DRAM July 2021

DRAM

368

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

DRAM MAGAZINE July 2021 ISSN 1470-241X

@dramscotland

/dram.scotland

JODIE KIDD LENDS HER SUPPORT TO LONG LIVE THE LOCAL CAMPAIGN

ALLAN HENDERSON INTERVIEW

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AWARDS CATEGORIES -

MOSKITO

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME Welcome one and all to your July DRAM and we’ve got a bobby-dazzler of an issue this month as the excitement builds to our Scottish Bar & Pub Awards 2021 on September 7th.

We pushed the envelope last year with our hybrid awards and we’ve got another first for you this year in the shape of an inside/outside awards night with a festival flavour. It’s all happening at Glasgow’s Cranside Kitchen and Radisson Red, and you’ll find all that you need to know about voting and how to get tickets starting on page 19.

I had the pleasure of a virtual meeting with Allan Henderson, co-owner and founding director of The McGinty’s Group in Aberdeen and we covered everything from how the hospitality marketing machine is so much slicker these days, to why investing in the right people and in your premises is critical.

It’s on page 16.

Her first taste of a Hard Seltzer was in Boston, USA, when a friend recommended it as a healthy drink. Roll on a year or two, and the number of Hard Seltzers available in the UK is up from 6 to over 200. Read Nicola Young’s complete Hard Seltzers category lowdown on page 11.

Design-wise we spotlight Glasgow basement bar institution Moskito, now back up and running under new ownership complete with a brand spanking new interior.

Meanwhile, SimpsInns has rebranded and refurbished Coast Bar and Restaurant in The Gailes Hotel in Irvine and we deliver our design verdict on page 34.

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

@dramscotland

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CONTENTS July

2021

FEATURES

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16 19 24 29

HARD SELTZERS

Facts and a look at the Hard Seltzer market.

A MAN WITH A HEAD FOR FIGURES Jason Caddy talks to Allan Henderson.

SCOTTISH BAR & PUB AWARDS The 2021 categories.

A FOCUS ON SCOTLAND’S REPS Our second feature on Scotland’s drinks reps.

DESIGN FOCUS

Moskito in Glasgow and Coast in Irvine.

REGULARS

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NEWS

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

SUE SAYS

Our publisher Sue pulls no punches.

DRAM JULY 2021 3

PANANG BURSTS ONTO GLASGOW RESTAURANT SCENE

Paul Sloan of Diversity Leisure has opened the 120-cover Panang in the former Mezzedakia on the city’s St Vincent Street with a design bursting with colour and an offer specialising in Thai street food and small plates.

Paul told DRAM, “We are focused on hawker food. Almost every food in Thailand is either hawked or done in the street in one form or another.

We’ve honoured some of Thailand’s most famous chefs on beautiful hand-painted murals, and there are 120 Vietnamese paper lanterns, roses wreathed around the doors and lots of colour.”

The whole project would have normally taken about five weeks but it was stretched over several months because of the pandemic and a lack of supplies.”

The group also operates Chaakoo, Mezzidakia, Cuan-Mor, Topolabamba, The Garrison, the Waterfront Fishouse and The Ben Nevis (Ft William).

New look for Ondine Oyster & Grill Edinburgh Scottish seafood restaurant Ondine is now called Ondine Oyster & Grill with a new refurbishment to boot with the restaurant, oyster bar, and private dining area all being modernised.

The exterior of the George IV Bridge restaurant is covered in scaffolding that will be there until early next year.

Said Roy, “We maybe can’t control what is happening outside the restaurant but what we can control is what is happening inside, and we have created a unique dining experience with honest seasonal integrity at the fore. We have completely changed the entire look and feel of the place.”

SALT & CHILLI ORIENTAL SET FOR ST JAMES QUARTER Celebrity chef Jimmy Lee is preparing to open his first Edinburgh restaurant in the city’s new St James Quarter this month. Salt & Chilli Oriental Edinburgh will be housed within Bonnie & Wild’s Scottish Marketplace.

Creel Caught by Gary Maclean, The Gannet, Rico’s Pasta Bar, Erpingham House, CHIX, east PIZZA, and Joelato are already operating there.

Jimmy Lee also operates Salt & Chilli in Glasgow’s West End and Lychee Oriental in Glasgow City Centre.

Pushing the Boat out Largo Leisure has refurbished The Boathouse Kitchen and Bar in the grounds of Loch Tay Highland Lodges with a ‘distinct and contemporary Scottish feel’ inspired by its waterside location on a loch and its marina near Killin.

Said Rupert Barrett of Largo Leisure, which also operates Mharsanta, Van Winkle, and The Inchcolm Inn, “Over the last 10 years we have put considerable investment into the accommodation on-site at Loch Tay Highland Lodges, which now offers over 75 selfcatered units for rental.

“This new investment into the on-site restaurant which we have called The Boathouse

Kitchen and Bar begins to complete this development and we hope that this will provide a new relaxed environment which customers and visitors can use for socialising during their holiday.

“We are excited to re-open the space as Derek (Mallon) and his experienced team take on the daily running of the restaurant and we hope our guests enjoy this new addition to the site.”

Added Derek, “It fills us with pride to take over management of The Boathouse at Loch Tay and to have finished refurbishing the space, creating a relaxed space for guests at this very special location.”

JUMPING FOR JOIA Cristiano Strazzullo chose Glasgow’s Finnieston to open his first venue – Joia Italian Restaurant & Bar. It’s on Argyle Street where Pellegrini used to be, a few doors down from Tesco.

It has a 50 capacity and is spread over two levels, including a bar.

Pellegrini was opened by Rosaria Crolla Pellegrini and her sister Gabriella in 2019 but became a hospitality casualty of the pandemic.

New owners of Aberdeen The Albyn, Simon Cruickshank and his wife, Christie, are in the middle of a six-figure refurbishment of the bar after being granted a licence to trade in April, with a planned opening in August this year. The layout is changing to include a terrace and the bar at the front, a signature room in the middle and the restaurant at the back in the former Albyn Place office building turned adult-only bar, which closed in 2018 after 13 years Simon was raised working in the various Aberdeen pubs his father operated, and before this, the couple was working in hospitalityin Europe. Simon’s father, also Simon, currently runs the Ploughman in Culter.

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NEWS COVER STORY JODIE KIDD LAUNCHES LONG LIVE THE LOCAL CAMPAIGN

Tiger Tiger now Sportsterz Scott Townshend and Barry Watson have opened a second Sportsterz venue in Glasgow’s former Tiger Tiger on Glassford Street. It has a 400 capacity and joins Sportsterz Dundee which opened in 2019.

It has 20 large screens showing all sporting events, six American pool tables, a private pool booth, shuffleboards, electronic darts, and a VIP games room.

After closing several years ago, Tiger Tiger was replaced by another nightclub, Mansion House, which shut down in January 2016.

AD-LIB reborn

Glasgow American Bar-Diner Ad-Lib has a new look that first saw the light of day late last month. It’s been a fixture on Hope Street since 1997 and Head Chef Mark Balarsky has been in the kitchen at Ad-Lib for 10 years.

New talking point features include the cola-red 50s, retro-style booths, a life-sized Marilyn Monroe, a classic 1957 Chevrolet crashing through the wall, and a jukebox playing American tunes.

General Manager Jimmy Deadman said, “It was time to rejuvenate Ad-Lib with a new design, new menu, and new feel and we’re excited to be re-opening with new seating, a superb yoghurt ice cream machine, and a few more surprises up our sleeve.”

ORO GETS PLANNING GREEN LIGHT Glasgow City Council has given planning permission to Domenico Crolla, owner of Oro on the city’s Kilmarnock Road to transform the area behind the Italian eatery to include a beer terrace and several mixed-use units which could be used as art studios, cafes, hairdressers, and restaurants.

The plans for the courtyard comprising 35-87 Kilmarnock Rd, 1220 Mount Stuart St, 3-27 Walton St, and 74 - 124 Deanston Drive would provide a Class 1 retail unit, Class 3 coffeeshop and a Class 3 restaurant according to the planning papers. The plans have been five years in the making.

Publican and model Jodie Kidd has lent her support to the ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign to champion the important social and economic role that pubs play at the heart of the community.

The launch comes as new research found that 9 in 10 people (86.2%) formed a special relationship in a pub, whether falling in love, having a first date, meeting a new friend or meeting their business partner.

Jodie Kidd said, “Pubs up and down the country are at the heart of communities and play a central role in our lives. We all know someone who has celebrated a special moment in a pub, whether it is a wedding reception with family or a catch up with an old friend. No matter how big or small the occasion, Brits rely on pubs to provide a warm, comforting and welcoming place to socialise. We can’t take pubs for granted that is why I am backing ‘Long Live the Local.’”

Chef adds Latin flavour to Edinburgh’s New Town Chef Scott Wyse has teamed up with Edinburgh mixologist, Mike Lynch, and a team of five to open two restaurants - the 40-cover Superico Restaurant at 83 Hanover Street, which opened in late May, and the 180-capacity Superico Bar and Lounge at 99 Hanover Street which debuted in late June.

With over 30 years combined experience between them, Scott and Mike were part of the team that launched the Devil’s Advocate restaurant and bar in Edinburgh’s Old Town in 2013.

The style of Superico’s two new venues is influenced by the big, bold flavours of South America, which Scott has experienced first-hand on his travels south of the equator.

Signature South American dishes on the new Superico menu will include ceviche and crudo inspired by Nikkei cuisine

in Peru, beef cheek with mole from Oaxaca in Mexico and fresh mojo sauces inspired by Chile.

Said Mike, “Guests will enjoy hustle and bustle in the restaurant where they’ll get the chance to see the bar and kitchen team work side by side in the open space to the rear of the restaurant.”

“With our sights firmly set on the launch and growth of both our venues, Superico has the ambition to quickly become a well-established social venue in Edinburgh with global recognition.”

