My dad had been a pub drinker all his life and he said to me ‘What do you think?’ I was 23 years old at the time and a wee bit apprehensive.

“Jim was to-ing and fro-ing for a month or so but then he told me and dad that we could rent the place for six months. My pride and joy was a 1967 Seasand VW Beetle which I had to sell to raise the £4K to pay for the rent, fixtures and fittings, stock and goodwill for six months. But the bank eventually foreclosed on Jim and we began dealing directly with the bank. My dad and I got the £110k between us with me acquiring a mortgage for the adjoining house, with the two of us eventually raising the remainder to buy the pub outright. I was 23 at the time and I was living with mum and dad and paying £20 dig money so it was a real step into the unknown for me.”

But tragedy struck not long afterward.

Said Gordon, “Unfortunately my dad wasn’t able to enjoy the benefits of pub ownership for very long because his life was cut short in an accident. It was 21 years ago and he was at a folk festival in Glenfarg in his VW camper van and as a fellow VW devotee, he was always telling me that you should never put a fire on in a VW van because ‘two minutes in your sleeping bag is enough to warm you up.’

“He called me that night from the festival and said ‘Are you getting a turn in the pub?’ and he also told me that he was going to put a heater on for five minutes. Then he spoke to my mum. This was the last time we spoke to him because we got the news the next day that he fell asleep and the oxygen had eaten the fire but the gas was still on so he died of carbon monoxide poisoning. We had a New Orleans-style band for his funeral and the streets were fivedeep with mourners.”

It was at this point, once the dust had settled, that Gordon decided that he wanted to invest his heart and soul in The Victoria Inn. “My dad had no will so I bought out my mum and became soul proprietor in February 2001 – and we have spent every penny that we made on improving the pub. And speaking of my mum she was the backbone of the place until she died six years ago.

She was called Liz and she would sit in here and treat it as an extension of her living room – enjoying multiple sessions with folk.

She was also a bit of a trendsetter because she was the one who encouraged other women to drink in the pub. She was the backbone of it all.”

As I left the lunchtime trade started arriving and both Gordon and Katrien switched to work mode by welcoming in a variety of customers, all of which they knew by name. I guess there’s no substitute for the personal touch and I can picture them still doing the same for another 25 years. n

the

incorporating the DRAM AWARDS 2020

That’s right folks, Scotland’s oldest licensed trade awards turn 25 this year and we’ll be celebrating with the biggest and best night yet on August 25th – with a roaring twenties theme. See next month’s magazine for all the details.

IS NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER ALCOHOL-FREE? ‘ALCOHOLFREE’ OR NON-ALCOHOL BEER DOES CONTAIN A SMALL AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL (UP TO 0.05% ABV).

THIS IS BECAUSE SOME ALCOHOL NATURALLY FORMS AS PART OF THE BREWING PROCESS. THERE ARE FOUR TYPES; ALCOHOL-FREE, DEALCOHOLISED, LOW-ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLIC BEER.

Alcohol-free beer = no more than 0.05% ABV De-alcoholised beer = no more than 0.5% ABV Low-alcohol beer = no more than 1.2% ABV Alcoholic beer = contains more than 1.2% ABV

Alex Riches Ops Manager St Luke’s and the Winged Ox, Glasgow

A 2018 STUDY INVOLVING NEARLY 10,000 YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 16 TO 24 FOUND THE NUMBER WHO SAID THEY NEVER DRINK ALCOHOL INCREASED FROM 18 PER CENT IN 2005 TO 29 PER CENT IN 2015.

The Fluere range of non-alcoholic spirits is made with the same distilling techniques used for spirits with alcohol.

The reasons given for why low alcohol beverages appeal reflect increasingly responsible attitudes to drinking across all age groups, ranging from being able to drive home after social events (31%) to reducing the risk of long-term physical health issues (22%).

30% of British adults who drink alcohol in an average week say they have yet to try a low alcohol product and 13% of all adults do not recall seeing a low alcohol option available for sale anywhere.