Chef Scott Wyse, added, “I’m not just looking at the typical styles and flavours that you may associate with South America, but also how other cultures have influenced them such as Nikkei cuisine which is the Japanese influence on Peru.”

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NEWS SPANISH MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF ROCKS NEW LOOK RIOJA IN GLASGOW Spanish Michelin-starred chef, Angel Major, is heading up the new look Rioja in Finnieston, co-owned by Toni Carbajosa, and Kevin Campbell of the C&C Restaurant Group.

The expanded 60-capacity restaurant is at 1116 Argyle St, and is spread across two floors and designed in calming baby blue, peach, and pastels Toni Carbajosa said, “Rioja has always been able to provide a concept that showcases the most authentic Spanish dishes made with both Iberian and Scottish ingredients, and with the appointment of Miguel, we believe that we can challenge the preconceived ideas

of fine dining and offer a lively casual dining tapas restaurant and re-establish Rioja as one of Glasgow most innovative food and drink destinations”.

Chef Miguel, who recently moved to Glasgow, said, “Scotland, its people, its produce, and its history have always piqued my interest.

The menu at Rioja will link the high quality of Scottish products to the history of Spanish cuisine”.

The chef, who previously worked at the world-famous El Bulli, received his first Michelin star in 2017 at Sucede in Valencia. Rioja marks his first UK appointment.

BUZZWORKS OFFERS SHARE OF £20K POT AS INCENTIVE TO REFER CHEFS A bonus pot worth £20,000 for employees and customers has been put aside by independent restaurant and bar operators Buzzworks in a bid to attract chefs into their kitchens and tackle a recruitment drought.

The referral incentive means that if a chef mentions it was a friend or family referral that urged them to apply – a monetary bonus could be on its way. As long as an offer of employment is made and they work within the business for at least three months, then the referrer will receive a generous cash sum directly from Buzzworks.

Bonuses range from £200 for a Commis Chef to £750 for referring a successful Head Chef candidate. For anyone referred that joins the team at Scotts South Queensferry or Buzzworks newest venue The Bridge Inn Linlithgow then the reward is doubled up to £1500.

Trevor Garden, Buzzworks Chef Director, said, “We are challenging the stereotypical negative perception of hospitality careers.

We proudly offer benefits to all of our people focused on work-life balance including flexible working, four day weeks and paid overtime.

“As an ambitious business, we’re always striving to develop our menus and cooking techniques providing world-class equipment, fresh produce and offering bespoke training and development.

We also have new venues on the horizon but desperately need to match new recruits to our current vacancies across Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and West Lothian in order for us all to thrive.

“As a people business which values every voice, we are looking to our own people but also our communities to refer motivated and talented individuals – and we’ve released an impressive bonus pot to reward and thank successful referrals.

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“Whether you know a college graduate keen for their first step on the ladder, an established chef looking to thrive in a new environment or a novice in the kitchen seeking a complete career change – we’d love to hear from them.”

Candidates simply have to specify the friend or family member when applying and if they successfully complete their three-month probationary period, Buzzworks will be in touch with the referrer to arrange their cash bonus.

Interested chefs should visit www. belongatbuzzworks.com or call/WhatsApp Viv on 07514 496 387 to find out more.

Buzzworks, which has been named in the Sunday Times Best Companies to Work for consecutively for five years, offers flexible working with four day weeks available and paid overtime as well as an equal share of tips, 40% discount on all venue food menus, and excellent training and development programmes.

Buzzworks also provides access to Hospitality Action wellbeing services, a company wellbeing fund and Health Club with nutritional advice, weekly calls, outdoor training and fundraising events. Most recently, Buzzworks seamlessly integrated Wagestream, a leader in earned wage access, to its systems which offers increased flexibility and early access to 50% of earnings for individuals.

Buzzworks Holdings currently manages twelve venues including Scotts in Troon, Largs and South Queensferry, Vic’s & The Vine in Prestwick, Lido venues in Prestwick and Troon, The Tree House in Ayr, The Long House and Duke in Kilmarnock, The Mill House in Stewarton, The Corner House in Kilwinning and The Coach House in Bridge of Weir.

The latest addition to the Buzzworks portfolio is The Bridge Inn Linlithgow which is expected to open in summer 2021.

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NOW YOU’RE TALKING

BRAND NEWS ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

GIN

HYDRO GARDEN GIN 1881 Distillery in the Scottish Borders has launched a limited edition summer gin called Hydro Garden Gin. Said 1881 Brand Manager Charlie Leckie, “We’re blessed with rich natural resources at Peebles Hydro and we’re proud to use the landscape as our inspiration. To create this new product, we wanted to think about quintessential summer flavours while also celebrating the rich history of the Hydro.

“This is the first in a series of summer releases we have planned for the coming years at 1881. Each year we intend to spotlight a different botanical or flavour which is grown in our gardens and greenhouses on the Peebles Hydro grounds. We hope this inaugural seasonal offering will be enjoyed by gin lovers across the globe.”

Named after the year Peebles Hydro Hotel was founded, 1881 gin uses local botanicals and a sustainable onsite spring water source at Shieldgreen – the same mineral-rich spring originally famed for rejuvenating water treatments .

To view or purchase visit www.1881distillery.com

SUMMER ADS FOR HENDRICK’S Hendrick’s Gin is up and running with its summer advertising campaign called ‘Escape the Conventional and Embrace the Delectable, which aims to reach over 38.5M people across the UK through to the August Bank Holiday. With a £2.5M media investment, the campaign represents the peculiar gin’s biggest omni-channel campaign to date. The campaign includes a national TV advert, Cucumber Lemonade Gardens across the country, and its first ever Spotify ad, in partnership with poet Nikita Gill.

From mid-July, will see Hendrick’s Gin take over UK bus shelters, with immersive, living bus shelter builds popping up across six cities including Edinburgh. Ifan Jenkins, UK Marketing Director at William Grant & Sons, explains, “For some, the pandemic will have shackled our curiosity and resigned us to smaller, more conventional lives, confined to our kitchens and gardens.

While we found new ways to delight in the familiar, we dreamt of bigger adventures and eagerly awaited the days where we would safely come out of hibernation. “With the world starting to open up again, there has never been a better time for Hendrick’s to encourage and reward our curiosity.

We want to remind people of the wonders of a curious life, helping them break from the conventional and embrace the delectable.”

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New and exclusive luxury gin brand Old Tom Gin 1821 launches Old Tom Gin 1821 is a new and exclusive luxury gin brand founded by father and son, Giorgio and Gino Cozzolino.

Created in St. Andrews, the recognised ‘Home of Golf’, and distilled using the finest Sicilian ingredients including citrus orange, ginger and juniper, the decadent spirit symbolises a harmonious marriage between Giorgio’s Italian homeland and his love for the Scottish town, where he has resided for the last six years.

Old Tom Gin 1821 is set to become the gin brand of choice for consumers at prestigious venues and iconic sporting events worldwide, affirmed by its upcoming involvement with the Ryder Cup in 2023. Under official ‘Supplier and Licensee’ status, Old Tom Gin 1821 will supply all gin and gin-based cocktails at the renowned sporting event taking place at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.

Boasting a wealth of drinks industry experience from companies including Scottish and Newcastle, C&C Group and William Grant & Sons, Global Commercial Director, Richard Glover, confirms: “Since its launch, Old Tom Gin 1821 has established credibility through various commercial opportunities and business partnerships. We plan to develop the Old Tom Gin 1821 brand further through increasing our links within both the golf and drinks sector, as well as partnering with other premium/luxury brands.

Synonymous with quality and a luxurious lifestyle, Old Tom Gin 1821 is the new Super Premium gin brand bringing you the best of Italy, grounded by our Scottish roots.

To find out more, visit: www.oldtomgin1821.com

BESTWAY FOCUS ON SCOTTISH ON-TRADE

by Susan Young

T

here is nothing better than putting a face to a name and the availability and customer service which is second to none and our DRAM did that this month when we caught up with David promise to customers is to be the ‘Best Way to Grow your Food and Livingstone whose official title is Head of Catering at Bestway Drinks Business’.”

Wholesale. His responsibilities however are more far-reaching The business also has a contact centre based in Perth. David tells me, and include Drinks Express. There is not a lot he doesn’t know about “Our operators have their regular clients who they talk to weekly, and the business which is hardly surprising since he been working for the our customers also have regular reps. Billy Rhynd is our regional sales business since he was a young man (and that wasn’t yesterday) sorry manager and he currently looks after eight territory sales managers David. who link into the contact centre. We like to give our customers a For those of you that are not familiar with Bestway Wholesale let me fill personal touch. I think this gives them consistency, which is very much you in. It was established in 1976, and since then Bestway Wholesale needed at the moment. If mistakes are made there is always someone has grown to become the UK’s largest independent food and drink to sort it out.” wholesaler. It is part of the giant Bestway Group which also has global Something else which is needed at the moment is available stock. David business interests include Banking, Cement, Pharmacy and Property says, “Through no fault of their own the on-trade in Scotland is having Investment. Bestway Group has 70 pharmacies in Scotland alone. Its difficulty getting stock. The market is in chaos. Fortunately, we are founder and chairman is Sir Anwar Pervez while its CEO is Zameer more nimble than most due to the fact our depots are in key strategic Choudrey, a member of the House of Lords. locations and because of the stock we tend to hold which has been To give you an idea of the scale of Bestway Wholesale increased recently to improve service. Our job is – which is headed by managing director, Dawood to make the customer’s life as easy as possible Pervez - its latest UK turnover was in the region of and provide a reliable and consistent service. This £2.5bn and it has 20,000 employees here. Within means we deliver on time, and we deliver what they its retail estate it works closely with its franchisee want, when they want it, at a good price.” partners and has over 3,750 stores including some “We also have a website – which leads you to 300 sites which are company-owned. Its brands our food offer and our Drinks Express range and are household names including Best-one, Costcutter, brochure. There is an app too. This can be used Bargain Booze, Wine Rack, Mace, Simply Fresh by bar staff to make an order by scanning the and Select Convenience and it delivers to 70,000 barcode on the brands they need to replace. It is independent retailers and 40,000 catering and easy to use. foodservice operators.

“We offer next day delivery, day one for day two, In Scotland, most people are more familiar with its and usually give customers two set days a week. subsidiary company Batley’s, which was bought by Some want one, others more.

Bestway in 2005, while in 2010 it bought Bellevue “We usually achieve 98% order fulfilment for all and Martrex (the food service arm of CJ Lang) customers. Of course, we do want to achieve and in 2014 Sher Bros. In 2020 the Costcutter 100% and give customers absolutely everything David Livingstone supermarket group was also acquired. So you can they order. We can also supply kegs and do David Livingstone begin to see the scale of the group. installs. Additionally reps meet regularly with drinks Says David, “Some people consider us mainly a cash and carry brand ambassadors so that they are fully knowledgeable on as many business, but we also have a significant wholesale delivered market with brands as possible. We are trying to sell everyone’s brands and the some £150m of sales through BB Foodservice and our Drinks Express more we know about their brands the more helpful we can be to our business. In Scotland alone we have six large depots which service most customers.” areas of the country and a team of ten sales reps servicing the on- One of the benefits of Drinks Express is that it not only delivers trade.” competitive prices and a comprehensive range of alcoholic drinks but I met him at the Glasgow Bestway-Batley’s depot in Kilbirnie Street, it can also provide non-licensed items such as soft drinks and cleaning which was going like a fair, to talk mainly about Drinks Express and the products. Says David, “We really are a one-stop-shop – we can provide company’s primary focus in Scotland which is the on-trade. everything a pub would need from beer line cleaners to toilet blocks. I David explains, “We have been very fortunate in that parts of our like to think we provide a local, community service to the on-trade.” business have performed very well during the pandemic, but it is now He concludes, “Fundamentally we want to make our customers life as time to focus on, and support, the on-trade. Our customer base is wet easy as possible. They have enough on their plates. We aim to fulfill led pubs, pubs that offer food, hotels and licensed restaurants. We their orders on time, in full, with friendly service and at the right price.” have lots of long-standing relationships but we would like to expand our To find out more call 01738 646666 or check out bbfoodservice.co.uk reach.

“Despite the scale of the company we are family-owned, and we have a significant presence here. We have a significant team in Scotland and Drinks Express and BB Foodservice are headquartered here.

He continues, “I believe we offer customers a comprehensive range of products and promotions at sector-leading prices, unparalleled DRAM JULY 2021 9

THE NO.1 HARD SELTZER

BRAND IN THE U.K. AVAILABLE NOW *Source: IRI Total Hard Seltzer Category MAT Value share, w/e 21/02/2021, Total Market.

Flavours stocked may vary.

Enjoy White Claw Hard Seltzer ® Responsibly.

Seltzer means ‘sparkling water’ and originates from the name of a German spa town, Niederselters, whose naturally carbonated mineral waters were bottled and exported around the world as early as 1787.

HARD SELTZER IS ALSO CALLED SPIKED SELTZER IN THE US.

From rappers like Travis Scott and Cacti to chef Gordon Ramsay and his new ‘Hell’s Seltzer’, the rise of celebrity-backed hard seltzers is gaining momentum fast.

SINGER-SONGWRITER ELLIE GOULDING HAS BECOME CO-OWNER OF SERVED AFTER ACQUIRING A ‘SIGNIFICANT’ STAKE IN THE BRITISH HARD SELTZER BRAND FOR AN UNDISCLOSED SUM. SERVED IS MADE BY INFUSING SPARKLING SPRING WATER WITH WONKY FRUIT, PAIRED WITH ITS OWN SERVEDPURE SPIRIT.

NSYNC’s Lance Bass is now the face of Fruit Smash Hard Seltzer.

BAR INVENTORY MANAGEMENT PLATFORM BACKBAR HAS REVEALED THE MOST POPULAR HARD SELTZER FLAVOURS IN THE US ON-TRADE IN 2021 FROM ITS 10,000-VENUE DATABASE. 1. BLACK CHERRY 2. MANGO 3. LIME 4. BERRY 5. GRAPEFRUIT 6. PINEAPPLE 7. WATERMELON 8. STRAWBERRY 9. RASPBERRY 10. PUNCH

Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch presenter Tim Lovejoy tried a Mexican hard seltzer called Topo Chico live on air and it went straight to his head. He said, ‘What am I drinking?’ to which the experts replied, ‘it’s an alcoholic water.’ Other guests on the show were quick to compliment how refreshing the drink was and how much they liked it.

EVEN THE HALLMARK CHANNEL HAS ITS OWN HARD SELTZER CALLED HALLMARK CHANNEL CHEERS ROSÉ SELTZER, AFTER IT TEAMED UP WITH WINES THAT ROCK.

Kim Kardashian West has been spotted rocking a White Claw Hard Seltzer ‘Lepriclaw get Shamrocked’ shirt.

From hipster flair, to pop art, to elegant illustrative design, there’s a style of Hard Seltzer label design for every sort of consumer, and brand agencies across the world are continually pushing the bounds of DRAM JULY 2021 creativity.

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HARD SELTZERS: THE HOTTES NICOLA YOUNG TAKES A LOOK AT THE HARD SELTZER MARKET AND SOME OF THE BRANDS YOU OUGHT TO BE STOCKING.

T

he first time I had a hard seltzer was in a bar in Boston. It was recommended to me by a friend who informed me that it was a healthy alcoholic drink.

Hard Seltzers, they explained, were low-calorie, low carbohydrate, often gluten-free and also free of artificial preservatives. It looked like fizzy water and tasted refreshing and it packed a punch! It also packs in almost every health and natural requirement anyone could look for in a drink.

When I came back to the UK I tried a few times to get a hold of a hard seltzer and eventually gave up. Roll on a year or two, and

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I was delighted to see them launch here. Last year there were only six available but now there are over 200. I am now spoiled for choice.

Hard Seltzers is an incredible success story. It all started around 2012 when a small brewer, Nick Shields, was in a bar in Connecticut and watched five older women order five vodka sodas. He decided to make a vodka-soda drink that could be sold in a can.

Like all great start-up stories, he made the first batch in his garage finally going to market at the end of 2013. It was called Spiked Seltzer and the original idea was to bridge the gap between

ST CATEGORY ON THE PLANET beer, wine, and cocktails. Anheuser-Busch was one of the biggest brewers to back the new category and took on the new drink and launched it across the States. It took off (it is now called Bon & Viv).

Meanwhile, others were entering the category too. Early to market was Mark Anthony Brands, the owners of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, who launched White Claw in 2016, and the Boston Beer Company who came up with Truly.

By 2019, the category was experiencing a meteoric rise growing 200% in the US in that year alone with some commenting that they had never seen category growth like it.

The Boston Beer Company, the makers of Sam Adams, and the second-largest craft brewer in the world was selling more of its hard seltzer brand, Truly, than it was of beer.

This is perhaps because, as well as being a session drink, hard seltzer, unlike beer, was appealing to health-conscious men and women. Today the market evenly split 50:50 male and female which is probably one of the reasons it is so successful.

It isn’t always the case that things that take off in the US follow the same trend here but IWSR predicts that hard seltzers will witness the highest growth rate within the UK’s ready-to-drink category, with a forecast volume compound annual growth rate of 71.7% from 2019 to 2024.

Unlike the US, in the UK the focus will be on brands with an ABV of 4.7% or lower, almost all of them are under 100 calories and in some cases, the use of fermented sugars, rather than fermented grains, makes them gluten-free.

These new brands are mainly dominated by the industry players

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HARD SELTZERS: THE HOTTEST CATEGORY ON THE PLANET but there is a growing sign that it is attracting some smaller startRob Salvesen, Kopparberg’s Head of Marketing says, “Kopparberg ups that might have previously looked at the craft beer space. is here to redefine the Hard Seltzer by putting flavour front and One Scottish company is Twisted Sisters Drinks which was born centre.” through lockdown when founder and co-owner Ruth Jones found Molson Coors Beverages has Botega Bay in its portfolio - which herself on furlough from the hospitality industry. The 32-year-old launched a few years ago, and which is very popular in Europe. from Auchterhouse, by Dundee, and her brother-in-law Stuart Now the brewer has launched Three Fold.

McPhee developed their Twisted Sister brand and Coors itself could claim to have one of the first have now launched three hard seltzers. Ruth says, Seltzers having launched a low alcohol beverage, “We found other hard seltzers on the market had Zima, way back in 1993 to take on the rise of low chosen to add ‘a hint of flavour’. We have chosen a ABV’s beverages like wine coolers. much fuller flavour profile which has been well Three Fold’s new hard seltzer comes in three received”. flavours: Red Berries, Tropical and Citrus (4.0% Their range consists of coconut and lime, blueberry ABV) and expects to take a share of the market. and elderflower and rhubarb and ginger. All are low Each can of Three Fold is made up of three calorie, vegan, gluten-free and carb-free. ingredients - sparkling water, natural fruit flavours White Claw, the cult US brand, launched in the and alcohol. It’s 93 calories, naturally gluten-free UK in 2020 by Mark Anthony Brands is according and vegan. to John Shea, the chief marketer at White Claw, Three Fold describes it as “a drink created for the number-one selling hard seltzer ‘in the hottest people who flow their own way”. category on the planet’.