Dry January could last all year for some as over half(52%) of pubgoers would consider drinking a ‘low or no’ version of their typical alcoholic tipple, according to The PUB Trends Report 2020

I’m selective about when I drink alcohol these days so I’m well placed to talk about low and non-alcoholic drinks. Erdinger Alkoholfrei is by far the best in my opinion. It’s isotonic, has great marketing and has a full flavour. Another alternative that is more functional are CBD beers, my favourite being Easy Times IPA which, as an athlete, helps relive my anxiety.

Three Spirit Drinks Ltd is also producing some interesting stuff like a botanical elixir that uses plant-based herbs and spices that promote positive feelings in the same way alcohol does.

What I’ve also learned is not to segregate low and non-alcoholic drinks on the menu or you risk stigmatising them.

They should be listed by price alongside alcoholic drinks.

Research in UK by The Portman Group

Fraser McIlwraith Dark Arts Drinks Consultancy

A study by University College London involving nearly 10,000 young people in the UK found that the proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds who say they never drink alcohol rose from 18% in 2005 to 29% in 2015.

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“We have a new drinks menu for both venues with an entire page devoted to non-alcoholic drinks – cocktails, stout, lager, and wheat beer. This is a response to greater demand from younger customers. Brands like portobello road prohibition gin have been very proactive in trying to engage bartenders.”

“We are ordering in many more non-alcoholic beers compared to this time last year. Guys will ask for an alcohol-free beer but women still tend to ask for a soft drink. We launched alcohol free wines about six months ago but they haven’t had the take-up that we thought they would, but it’s early days and I do think that they’ll gain greater traction.”

Gary Middleton Bar Manager, Birds & The Bees, Stirling

Over half of alcohol drinkers (59%) have at least tried a low alcohol product (products with an ABV of above 0.05%, up to 1.2%).

The intention to switch to a low alcohol product is being led by younger drinkers, with almost one in ten (9%) of 18-24 year olds saying that they had already switched the majority of their drinking to lower alcohol options.

Research in UK by The Portman Group

low and no alcohol drinks Low and no-alcohol drinks are big news.

Here are stats and facts, brand news and your views on the category...

Diageo launched its first ad campaign for noalcohol brand Seedlip last month. It’s the first time Diageo has set up a campaign for Seedlip, after upping its investment in the business to a ‘significant’ majority stake in August 2019. Diageo bought 20% of Seedlip in 2016.

A 2018 lving study invo 00 young ,0 0 1 y rl nea 24 ed 16 to people ag er who said b num found the ohol r drink alc ent they neve er c p 8 1 m o fr nt increased 29 per ce in 2005 to 5. in 201

Of over 1,500 pub customers polled for The PUB Trends Report 2020, a quarter said they were drinking less alcohol than they were 12 months ago.

This is despite the fact that pub visits are on the rise with 60% of respondents visiting a pub at least once a week, and more than one in ten respondents (12%) visiting a pub more than four times a week.

“We have been doing mocktails at Tiki Bar for nine years and it’s hard to tell if we are selling more of them or less of them. It varies from week to week. What I have noticed since we opened our bowling-bar concept Bowlarama is the swing toward activity-led socialising where more no-alcohol and low-alcohol drinks are consumed which is why we are making changes to terrace area at Tiki Bar. We have just reinforced the foundations ready for a summer opening (hopefully) of our cinema/sports area which is to house ludicrously large TV screens.”

Ian Sanderson, Operations Manager Tiki Bar/Bowlarama, Glasgow

One-quarter of all visits to a pub feature non-alcoholic drinks but growth in the popularity of no and low-alcohol options is threatened by a perceived unfair price point, according to a new study. The research by KAM Media, based on feedback from 1,000 UK adults and 170 licensees, found more than one-third of respondents intend to cut their alcohol consumption in 2020, while 36% intend to consume more low and no-alcohol variants. That figure rises to more than half for Generation Z and millennials.