While only last month Asahi UK announced its In an interview in The Drum earlier this year he entry into the Hard Seltzer category with the revealed. “This category is getting as competitive arrival of a new Viper Hard Seltzer to complement as any I’ve ever seen.” its portfolio of Super Premium Beer and Cider White Claw was created by Anthony von Mandi, a brands. Brewed in Pilsen and made with spring British Canadian, who started in the wine industry water, the new Viper Hard Seltzer comes in two in the 1970s. He also came up with Mike’s Hard flavour variants - Lime, and, Cranberry, in 330ml Lemonade which launched in 1996. It was so single, can and bottle formats. popular that fights broke out in liquor stores when The launch of Viper Hard Seltzer is being supported supplies ran short! by an experimental sampling campaign, as well Mandi puts part of the success of Mike’s Hard as activation at consumer events and festivals Lemonade down to the fact that men didn’t always nationwide. Sam Rhodes, Marketing Director want to drink beer but didn’t want to be seen holding Asahi UK, said, “ Entering the vibrant Hard Seltzer anything else in their hand. But unlike Seltzer’s, it is category is a really exciting move for us, and we’re brewed rather than spirit-based. proud to introduce a Hard Seltzer that not only White Claw which he launched in 2019 was offers quality, demonstrated through the brewing created to appeal to more health-conscious process, but it also allows us to continue to offer drinkers. It is available in four natural flavours of products to our customers that are in line with mango, raspberry, black cherry and natural lime consumer trends.” and comes in at 95 Calories with an ABV of 4.5%.

Meanwhile, craft beer winners Brewdog, have It has proved just as successful. As a result, the entered the hard seltzer game with Clean & Press, brand owners Mark Anthony Brands is now the Smirnoff have their 72 calorie Smirnoff Seltzer fourth biggest beer company in the US. A youtube made with their Smirnoff No.21 Premium Vodka video creating a meme suggesting “Ain’t no laws All of this is good news for pubs. According to when drinking Claws’ also has had nearly six million Grand View Research, in the US, the on-trade is views! to see Total the fastest growth to 2027, up *Source: IRI Total Hard Seltzer Category MAT expected Value share, w/e 21/02/2021, Market.

Flavours stocked may vary. with an increasing number of consumers Now White Claw is making a noise in the UK too.

16.5% Enjoy White Claw Hard Seltzer ® Responsibly.

Kopparberg launched its hard seltzer under the drinking hard seltzers in bars and restaurants that same brand name last May and is now rolling it out. is creating a massive opportunity for the product.

It has an ABV of 5% and 93 calories. The company also launched “Hard seltzers have disrupted the U.S. on-premise space Balans which they described as an Aqua Spritz, in 2019. dramatically. Look out it could be set to disrupt our space too.

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BE ALL YOU CAN’T BE

by Susan Young

THE EUROS WAS JUST ABOUT TO KICK OFF WHEN I CAUGHT UP WITH THREE OF HEINEKEN UK’S REGIONAL SALES MANAGERS TERESA BRANNAN, CATHERINE WHEELER AND VICKY TICE AT BABBITY BOWSTERS IN GLASGOW AS WELL AS BOSS JASON COCKBURN PICTURED BELOW. THEY WERE SET FOR A BUSY FEW WEEKS BUT TOOK THE TIME OUT TO TELL ME MORE ABOUT THEIR ROLES AND WHY THEY ENJOY WORKING IN THE SCOTTISH ON-TRADE AND FOR HEINEKEN.

SETTING THE SCENE Teresa Brannan is probably one of HEINEKEN’s longest-serving Sales Managers, with nearly 20 years under her belt. Today she is the Regional Sales Manager for Stirlingshire and Argyll and Bute. Her role takes her the length and breadth of the country. She also helps manage the company’s events. Before joining what was then Scottish & Newcastle (HEINEKEN bought it in 2007) Teresa worked as a Customer Services Manager for electronics company Motorola. But when it closed she saw a Scottish Brewers recruitment campaign saying, “Be all you can’t be”, and went for the interview which included a role-play and a hearing test (who knew?). Says Teresa, “To begin with I thought it would be a stop-gap until I went back into electronics. I’m still here 20 years later and the training and the support with regard to personal development has been a big part of my journey.”

Teresa’s first sales position was when the company needed someone to go on the road to handle Caledonian Heritable. Teresa recalls, “I got the account and the role came with a company car and a laptop. I was also tasked with visiting pubs in Edinburgh. What was there not to like? I loved it.”

Her next role came about when Alastair Moore needed a sales representative for Dumfries and Galloway. Teresa was very keen and wanted to stand out so she went for the interview dressed as a Foster’s font. Needless to say, she got the job. Says Teresa, “Over the years I have covered just about every area in Scotland except Aberdeen and Angus. No wonder people can’t place my accent. I have met lots of different characters, customers with different ways of working and sold lots of products. I love it, although it is hard work and you do need to have a thick skin. It helps that I am a big fan of football and horse racing so I am able to find something in common with most people. I also work with a great team.”

Catherine Wheeler is the Area Manager for Greater Glasgow. Before joining HEINEKEN three years ago she was with Peebles Publishing and sold advertising in its trade publications for 11 years. Although she jumped at the opportunity to join HEINEKEN she believes that some women may have a preconception about working for a brewer. She says, “I think that when people see a role at HEINEKEN come up they sometimes assume that they need to have a certain type of personality traits, for instance be bullish and headstrong, or that you have to be one of the guys to fit in with your team or the company. It’s just not like that. You also don’t have to play golf with your customers. I always thought that it was spirits reps that customers wanted to see, but it’s the beer rep that people want to sit down with because beer is a huge part of their business.”

Vicky Tice started out running nightclubs more than 18 years ago. In the past, she managed the Arches and worked for Luminar and Greene King before going to a Star Pubs & Bars recruitment event. She didn’t take on a pub but she did get her Regional Manager’s role for the parent company two years ago. However, she thinks it was partly because she was the only woman in the room at the event which meant she stood out and that worked to her advantage. She now looks after Aberdeen and Angus and believes that her background as an operator has really helped her build relationships. She says, “When I tell them I have worked in the trade you can see them mentally ticking the box.”

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

I’m a mum and sometimes it is good to have that time – it is a bit of freedom and we have some of the best countryside in the UK. It’s very flexible. It is not strict 9am to 5pm - perhaps HEINEKEN should shout about that a bit more. My child goes to primary and I drop him off at 9am then do my job, and if there are any doctor’s appointments I can work around them. In fact, some of your customers can’t see you between 9am and 5pm and sometimes it suits to go in later. As long as we get the work done it is flexible and HEINEKEN also help by giving childcare vouchers.”

Teresa: “I joined the company thinking I would be team manager but I also run events like the Highland Show – 14 bars in a big field! I look after Perth Racecourse, Hamilton Racecourse and Kelso too. I don’t just sell beer and cider, I have had amazing experiences doing all the event management.

I have also discovered there is a ferry from Ardrossan to Campbeltown on a Sunday night. I start from my furthest point on a Monday and work my way up to Inverary and Lochgoilhead and stay over then go further up to Oban and Port Appin and WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE stay there – it is like a money can’t buy job. Some BE TO SOMEONE CONSIDERING people say ‘you call that work?’”

Catherine: “I am currently in a pilot group that TAKING ON A SALES ROLE AT A is embracing reverse mentoring. I mentor one of BEER COMPANY? the guys on the management team and, usually, we would not engage with each other at all. He is Teresa: “I would say don’t be scared, the very opposite of me, and he works in a much embrace it. Some people say to me, ‘how do Jason Cockburn, Sales Director more introverted environment. He is learning what you walk into a pub on your own?’. I respond, it feels like to be a younger female working in the ‘It’s like walking into a shop. You will always company and the industry. It is giving him a real find a friendly face’. I always say to Jason my next ‘no’ is there or my insight into a completely different role.” next ‘yes’. Most people still want to speak to you. They always ask, Vicky: “On sunny days, not when it snows, it takes me three hours ‘what are you selling? Have you anything in your boot?’” to get to the furthest away point. I stick the radio on and away I go.

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HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE TRADE SINCE IT RE-OPENED? Teresa: “People are just glad to see people and we are happy to see them whether it’s customers we supply directly, indirectly, or we are prospecting. I have had a lot of From left to rig ht: Vicky Tice, doors open in the last six weeks.

Teresa Branna n, Catherine W It’s great now because we didn’t, heeler in the past, visit customers that didn’t trade directly with us. Now we can have conversations even if only one of our brands is on the bar – the most important thing is that the brand is being supported and we will work with the customer and supply point of sale that they require, such as aware of any gender bias that they maybe don’t realise they have.” glasses.”

Vicky: “It’s been very much about building relationships. First and WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE foremost we are always asking them how they are, especially after EVENT WITH HEINEKEN? Covid. It’s always great getting to know people, and the more you know the more you can help with regard to what they are selling.

They are really glad to see you.”

Teresa: “There have been so many. However, I have presented the Scottish Amateur Cup on four occasions at Hampden and have sat HOW HAS THE ON-TRADE CHANGED AND ARE in the Queen’s Box. That was amazing.”

THERE STILL BARRIERS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING Catherine: “One of the last nights at the Bandstand Summer Nights – Human League were playing and they sang Electric Dreams which A WOMAN WORKING IN THE BEER INDUSTRY? was the song used on the Strongbow advertising – the crowd all sang along. It was a perfect night and I thought, how lucky am I to Teresa: “I’ve been in all-male teams but I have always felt that be part of this experience?” my gender didn’t really come into play. Sometimes it is more the Vicky: “It had to be the BBC Sports Personality of the Year event customers that react differently to a woman, however I do think in Aberdeen. We were involved right from the beginning and it was that being a woman in the trade does have the advantages because great to invite people along and it was great to see our customers usually people will take the time to talk to you. In the past, customers blown away by the hospitality and the event.” may have thought ‘why is this wee lassie from the brewer trying to tell us what to do?’. But now they realise that I can actually help them with their pub and their sales by advising them on what beer LAST WORD they should be stocking that would suit their customers and their rate of sale.

Teresa: “I always ask people if you had a magic wand and you got Occasionally if it is a working men’s club the committee may not all three wishes what would they be. They always say – good service, a agree on what to stock but most can see the business angle – if good price and to see a good rep. When I joined this company the you are selling four kegs of a premium brand every four weeks strapline was ‘Be all you can’t be’, and that holds true today. There and only one keg of another every six weeks it doesn’t make much is nothing holding you back at HEINEKEN.” commercial sense. We are trying to grow their business – if they Vicky: “I love experiencing new experiences. Two days are never the are growing their business, our business will grow. same and it is definitely not boring. The added bonus is getting to I can remember going to a club to meet the committee and when experience all the events HEINEKEN sponsors!” they found out I was a female I had to wait outside until I could be Catherine: “It’s stretching and rewarding. The endpoint justifies the escorted in. Thankfully these days are long gone.” effort. Freddie Heineken always said, ‘we don’t sell beer we sell a Catherine: “My area is the city centre and it is a bit different in the feeling.’ That’s why we do this job.” city – I find that my customers are used to dealing with females.

Females coming into our industry can be their authentic selves.

They don’t have to change to fit in.”

Vicky: “In Aberdeenshire some of my customers may still refer to To make HEINEKEN me as the ‘girl from the brewery’. I think you do have to work at it your supplier or a bit harder than your male colleagues but once you do get their respect there is no going back. I have been in the licensed trade enquire about joining for 18 years and I worked in nightclubs all over Scotland. When I started females were treated as if they were little girls, but that has the team, visit all turned on its head. There has been a complete shift in the last heineken.co.uk or five years. Women are much more confident and I’ve certainly got more confident over the years.” scan the QR code.

Jason adds: “The industry is definitely getting better but there is still a way to go. We, at HEINEKEN, are trying to make people more DRAM JULY 2021 17

LICENSEE INTERVIEW BY JASON CADDY

A

llan Henderson is co-owner and founding director of The McGinty’s Group and he’s happily hands-off because it gives him a critical helicopter perspective of the Aberdeen-based business and its nine venues.

Said Allan, “I’m not a hands-on publican, and I know that this will surprise many. I don’t pour pints in any of my premises. I’ve never poured a pint in any of my premises.

“I did economics and accounts at university so I was brought up with numbers and come from an accountancy background. Numbers will always be the driver. But it’s the discipline behind them - the margins, wages, projections based on sensible sales and not pie in the sky, profitability, buying, or whatever. At the end of the day, business is rewarded for risk. I am bolshie. I wish I had a pound for everybody that told me that will never work. But I had a vision and hopefully, we’ve delivered on it.”

“My pals call me the delegator so I have the luxury of being able to take a step back and think about how we can do it better.

I’m steering the strategic management of the business, like weekly management meetings, monthly board meetings. My accountancy background means I’m used to the discipline of running a business.”

McGinty’s Meal An’ Ale, The Stag, No. 10 Bar & Restaurant, Ferryhill House Hotel, The Fourmile, The Silver Darling, The Esslemont, Macs Pizzeria, and The Grill make up its nine-strong portfolio of bars and the company came about in 2009.

His fellow directors, Alan Aitken (Operations), Derren McRae (nonexec and founding director) and Jillian Miller (Marketing) also have shares in the business, while Allan Henderson also heads up a contract catering business called The Workshop UK Ltd. The McGinty’s Group is always on the lookout for new opportunities – and Allan feels that the next few years will generate many more of them because of the current situation.

“In the next couple of years, there are going to be hundreds of opportunities for operators in the wake of the pandemic.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that everyone will make it so there will be places that are quite frankly bought for a song.

“In general in Scotland, obviously there are the big guys, but the majority are family-run places where they just operate one hotel, pub, restaurant and they don’t want to move from that because they don’t feel they can transfer their skills from running one successful outfit to running two. That’s fine. But I think you must be bolshie to grow.”

He recognises that the hospitality machine has moved on and become a lot slicker in the last few years and this means moving with the times or risk being left behind.

“In the old days all a pub had to do was stick a sign outside and it would sell lager. It’s a very different world now with social media and customer engagement and building a brand more cleverly rather than ‘come to us for a meal.’ Those days are gone. You need to build a customer base, engage with them and know how often you should communicate with them – importantly with the right offering.

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“And it’s not always about price. When I look at some of the biggest fails in the trade, I feel a lot were pricedriven. By halving the price of things they maybe did get more customers but all they did, in the end, was lose more money.”

Allan believes that continual investment must be strategic rather than throwing money at refurbishments for the sake of it.

“The most important thing is investing in your sites. We’ve been in this business for 13 years, and I’ve witnessed businesses round about me being complacent, not upgrading their toilets, not upgrading their front-ofhouse. We have continued to invest but sensibly, not just for the sake of throwing money at it but to improve the end product.”

He’s also proudly customer focussed and invests in the right kind of people because he believes they do things differently compared to other operators. And despite the current challenging circumstances, Allan remains upbeat about retaining his workforce in a market where labour is scarce because of the double-whammy of Covid-19 and Brexit.

“We have a different attitude to staffing to other hospitality operators. The vast majority are full-time, we don’t rely on the student market and encourage a lot of internal staff promotions between sites, and I put that down to a good culture that we run as a business – we aim to create a real family community.”

“There’s also fewer Europeans applying for jobs and I don’t know whether that’s Brexit and pandemic, or both. I don’t know what the balance is quite honestly. Obviously, people have gone back to their home countries because of the pandemic and I think that the press is too quick to throw in the Brexit word too easily. I think it’s a factor, but I think it’s down to the pandemic more so, however it’s difficult to tell with both happening at the same time.”

But while all this is of high importance, it’s the customer experience that is at the heart of everything The McGinty’s Group does.

“At the end of the day, our business is about customer service.

A MAN WITH A HOSPIT

profitable until social distancing is behind us.”

“Obviously the grants and the furlough scheme has been very well received but you also have a situation where the hospitality industry has been burdened with excess restrictions that other businesses such as retail haven’t had and I think that the reasons hospitality has been subject to these deeper restrictions are, and to be absolutely frank, false.

“We were the only country in the world to ban music which affected the atmosphere and the wider customer experience of a venue which in turn impacted footfall during an already extremely challenging time for venues.

“We took on CBIL (Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan) and used the furlough scheme across our businesses which was needed just to protect the businesses. We were fortunate in that we went into the pandemic with a strong balance sheet right across the business so we had a solid company base. I worry about many businesses that don’t have a strong balance sheet and now have loans to repay and building debt and I think that their future prospects are going to be difficult.”

Allan is very optimistic about business bouncing back based on early indications and what he sees as customers’ willingness to spend money although profits have still been hit very hard of course.

“Our restaurants are already bouncing back even though they’re operating at only 60 to 70% capacity. They’ve been busy, people have got money in their pockets, there’s a propensity to spend, and the built-up cash reserves the Bank of England has been talking about in the past year, we are seeing that in people’s willingness to spend a bit more when they’re out.”

Allan strongly feels that it’s important that operators keep their venues open even if they’re not making money.

“I’m not going to say that we’re making money doing these things but what we are doing is protecting the business. I’m not a fan of the businesses that have chosen to stay closed. I would rather be trading at 60 to 70% of the normal business, knowing that once we get back to normality, it’s easy to move from 70 to 100 than

N OF NUMBERS A PASSION FOR TALITY Everything comes down to this. It’s about making sure that you employ the right staff that are happy to go the extra mile for our customers and business. There will be challenges because there is less labour out there to employ and some hospitality businesses will be more directed to employ those they perhaps wouldn’t have employed in the past, so that means it’s really important that the training is up to scratch.

“We do some external training but we very much like it to be in-house in the main. Partly because we want to extend the culture across our business, and secondly it allows our managers the opportunity to incorporate our preferred way of service and our passion for hospitality. It comes from directors and senior managers and percolates down.”

How has he steered the business through the pandemic and the constraints of social distancing and what’s his view on how the Scottish and UK governments have handled things?

“We were employing just shy of 250 before the pandemic and we are back up to around 230 so we’re not far short. With the current restrictions, the wet bars just don’t make any money. They’ve reopened but it’s still very difficult and I don’t see wet bars becoming

DRAM JULY 2021 19

LICENSEE INTERVIEW it is from zero to 100. I think it’s been a worthwhile step for us, despite some of the short-term losses. I think that this protects your business more in the long term.

He’s also worked closely with Aberdeen council, who he says have supported the trade.

“We’re seeing consistent levels of high bookings and I only see that continuing. In terms of trends, we can see a move to more outdoor venues and we were very fortunate that Aberdeen Council worked very closely with the licensing premises to ensure that as many as possible had that opportunity.

“This has allowed us to trade back to somewhere near normal levels while we have restrictions indoors but also allowing places that couldn’t trade indoors to at least have a facility to trade and keep staff in place.

But despite all the challenges the pandemic has thrown at the business, Allan says that the biggest issues affecting his business are more historic.

“The biggest issues affecting my business are the ones that were here pre-pandemic. The business rates system in Scotland is not fit for purpose. We’ve never been approached by the government to enter into any sort of discussion about it. They just need to act and do something about it.

“Something like 60% of council services in Aberdeen are paid for by business ratepayers. So in effect, businesses are unjustifiably subsidising these local council services, and if you go down to Glasgow or Dundee, the figure’s far nearer 30 – 35%.

He’s also quite pragmatic about adapting the business further and embracing sustainability, for example.

“The Deposit Return scheme is going to be another chore for businesses but that’s the way businesses must operate. We must all go green. There’s no point in complaining about it. You just have to get on with it. This is the environment we work in now and I always say that if it’s raining, put up an umbrella. Let’s not just complain.

“Those in charge of buying in the business are switched onto sustainability, whether that’s a chef and a food producer promoting it, packaging, heat and light, it’s so relevant in every part of the business now.”

Does he have his eye on expanding the business beyond his beloved Aberdeen and into places where he feels that he could shake things up a little?

“We’ve looked at a few places. We have a policy of not opening up too near to our existing places so I think there are opportunities to move south and north. I know the highlands get a great name for hospitality and vast numbers of tourists, and I do feel there’s untapped opportunities for example in Inverness for our style of venue but time will tell.