INSPIRED BY THE LYREBIRD (THE AUSTRALIAN MIMIC BIRD), AUSSIE BRAND LYRE’S HAS SPREAD ITS WINGS TO THE UK IN A BID TO CAUSE A STIR IN THE NO-ALCOHOL SPIRITS CATEGORY. LYRE’S OFFERS A PREMIUM RANGE OF 13 NON-ALCOHOLIC VARIANTS AND ITS PORTFOLIO INCLUDES ABSINTHE, AMARETTO AND TRIPE SEC.

Top 5 best selling low and non-alcohol beer in the UK on-trade in 2019.

1

Beck’s Blue

2

Heineken 0.0

3

San Miguel 0.0

4

Erdinger Alcoholfrei

5

Bavaria 0.0

Each one of my places has a dedicated fridge to non-alcoholic beers but it’s still a very small part of the business.

The designated drivers don’t want to drink at all these days and we even give away soft drinks after 1am to drivers at Slouch and The Howlin’ Wolf. I still can’t get my head around the likes of non-alcoholic gin but my wife Gayle thinks it’s a great idea.

Non-alcoholic beer is also kind of dehydrating and you still get a kind of mild hangover from it.

Mark Lappin Bag O’Nails/The Howlin’ Wolf/ Partick Tavern/Slouch Glasgow

NON-ALCOHOLIC ENTRANTS TO THE MARKET SUCH AS KIN SPRITZ PROMISE MOOD ENHANCING BENEFITS, THROUGH STRESS-REGULATING ADAPTOGENS AND BRAINBOOSTING NOOTROPICS – WORDS NOW ENTERING THE HEALTH-CONSCIOUS UK CONSUMER VOCABULARY. Wm Grant Trending Report 2020

Teetotal celebrities include Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Blake Lively, Daniel Radcliffe, Kristin Davis, Bradley Cooper and Ewan McGregor.

DRAM FEBRUARY 2020 23

Building contractor, specialist interior fit out and facilities services

8 Morningside Road, Edinburgh EH10 4DD

MCLAREN’S ON THE CORNER DESIGN FOCUS

BY JASON CADDY

S

We are proud to be involved in the design and formation of the new ‘McLarens on the Corner’ for Signature Pubs Ltd. It’s been an exciting and rewarding project to convert an old iconic bank building at ‘Holy Corner’ into a new bar and restaurant.

Ian Forbes, Ian Forbes Architect Ltd.

Hugh Stirling were proud to be Specialist Fit-Out contractors for McLarens on The Corner

www.hughstirling.co.uk Hugh Stirling Ltd, 87 Middlesex Street, Glasgow G41 1EE T: 0141 420 1666

Ian Forbes Architect Ltd. The Station Masters Office Dalmeny Station, South Queensferry EH30 9JP 0131-331-1041 info@ianforbesarchitect.com

ignature Pubs’ boss Nic Wood takes design both seriously and not. Take his new £2m Edinburgh Morningside venue, McLaren’s on the Corner, which debuted last month.

Said Nic, “In 2018, I did 160 pubs in seven days across Melbourne, Sydney and Melbourne. The next five days was spent processing design idea inspiration which has provided most of our ammo for what we’ve opened in the last couple of years.”

On the not so serious side, McLaren’s design is dripping in humour – like what look to be historical paintings of Royallooking figures but on closer inspection they’re doing stuff like blowing a big pink bubble-gum bubble or discreetly grasping a bottle of beer.

It’s over four floors, including a basement, ground floor bar and restaurant, first floor Tellers Room and The Parlour (nods to its banking past) and the private attic.

Said Nic, “It’s an old bank and we have playful with this in the design in a fun way – like the paintings and creating a masculine space with bank managers’ leather chairs and desks on the first floor Teller Room and Parlour, with the Parlour painted a soft pink. The Attic can be use for tastings, cocktails, quizzes and even candle making classes.”

Nic’s design junket wasn’t merely confined to just the one continent, as Sales and Marketing Director Louise McLean, explained, “The fire pits were inspired by ones we saw in a really cool bar in Seattle and we also visited Toronto for some inspiration. We’re basically all things to everyone – a real community pub. We are family friendly (we even serve kids free homemade cookies and milk after school) and dog friendly too. There’s also a real sense of fun here, like in the old vault in the basement. We’ve decorated the walls in fake ‘gold bullion’ - the perfect Instagram photo op room.”