The group is also seen as a bit of a rescuer, resuscitating places that nobody else would touch and turning them around.

“We’ve developed a bit of a reputation for taking over places that were on their last legs and then transforming them. No. 10 is a 20

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perfect example.

We looked around and saw that bars were offering traditional pub food and a couple of high-end restaurants so we went for the gap in the middle. Sometimes it’s best not to follow what your competitors are doing it’s better to go your way and identify your own space.

“The Stag had lost its way, was closed for three years, had a bad track record with the police and we paid a very small amount of money for it and within three weeks it was trading at a million pound a year. We recently converted part of The Fourmile into a coffee shop and that’s worked very well out there and given us another string to our bow.

And Allan has some pretty strong views on how we should be marketing our national drink.

“In 2018 we bought The Grill, which is Aberdeen’s favourite whisky bar. It’s an iconic bar in the city, which was owned by the same family for 50 years and already it’s benefiting our other bars because the whisky expertise in that bar is being dripped into our other places.

“I’m a great believer that for a country that has a fantastic product like that, we’ve not done as well as we should have to market it internally. Anytime I see whisky marketing it always seems to be focused on the foreign market, and I think there’s a real opportunity to market it domestically.”

Allan also sits on a few boards in a non-executive capacity because he wants to give something back to his hometown – and lobby on behalf of the hospitality industry.

“I am a really proud Aberdonian. I love the city. I am also a great believer that in business we should do our pro bono. Bill Gates will give away his billions but for mere mortals like me, it’s perhaps easier for me to spend my knowledge.

“I chair the board of Directors of Aberdeen Business Improvement District (BID), Aberdeen Inspired and I’m also on the board of Visit Aberdeenshire and these are non-executive positions and I feel that it’s about giving a little bit back to your area. It also helps expand my own knowledge, and meet key people in the industry. I have only recently joined the board of Visit Aberdeenshire so I am yet to get my teeth into that but I am hoping I can bring a wealth of experience to this role and my passion to better our city.

“I want to improve staycations, lobby for lower VAT, lower business rates, etc. Hospitality standards have improved but they could be even better and I think that’s down to the quality of staff and how they are treated. I am a big advocate for treating them well.”

His final word was as strident as ever – lamenting our deserted city centres and how this is decimating hospitality with no resolution or plan in sight.

“What is getting missed by the Scottish government is that all this encouragement to get people to work from home is dangerous talk. It’s dangerous for city centres that are already struggling and anything that discourages people from going in and spending money in coffee shops and cafes is a poor thing for the city and retail.

Surely this is something that needs to be knocked on the head and the entire business community needs to stand up and fight for that.”

DRAM AWARDS

7TH SEPTEMBER 2021

VOTING OPEN NOW WWW.SCOTTISHBARANDPUBAWARDS.COM

DRAM AWARDS

T

he clock is now ticking for the 2021 Scottish Bar and Pub Awards. Entries are coming in fast and furious. If you want to be considered you need to get your customers, family, friends and suppliers voting. You have to be in it to win it. It is a hybrid event - outside/inside and online too. It will be taking place in the Cranside Kitchen and the Radisson Red - so it is certainly going to be a bit different. Tickets cost £65 and can be booked by contacting accounts@ mediaworldltd.com. We look forward to seeing you all...

DOG FRIENDLY PUB OF THE YEAR

CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD

EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

SOCIAL MEDIA WARD 22

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The Scottish Bar & Pub Awards are hunting for a pub that provides a welcome for pet dogs. Do you know a pub or bar that allow customers to bring their friendly pooches inside? Do they provide a water bowl and the occasional treat? If so, they could be in the running for this accolade. Judges will be bringing their own dogs on mystery visits (volunteers are queuing up!!) If you think you know a pub or hotel that fits the bill – enter it now and if you think you are the most Dog-Friendly Pub in Scotland get your customers voting! The two-legged variety!

Customer service is paramount when it comes to running a successful business. The BII Scotland is on the lookout for a pub, restaurant or hotel which fully embraces the customer service ethos. Do you know a business that does this? If so, they could be eligible for this Award. Judges will look at the measures that are in place to ensure staff are well trained in customer service. Short listing will be done by Mystery Shoppers and if necessary this will be followed up with a meeting with the judges. If you want to put a nomination in, do so now.

Buzzworks and Montpeliers are partnering to offer one emerging entrepreneur the opportunity to be mentored by one of the industry’s most experienced and successful individuals over a twelve-month period. Are you successful already, but would hugely benefit from great operational and financial advice, to allow your business to grow to the next level? If so let us know what you think you would benefit. All candidates will be interviewed too.

Social media is a huge part of your marketing mix now and this year we are looking for a bar, pub, restaurant or hotel who has really made the most of Facebook, Instagram and perhaps Tik Tok too. Do you think you do a good job, or do you know a venue that does. A sense of humour helps as does a good reach and engaging with customers. Enteries are open now.

DRAM AWARDS

COMMUNITY PUB OF THE YEAR

WHISKY GURU OF THE YEAR

COCKTAIL INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

INDEPENDENT PUB GROUP OF THE YEAR

At Carling, we’re proud to be Made Local and we believe all over Scotland people are making it where they are from. Local community pubs are at the heart of the Scottish licensed trade, and as the UK’s #1 lager, Carling is committed to supporting local and regional community projects through it’s Made Local Fund. This year, we are looking for a like-minded pub that shares the same ethos. Do you get involved in supporting local projects too or do you know a pub that does? Whether its charity events, or using local artists or suppliers, getting involved in sponsoring the local football team or backing local musicians – the judges will be looking for pubs that are not only part of the community but support it too. So if you know a pub like this or you work in one, or even own one – let us know. Enter at www.scottishbarandpubawards.com

Are you passionate about all things whisky, with a bold and industrious spirit? Do you love to share your whisky knowledge with your colleagues and customers, but dare to do things a bit differently? Or do you know someone that inspires you when it comes to whisky, with their hard work, optimism and authenticity? This category, ‘Whisky Guru of the Year’, is for people who not only have a great knowledge of whisky but are bold and fearless educators and advocates, with a real passion for craft. It is open to all on-trade employees or employers whether in the bar, pub, restaurant or hotel industry.

Discarded Spirits embraces sustainability by creating cocktail recipes utilising ingredients that have been repurposed. Do you embrace the same ethos? This year while we are asking customers to vote for their favourite cocktails either from a bar or delivered we will also be asking our nominees to come up with a fabulous cocktail utilising an ingredient from your kitchen eg over-ripe bananas and of course Discarded? So encourage your fans to vote for you and why not post a cocktail idea or two on your social platforms?

The DRAM is on the look-out for Scotland’s top Independent Pub Group. Groups that look set to impress the judges will be dynamic and forward-thinking, with a taste for growth and expansion and a commitment to investing in their employees.

You don’t have to be big but you do have to be good. Enter your nominees at www.scottishbarandpubawards.com

DRAM JULY 2021 23

DRAM AWARDS

CONNOISSEURS CHOICE WHISKY BAR OF THE YEAR

BAR MANAGER OF THE YEAR

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

NEW BAR OF THE YEAR

EVOLUTION AWARD 24

DRAM JULY 2021

Gordon & MacPhail’s Connoisseur’s Choice range gives a platform to many of Scotland’s single malt distilleries from across all regions, some of which have never before been bottled as a single malt. The company believes that every distillery has a personality of its own, and this year the company is looking for a whisky bar with personality that has an excellent range of whiskies. Staff should be well trained and enthusiastic when it comes to recommending whisky to their customers and a good Scottish welcome is also important. Do you know a bar worth nominating or do you think you are that bar?

The role that bar managers play in the hospitality industry cannot be underestimated.

That is what every successful bar or pub has got in common – a great manager.This year we are looking recognise the contribution that managers make to the success of a venue. Do you know a manager that has the ability to lead his team, and motivate them, and at the same time has a service ethic and personality which is appreciated by customers? If you are a customer why not nominate your favourite manager and if you are a member of staff and you think your manager deserves recognition please put them forward for this accolade.

Do you know a great restaurant or are you one? Scotland’s certainly has a wealth of great eateries and now Inverarity Morton is set to recognise restaurateurs who are doing an excellent job at promoting hospitality by offering memorable dishes, great service and who also have curated an excellent wine list. Service and ambience will also score highly as will creativity. If you think you fit the criteria or you know a restaurant that does enter them at www.scottishbarandpubawards.co.uk

Kopparberg is on the lookout for Scotland’s best new bar. The Kopparberg team is looking for a bar that has proved to be a success with customers – it doesn’t have to be the most stylish or the biggest, but owners should demonstrate creative forwardthinking and be inclined to think outside of the box when it comes to developing their business. It goes without saying but good customer service and an excellent range of products behind the bar is essential. Do you know a bar that deserves the title? If so put them forward for the accolade now.

The pandemic has caused businesses to adapt, pivot and evolve and Molson Coors Beverage Company is looking for businesses who have done exactly that. Resilience, adapability and vision has been crucial over the last 16 months and these skills will also be needed to drive your business forward. Molson Coors has diversified too creating a Beverage Hub and expanding its footprint beyond the beer aisle, with iced coffee brand Jimmy’s Iced Coffee, Lixir Drinks, Tarquin’s Gin and Twin Fin Rum. Do you know a business that has evolved too, or are you one. Whether you have changed the look or your pub, or adopted a green agenda let us know.