This place is bulging with design highlights, one being the DRAM FEBRUARY 2020 25

DESIGN FOCUS canvas of the beautiful building itself. Although it was also area, that greets you as you enter. Tables and chairs sit on added to, as architect Ian Forbes explained. “The former bank a big rug below, plus there are corrugated leather horseshoe from the 1900s had a garden that booths, chandeliers and globe the building has been extended on lighting. Moving through to the to. The original planning application back of the space beyond the bar IT’S AN OLD BANK AND was a three-storey at the back are those fire pits, set in marble, but this was reduced to two, plus around which congregate duck-egg WE HAVE PLAYFUL WITH the glass box on one side of the blue plush leather swivel chairs.

THIS IN THE DESIGN IN building – three sides and a roof – There are Chesterfields in here that lets in a lot of light and gives alongside velvety banquettes – all A FUN WAY – LIKE THE the building presence from the of which have real feel appeal.

PAINTINGS AND CREATING outside.”

The first floor Tellers Room, with Angus Alston, Projects Director at its nods to the cashiers desk, bankA MASCULINE SPACE WITH Hugh Stirling, who was responsible manager-esque chairs and tables BANK MANAGERS’ LEATHER for the full fit-out, said, “Despite and rolled up bank notes stuck to its challenges it was a pleasure the wall, plus an optical illusion CHAIRS AND DESKS ON THE to work with the Signature team infinity vault all sit in a beautifully FIRST FLOOR TELLER ROOM to produce an interior of such appointed room with what I spectacular quality – particularly assume ate original fireplaces and AND PARLOUR, WITH THE the bar counters, feature fires and cornicing. Natural light streams in, PARLOUR PAINTED A SOFT ornate joinery elements, all with lighting up every corner. their intricate bespoke interface of As well as those foliage concealers, PINK. THE ATTIC CAN BE USE marble, polished brass, hardwood the attic space, albeit dinkier, FOR TASTINGS, COCKTAILS, and mirrors.” is bursting with equally as good My verdict? I liked the paintings. stuff. More pictures that come QUIZZES AND EVEN CANDLE They’re not all funny. Some are down at you on an angled wall, MAKING CLASSES. just plain beautiful and used to a tree trunk bar, imaginatively Nic Wood hide some not so pleasing to the upholstered queen Anne chairs and eye necessities like TV screens, Chesterfields and two semi-circular like in the ground floor. While right booths that look like they should. up in the attic, a Bond villain’s lair if ever I saw one, two Louise McLean described McLaren’s as “the most beautiful great removable ‘waterfalls’ of foliage conceal two more TVs. one we have ever done” and I doubt she’s alone in thinking And there’s also lovely greenery in the ground floor seating that. n 26

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Morton Logos etc.qxp_Layout 1 14/08/2019 11:32 Page 1

RH Morton

RH

Morton

APPROVED No. 12924

DESIGN PROJECTS EQUIPMENT

APPROVED No. 12924

DESIGN PROJECTS EQUIPMENT

A kitchen this good deserves to be open plan!

Morton Logos etc.qxp_Layout 1 14/08/2019 11:32 and Page 1 Having designed, manufactured installed the kitchen, servery and bar at Ka Pao, we wish them every success.

Morton Logos etc.qxp_Layout 1 14/08/2019 11:32 Page 1

RH Morton

APPROVED No. 12924

DESIGN PROJECTS EQUIPMENT

RH

Morton

RH Morton & Co Ltd 22 Crownpoint Road, GLASGOW G40 2BS Tel: 0141 551 8136 | Fax: 0141 554 5138 e-mail: sales@rhmorton.com www.rhmorton.comNo. 12924

APPROVED

DESIGN PROJECTS EQUIPMENT

26 Vinicombe Street, Glasgow G12 8BE

KA PAO DESIGN FOCUS

V

Wellocks.

The Perfect Ingredient Wellocks prides itself on searching for the perfect ingredient and delivering it at its freshest, on time and in pristine condition to the finest establishments.