Enter at www.scottishbarandpubawards.co.uk

DRAM AWARDS

AWARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY

OLD TOM GIN 1821 HOTEL BAR OF THE YEAR

BEST OR MOST IMPROVED OUTSIDE AREA

BAR APPRENTICE 2021

PUB OF THE YEAR

Stolichnaya is fully committed to growing in a responsible, sustainable way and it is looking for Scottish licensed businesses that are also growing in a similar manner.This award is aimed at bars, restaurants or hotels which are operating with an effective and sustainability agenda that reinforces a commitment to operating in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible manner from reducing plastic waste to conserving energy - it all matters. If you know a business or are a business that is embracing all things green let us know or vote at www.scottishbarandpubawards. co.uk

Old Tom Gin 1821 is a new Super Premium gin created in St Andrews and it is looking for a premium hotel bar that epitomises the best of all things Scottish. Do you know a hotel that offers great service, and activities such as golf, and a bar that allows you to relax – either pre-activity or post activity? The judges will be looking for a bar with ambience, a good range of drinks, cocktails too, and it goes without saying... service with a smile. Head to www.scottishbarandpubawards.com to enter.

Kopparberg is on the lookout for Scotland’s best and most improved outside area.

The Kopparberg team is looking for a bar that has stepped up to the plate during Covid-19 and provided customers with a comfortable and safe outside facility. The judges will be looking for a some creative thinking. Big or small - it’s not the size that matters. It goes without saying but good customer service and an excellent range of products behind the bar is essential. Do you know a bar that deserves the title? If so enter them, or if you think you have the best outside area head to www. scottishbarandpubawards.com The Bar Apprentice is back for it’s 14th year with – William Grant & Sons backing the initiative with brands Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky, Hendrick’s Gin and Discarded Spirits . William Grant has also created a bespoke programme for this year’s apprentices – an experience you can’t buy! The programme aims to inspire and educate as well as giving practical experience for working behind the bar or on the floor. The 2020/21 apprentices will be mentored by a team of experts from William Grant & Son’s. The apprentice who embraces the experience and makes the most progress will receive the accolade William Grant & Sons Bar Apprentice 2021 and will be presented with the award at the Awards Ceremony.

Scotland’s leading Sunday newspaper is looking for the best pub in the country. Do you have a welcoming atmosphere? Do your customers come back, and come back again? Get your customers to fill in the entry form when it appears in the Sunday Mail or online at www.scottishbarandpubawards.com and tell us why you think you are eligible for ‘Pub of the Year’.

DRAM JULY 2021 25

A GOOD REP ISN’T HA YOU ALL LOVED LAST MONTH’S CATCH UP WITH YOUR BRAND REPS SO MUCH THAT WE SIMPLY HAD TO PROFILE ANOTHER TEN THIS MONTH - AND PLEASE DO GET IN TOUCH IF YOU’D LIKE TO FEATURE IN THE NEXT ONE BECAUSE WE JUST MIGHT MAKE IT A HATTRICK.

BY JASON CADDY

EVANS ERIN KSADTEVEELOPMENT

BUSINES INBEV TATIVE, AB REPRESEN D SCOTLAN WEST OF

ICHOLSENOTNMANAGER MARKSN DEVELOPM BUSINES OW IN, GLASG GLASWEG

Mark, 32, worked in nightclubs across Glasgow like Trash, Bamboo and Karbon cutting his teeth doing marketing and running PR teams and latterly social media before landing his first brand rep job with Kopparberg in 2012.

He says,” My role was ground level and supporting key account managers at the coalface and I did it for four years.

Then I moved to Tennent’s working on the C&C portfolio, launching Moritz beer into the UK among other things. I moved to Glaswegin in 2019.

“I loved the brand. I’m Glasgow born and bred so it was and still is the perfect fit for me. I worked throughout the pandemic.”

How has his job and customers expectations changed over the years since he first started out in hospitality?

“Lots of customers still prefer the one-to-one and the personal touch despite the move to digital during the pandemic, and this works both ways because you see things in a venue that spark an idea so there’s more chance of creativity being a factor in the way you work, but I recognise that with 26

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Zoom you can do three or four brand trainings on one day.”

Where else has he noticed a shift?

“Point of sale requirements are changing too. A lot of venues have unbranded glassware that works for every drink. People are creating their businesses as a brand rather than a venue. They are a lot more savvy than they were ten years ago.

“Activations are trickier too. You could set up sampling session with customers but for new product launches, there are more barriers to this because of Covid. Brands have to be looking at new ways of doing this in the future because I feel that the landscape is being reshaped and will continue to be so as we emerge from the pandemic.

He’s only just got back out in the field and he’s upbeat about it.

“The first week I went back out there was a new drive among customers.

We are going into on-trade and having more conversations about brand.

Overall there’s positive feel with an air of caution.”

Erin, 24, joined the ABInBev graduate program last August after she got her business and marketing degree from Strathclyde University.

“I’ve been out in the on-trade for six months and I think it’s been good to be thrown in at the deep end during the pandemic. It has been challenging and dealing with customers has been less sales focused. It’s been more about relationship building so I’ve learned so much in such a short amount of time.”

“Customers have more on their mind than which craft brands they are going to stock etc. and my job has been more about reducing the churn rather than increasing distribution. I really admire how the majority attitude has been one of there being no point being disheartened, because this is the hand we have been dealt, so let’s get on with it.”

Troon-born Erin also worked in Glasgow’s Topolabamba and in the VIP area at the Hydro while she was a student and got involved in PR and marketing for these and the other venues she worked in.

Would she recommend a gradate program?

“A lot of graduates are a bit stuck at the moment and this is a great stepping stone into a fulfilling career and an industry that has been so welcoming. You get to learn about sales, customer management, marketing.

It opens so many doors and meet so many guys from other brewers and meet lots of people in general in what is a fun and helpful industry that will get back on its feet.”

ARD TO FIND… NT AMILTOUN ON ACCOU SIMON EHRN DISTRIB TI WERY UK NORTH EAVERTOWN BRE ,B MANAGER

Simon left his native Ireland bound for Glasgow to study international business in 2008 and it was his dissertation on beer that first sparked his interest in the drinks industry.

“Writing about beer made the course a lot more relatable and I never looked back because it was from here that I knew what I wanted to do, which I was grateful for at that age.”

He worked for West Brewery during his final year of studying and then moved to London and worked for what was Miller Brands at the time, then BrewDog for a few years. A move to Sydney Australia followed where he worked for a craft brewery called Modus Operandi for two years looking after two states, so he’s used to large territories.

He moved back to Edinburgh in summer of 2019, got married, and started working for

SCOTT KENNEYTSHALES MANAGER, BSBTWAY BE TERRITOR T OF THE VICE (PAR D N A TL FOODSER O C ENTRAL S GROUP), C HIRE) G PERTHS IN D (INCLU

Isle-of-Bute-born Kenneth, 30, was raised in Perth and he’s back on his home turf after a wee round trip of territories.

“I worked in sales in Australia for a couple

Beavertown.

“It’s been growing at a rate of knots. I look after everything north of Sheffield and Northern Ireland. Distributors and key accounts. On-trade, off-trade, wholesale and online. It’s been a challenge covering such a large area but we are in process of adding more bodies to the team.”What are the skills you need to be a good rep – can you be an introvert and do it for example?“You can’t do this job without passion. As for being an introvert in this job, I think all sales people would agree that listening more is something we all could all do more of, and it’s important to listen to what customers want... so yes, you could be more introverted and make a success of this job.

“But you also have to be the face of the brand and embody that brand personality,

of years and then got a job in telesales department at BB Foodservice, part of Bestway Wholesale (formerly Batleys) for seven months back in 2016 and as soon as I learned about it, I knew I wanted to become a TSM with Drinks Express, so I learned the ropes, the processes, and systems and was offered my first rep’s job.

“I stayed in Edinburgh for a couple of years and covered the city centre. This was just before the pandemic and I had started seeing a girl in Perth. Luckily, an opportunity came up in my hometown area, I asked for it, and as I’d done so well in Edinburgh they said yes.”

Then the pandemic hit. Kenneth had only been in the role for two months and was moved to work in the company’s two Edinburgh depots, Bellevue and Newbridge.

“I worked out of the depots doing a lot of work with local food banks. BB Foodservice supported lots of them, and I was keeping in touch with my customer base at the same time too of course. I grew up there so I have a lot of really strong relationships with them.

Now that restrictions are easing, Kenneth

so you do have to be outgoing to a large degree - as with everything in life, it’s all about finding that balance.”

Beavertown is also focussing on sustainability.“We were the first brewery in UK to package our beers exclusively in Aluminium cans, about nine years ago to be exact. Benefits of cans are more recyclable, lighter to transport, fitting more on a pallet vs bottles, and better for the beer too. Travelling less is better for environment too, of course.

“I was travelling for about 60% of the time before the pandemic. But as things begin opening up again, there will be more in-person visits to accounts, I think that we can’t help but embrace doing more business virtually too in a kind of hybrid work blend.”

Simon and his wife, who’s from Edinburgh, have a newborn baby which is keeping them both very busy. He also likes live music and mountain biking.

has ‘hit the ground running’.

“Our motto is ‘deliver on time, in full, with a friendly service,’ and that’s what we strive for and with the issues the industry is having with supplies and shortages, it has been a struggle at times, but we are hitting targets and filling gaps and trying to positively encourage businesses.”

What’s the biggest buzz Kenneth gets from the job?

“Helping customers and improving their businesses. Even during the hard times, lots of businesses have still been busy, what with the Euros and people venturing out again.”

He’s also taken on the role of mentor.

“Now that I’ve progressed from the young, good-looking guy in telesales to the old experienced guy everyone calls on for help, and I am mentoring new starts. This is so important. I had a lot of experienced people around me when I first started and what they taught me was invaluable.”

Kenneth and his partner are expecting their first child in October.

“I like playing golf and football, but the more heavily pregnant my partner gets, the less time I have for all that.”

DRAM JULY 2021 27

URPHYMANGROVE ADAMY M , MANAGER ELAND COUNTR THERN IR AND NOR SCOTLAND

“Stirling today, Glasgow tomorrow.”

I spoke to Dubliner Adam as he was darting from one account to the next and being on the move is one of the things he loves best about his role at Mangrove.