08444 993 444 • wellocks.co.uk  twitter.com/wellocks

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BY JASON CADDY

 facebook.com/wellocks

inicombe Street even has a song named after it – it’s that close to the collective heart of Glaswegians. Chef-patron Jonathan MacDonald is now the custodian of the beloved A-listed Botanics building on the lower half of this equally beloved little street off Byres Road. Formerly a car mechanic’s garage, (the oldest surviving motor garage in Glasgow, says Wikipedia), this deceptively beefy basement space (it’s blessed with a superslim, slinky entrance) has been reborn a 120-capacity South East Asian restaurant. Daniel Spurr oversees the operation of the sizeable open kitchens at both Ka Pao and sister venue Ox and Finch on Sauchiehall Street alongside front of house manager, Andy MacSween.

RH Morton outfitted the kitchen and recalling the project, Sales Director Mark Rodden, said, “In the same way that you would perhaps go to different manufacturers for a turntable and an amplifier to get the best available, the cooking suite at Ka Pao consisted of twelve different manufacturers, all of whom offer different specialities, which presented a real challenge in

endeavouring to blend them into one coherent unit. As bespoke manufacturers, we were able to do this as far as possible, which becomes more important with such a visible, open-plan theatrestyle kitchen.”

He continued, “The enthusiasm and willingness from the Ox & Finch team is quite infectious and was adopted by all the design team, who were a pleasure to work with.”

Now for our design verdict. I visited early one morning and it was still a hive of activity because everything is freshly prepared onsite in the big open kitchen so all the chefs were hard at it, with Wellocks being the main food supplier and the man who oversees the kitchen operation, Daniel, was the one who kindly showed me around.

The first thing I clocked was that the Ka Pao signs and the Toilet signs are all at a slant, which Daniel told me was representative of the descent down the stairs to the space. Once inside, through the big glass door, there’s an unusually shaped wooden reception desk complete with metal leg, that at a glance looks like the DRAM FEBRUARY 2020 29

DESIGN FOCUS bottom of a grand piano.

The whole expanse of the restaurant is visible from the doorway and it is impressive what Jonathan et al have achived. The bar and open kitchen are all along the right-hand-side wall, with windows on the left and various seating configurations – horseshoe-shaped booths, long and short wooden tables – in between. A divider made up from shelving and corrugated orangey metal with lots of plants spilling and springing out all over the place breaks up any monotony there might’ve been in the design of such a large space.

Other highlights include the globe lighting. These are also a favourite of Daniel’s. He explianed, “The designer made them smoky inside so that they look almost moon-like as you draw closer.” The other result of this is this is that they cast a warm glow over the space which, with low ceilings and visible extraction pipes and a concrete floor, might have been austere and industrial otherwise.

Other standout features are the sumptuous leather seating in yellows, browns and rusts, and more of that corrugated metalwork, 30

DRAM FEBRUARY 2020

and the odd flash of blue leather upholstered seating.

I was also drawn to the white tiled back bar and various other parts of the place. The bar tops and tables are highly unusual, looking like a kind of green and black cowhide. The front of the bar looks like red blood vessels.

Ka Pao is also well stocked with greenery - both at the foot of the entrance stairs and on that divider that creates a space of its own three-quarters the way in, beyond the open kitchens.

The final mention must go to the toilets because of all the comments they’re attracting from customers, according to Daniel, and they’re all positive. Their design is a mixture of exposed brick, green tiles, more plants, and wooden cubicles. They reminded me of toilets I’d seen in a bar in Barcelona.

All in all here we have a design that is tastefully sympathetic to this beautiful building and it looks like all the hours and elbow grease the three guys are putting in on top of this design canvass will ensure Ka Pao packs a punch in the competitive west end market. n

47 West Nile Street, Glasgow G1 2PT

THE WINE ROOM DESIGN FOCUS

W

ork began on The Wine Room on Glasgow’s Mitchell Lane last June, opening in December and four months behind schedule because there were a few hiccups along the way.

Said owner Marco Lazzurri, “We had to operate within the guidelines set down by Historic Scotland. For example, we wanted to extend the mezzanine but we had to compromise by only enlarging it slightly so that you could still see up through it around its edges from downstairs. It couldn’t be too close to the window in other words.

We also wanted to build a spiral staircase instead of the standard one but it was too bold a plan, because it would’ve been visible through the window and therefore not be in keeping with the rest of the lane.”

It’s accessible via Marco’s neighbouring concern, Tabac, and is a wonderful wee corner unit, stylish and petite - incorporating ground floor, bar, unisex toilet and the mezzanine.

Continued Marco, “We also had to apply for an extension to the existing licence and knock through for customer access to the Tabac toilets because we weren’t allowed to build a toilet on the mezzanine in The Wine Room so we built one toilet on the ground floor instead.”

The building used to house Glasgow hairdressing institution, DLC, and the Wine Room still contains a big nod to its former incarnation because the sign on the window facing Mitchell Lane still bears its

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BY JASON CADDY

logo. But this is only temporary: Marco plans to remove it soon.

The design of The Wine Room smacks of industrial, with exposed beams and a metal wine cage that niftily stretches from the floor right up to the mezzanine, and all its contents are illluminated, which together with all the candles and the sensitive spots, make for a cosy wee space. Being a corner unit it benefits from two full window walls of natural light, too.

Despite being a relatively small space, the industrial look isn’t particularly heavy-handed and softened by lighting, plus the wooden chairs and tables and floors add warmth.

Tucked beneath the mezzanine stairs is a dinky wee bar with a wooden block front and a light across the top of it. The back bar is clad in lovely green tiles that get kind of twinkly at night.

On the mezzanine are more tables and the continuation of that bold metal wine cage design statement. The standout design feature of this area has to be the mirror on the far wall. It’s actually two mirrors that kind of meet at an angle similar to the wings of a butterfly, off which daylight/candlelight bounces beautifully. They also create the illusion of space too of course, in what is a fairly compact space.

Also up in the mezzanine is wood panelling on the walls in squares, painted green with a dusting of gold.

Marco’s made the the wine bar cool again, and it has a lot to do with the sleek, simplistic design. n DRAM FEBRUARY 2020 33

@dramscotland

SUE SAYS

/dram.scotland

I was really sorry to hear about the death of Donald Clark of The George Hotel in Inveraray. He was a long-standing friend and one of the great, colourful characters of the Scottish licensed trade. I have so many fond memories of him and I am so glad we were able to catch up at last year’s awards.

The George won Sunday Mail Pub of the Year, and Hotel Bar of the Year with Donald picking up a Hall of Fame accolade.

He was a super-raconteur, and certainly knew how to live life to the full. His sons have asked for those attending his funeral to wear colour in celebration of his life. Next month we will have a full obituary – of the late, great Donald Clark.

Our thoughts are with his family and of course partner Jane.

The UK Government has given English pubs a rates discount – recognising the unfair burden the pub and wider hospitality sector faces. UK wide it is estimated that hospitality businesses are paying £2.4 billion more than they should. The UK government is taking note but what is the Scottish Government doing about it? UKHospitality have welcomed the move South of the Border with Kate Nicholls, UKHospitality CEO, saying, “This is fantastic news for pubs and other high-street businesses who are taking too much of the pain from business taxes. The economy has evolved and the tax system needs to catch up.” She continued, “At the Budget in March we need to see drastic action to cut the cost of running a business regardless of size. Costs are on the rise, particularly with the planned 6.2% increase in the National Living Wage in April. We will be proposing a range of measures, including further cuts in business rates for all hospitality businesses and a cut in employment taxes to support firms in delivering higher take-home pay.”

In Scotland we have the Small business bonus scheme (everything rated under £15k should be paying nothing, between £15k £18k, you get a 25% discount). But this is for every business not just hospitality. And in England and Wales RV is calculated by what is called ‘fair maintainable trade’ and it’s based on: the type of pub or licensed premises; the area it’s in; the services it offers, for example food, gaming or sports screenings We

really do need some comparable figures to fight the case more strongly.

Meanwhile I watched the Prime Minister Boris Johnston on his first televised interview. He skirted around various issues as usual, but on the subject of the minimum wage he did drop in that it would keep on rising. You have to ask in the current climate can hospitality businesses sustain these constant increases? What will happen is that the the hospitality sector will cut back on staff, and those in employment will have to work harder to cover and even service levels may, as a result, go down. This is not going to do anything to aid mental health in the hospitality workplace or for that matter any workplace. I can’t help feel it will fuel a rise in zero hour contracts. Something has to give... businesses must be sustainable to be operate.

One business that is certainly sustainable is Paul Stevenson’s. I popped into his newest venture Sugo Pasta recently on what was apparently the gloomiest day of the year. The place was jumping.

Great food, super service and a really buzz about the venue. He has the Midas touch. Paul takes what on the face of it is a simple idea and does it to perfection. The best of authentic produce, cooked expertly and served ultra efficiently. Molto Bene!

One person who will be getting a DRAM gong next year is Stephen Glancey... The ‘No-one saw it coming’ gong. The CEO of C&C announced he was retiring from the company last month. It’s the talk of the steamy!

Last but not least, congratulations to David and Ruth Wither, who have sold Flow Hospitality Training, the business they founded in 2009, to US investor Providence Equity Partners who have merged it with Spanish business MAPAL. David and Ruth will retain a stake in the group and a seat on the board, but are now stepping back from day to day leadership of Flow. Flow changed the face of hospitality training, not just in Scotland, but throughout the UK.

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: news@mediaworldltd.com w: dramscotland.co.uk Publisher-Editor Susan Young • Editor Jason Caddy • Chairman Noel Young • Commercial Head Justin Wingate • Advertising Julia Smith Production Fiona Gauld, Jack Thompson • Admin Cheryl Cook 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 2019. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group.

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ROUNDUP @dramscotland

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Doddie Beir now pouring across Scotland The Signature Pub Group has created ‘Doddie Beir it’ – inspired by Scottish rugby legend Doddie Weir, with all profits made going to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

It will be served at venues in Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews throughout the Guinness Six Nations Doddie established the charity in 2017 to help fellow sufferers and to fund MND research.

Meanwhile, the Rugby legend also visited Diageo’s new Scottish headquarters in Edinburgh recently to accept the donation of a cask of Scotch whisky For more information on the My Name’5 Doddie POS-in-a-box SLTNvisit: v4 2www.myname5doddie.co.uk.

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BELHAVEN LICENCEES HEAD TO NEW YORK TO CHAMPION TARTAN WEEK Six Belhaven pub licensees from across Scotland have won a trip to New York in April to take part in the 2020 New York Tartan Day Parade. Each managed the top performing pub in their region throughout 2019 to champion Belhaven Brewery beers during the brewery’s 300th year celebrations.

The winning licensees are from Molly Malones in Glasgow, Central Bar in St Andrews, Prince of Wales in Aberdeen, The Granary Bar in Dumfries, Stumps Bar in Glasgow and Beehive in Edinburgh. Each pub manager will jet off for the four day weekend to the Big Apple and take part in the annual Scottish parade.

The Pierhouse appoints new Head Chef Chef Michael Leathley, 37, has joined The Pierhouse Hotel & Seafood Restaurant at Port Appin as Head Chef as part of its mission to become the country’s ultimate seafood destination.

During the last 14 years he’s worked in London, Aberdeen and Glasgow, and previously held the position of Sous Chef at A’Challtainn Fish Restaurant in Glasgow.

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CELEBRATING WOMEN IN BUSINESS Giovanna Eusebi (pictured left) and Lynne Kennedy MBE, founder of Business Women Scotland, will bring together more than 50 women from across the hospitality sector for an evening of networking, opera and Italian cuisine at Eusebi Deli to raise funds for HIT Scotland, on Sunday 16 February.

It is in support of the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship The event will be introduced by David Cochrane, HIT Scotland’s Chief Executive. All proceeds from Eusebi Deli’s fundraising event will be donated to the HIT Scotland Kilimanjaro Climb.

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