“I love the face to face aspect of the job and talking about our core brands like Portobello Road, El Bandarra.

“I’ve always loved hospitality. I’ve been working in this industry since the age of 16, before I moved to Aberdeen to go to university and ended up working in cocktail bars like Dusk, Tipping House, and Rye & Soda.”

Then followed stints working in France during the ski season and for events companies in Edinburgh with fellow Rep Harry Olorunda (see last month’s Rep feature) and they remain firm friends.

“The hospitality industry bands people together and the pandemic has only strengthened this. We help each other out with training sessions and stuff and there’s such a high level of support.”

How else has the pandemic altered things?

“With every obstacle there’s an opportunity for thinking outside the box and being creative and I keep seeing examples of this in the trade. Macmerrry 300 has just opened its third venue in Glasgow and this has always been a company willing to take risks and push the envelope.

“Customers are also now looking for something they can’t get at home and they want experiential drinks, premium drinks and cocktails that are curated and expertly made.”

In his spare time he plays football and runs, or you might find him at Nauticus Bar in Leith.

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Minutes before I reached out to Sam to be part of this feature he’d been talking to new recruit Ian Logan about how they must set up a meeting with us.

Says Sam, “It must be serendipity. Ian’s now heading up the whisky and hospitality side of Duncan Taylor and he is working on the large development and expansion plans, he was just talking about setting up a meeting with you guys at DRAM.” Sam, 34, is originally from Harrogate and worked in bars since the age of 18.

“I went to university in Aberdeen and this is where I met Andrew Shand. His dad owns COCK Duncan Taylor. We had our own company SAM PS EMAAN AGER, K called Bootstrap Liquor focussing on brand WHISKY, U UK SALE R SCOTCH LO Y development, wholesaling etc. “It was lateDUNCAN TA 2019 and we were planning to work closer with Duncan Taylor to boost its on-trade Logan’s on board, they plan on going down profile but eventually I parted ways from our this road full throttle. company and I started working for Duncan “Ian has a lot of contacts from his Chivas days.

Taylor in Feb 2020 when the person doing We are looking at all the key whisky bars, the role got headhunted, and just at the point we’re in lot already, plus we’re also trying to when everything was shutting down. roll out to everyday bars too, to really boost “The on-trade was of course very quiet but our brand presence.” we focussed on other areas which was a Sam really missed talking to customers about chance to reconnect with consumers and whisky and seeing their reaction to Duncan raise our profile and position ourselves to Taylor Whisky and is eager to get back out in approach the on-trade. We took a step back amongst it. and considered, ‘where do we want to be When he’s not playing squash, which he can’t positioned and then start small?’ at the moment because of Covid restrictions, We also developed nice little following doing you might find him at his fave bar, The Gate in virtual on-trade tastings - a route we’d never Glasgow, He also loves Little Red Door in Paris really gone down before. But now that Ian and Bar Paradiso in Barcelona.

AGER ED BALIRSD ALES MAN NATIONA BRANDS EMPORIA D N A SCOTL

Ed, 44, is originally from Berkshire and has been in Scotland for 26 years. “My parents moved up and set up Baird’s Wines, servicing the on-trade for both wines and spirits. But wine was becoming increasingly a commodity at the time, in terms of the core business, whereas my passion was with winemaker wines and the personality, craft and stories behind them. At the same time I was starting to find these qualities in spirits, with the new and exciting brands appearing in the UK, bolstered by a cocktail renaissance circa 2008.

“We were the exclusive distributer for Emporia in Scotland, and we took over representing his brands officially rather than as a distribution default.”

Does he see the pandemic reshaping his

role?

“I don’t think it will change things too much in the long run. There have always been lots of challenges in hospitality, albeit none like the last twelve months, and the days of lots of cold calls are currently not viable. Everything’s got to be more structured and scheduled than pre-pandemic. This has been a new challenge and I’m doing less physical sales call in a day as a result. The flip side is that this has normalised remote meetings, which I’m sure will remain a legacy of the pandemic, with regards to the role of a brand rep. I am still out there covering the bars and looking after territories and this is why we love to do this job after all.”

He’s passionate about all aspects of this industry.

“The producers, techniques, diversity and above all the people behind it.

The creativity of bartenders, activations – I love all of it. But aside from the great drinks and banter, I love my role as trainer and drinks educator, and have been fortunate to visit many different distilleries around the world doing this job and pass on my knowledge and experience to younger hospitality workers.”

How will the hospitality industry fare post pandemic?

“I think hospitality sector will come back stronger from this. Operators have learned how to work more efficiently and effectively and in a leaner sense from top to toe. There’s a huge appetite out there among consumers to return to a new normal close to the old normal. Premiumisation and experience-led trends are continually evolving.”

O’CONNNTOMR ANAGER CAITLIN E DEVELOPM LASGOW G BRANDS UNTORY, N BEAM S EDRINGTO

PHILPR CAROLT M ANAGE

CITY ACCOUN LASGOW CLARK, G MATTHEW

Carol’s been with Matthew Clark for six years and in this role for three.

“I started my journey into the drinks trade at Wallaces Express and when the opportunity to gain more wine knowledge, and WSET qualifications with Matthew Clark came along, I jumped at the chance”.

“Obviously, we are a wholesaler for all on trade drinks supplies, so I never take my eye off any category and coming from a background in marketing and brands, I love trends and directions and analysing buying behaviour too, all of which are integral parts of my role”.

“The latest data shows that the consumer base is now younger in Scotland’s on-trade than before lockdown, and this is draught and cocktail led, with less wine being consumed, although Prosecco is up there and is flying.

“That said, the mid-age range customer is beginning to slowly come back for occasions like midweek lunches but a lot of these people are staying local, not travelling to city centres which remain quiet and I guess that will change once people start to get a little more confident.”

“It’s been a hard slog, but when is hospitality ever easy? And one of the things that I’ve found so inspiring is the amount of ingenuity we have seen among operators.

“This situation has allowed them to take time to look at how they can pivot their businesses and do things differently and to put these changes in place. Look at what Paul Reynolds did at Gin 71 and Cup Glasgow with home delivered afternoon teas, they were phenomenally well received.

“Being quick to react to changing circumstances and trends has always been one of hospitality’s strengths.

I try not to focus on the negative like support from the government lacking in a major way, and the fact we should have opened up quicker, because I know the industry will get back on its feet.”

Switching roles during a pandemic can be tricky and four months into her new role, Caitlin’s winning.

“I’ve been with the business for two years. I was a BDE at the start of pandemic and made BDM two months ago. Taking on a new role has been interesting and very busy and I’ve enjoyed being part of the trade getting back on its feet. It’s a mixed bag, but licensees in Glasgow roll with the punches.

My customers are very optimistic about the future.

“A lot has happened in past year, and if you are having a hard time, nice to have a hard time with each other.”

Prior to this, Caitlin was Chivas brand ambassador in Milan, so how does working in Italy compare to Scotland? “People treat hospitality differently over there and it’s quite tough to engage bartenders or GMs. But once you do, they love you. Plus I was covering such a huge geographical area so it’s

harder to build the strong relationships like I’ve built in Glasgow.”

Is being a successful brand rep a big team effort?

“We’ve all been checking in with everybody over the past year, and with customers too. There are the people that I see normally every day and go for drinks with so I want to keep those bonds strong so you have to keep on top of things.”

Originally from Balloch, she says that the drinks industry is in her blood and this is where she’s staying. “I am from whisky stock, - everyone in that part of the world has some connection to whisky and I want to stay in this industry for life. A lot of people have left the hospitality industry and it’s hard for many operators to find staff and this will continue to be a challenge but this is a tough industry and we will attract good people in the future because it’s a great industry to work in.”

Andy worked in bars for 15 years in his native Aberdeen and set the cocktail competition circuit alight picking up gong after gong - like the Disaronno Mixing Star - before finding his way to his current role.

“I did what every aging bartender does. It’s either brand rep or brand ambassador and I went for the former.”

Andy was attracted to Berry Bros because of his passion for the drinks industry and because of its rich and varied history. He says, “15 years behind the bar in every venue from high-end cocktail bars T R A W to high-energy late night clubs and travelling the ANDY SSDTEEVELOPMENT world with cocktail competitions led me to Berry S AND BUSINES O R B Y R R , BE Bros and its 323 years of history. It’s one of the D N A MANAGER TL O C NDS, S ten oldest family-owned companies in the UK.” RUDD BRA He was furloughed at the start of the pandemic, which just happened to coincide with a huge life event. “Luckily for my wife and I, I was furloughed not long after my daughter Lola had been born, in January 2020, so I guess it was like extended paternity leave. We have been very lucky when I consider the horror stories and trials of friends and customers have gone through over the last 12 to 18 months.“ The pandemic has reshaped his role too. “I was exclusively on-trade focused, but since the pandemic I am now on-trade, off-trade, wholesale, route to market and now that the on-trade has re-opened, this has involved lots of plate spinning in the air and it will require a lot of strict time management in the future.”

“Hospitality has always been a supportive industry, there to help each other out. No one rep can provide everything for a venue. You need to have a mix around. I help with xyz and then introduce, say, Angus from Speciality, for the rest.“Yes, you become pally with customers, and yes, want them to sell, but also want to help them.”

What’s the mood in the trade across the country? “One word: trepidation. We don’t know where things are going to go. There’s an element of fear. I’ve also seen a change in the public’s drinking habits. House measures and home bars have changed people’s expectations of what they can drink and what things cost.”

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96-200, Bath St, Glasgow

MOSKITO DESIGN FOCUS

BY JASON CADDY

G

lasgow Bath Street bar Moskito was a legend in its own basement. It’s now been given a new lease of life by husband and wife team Mark and Nicky Emlick trading as The Moskito Group Ltd who have refurbished it with a few reverential nods to its former life. Nicky runs her own design company, NM Design, so, naturally, the new look and feel was her brainchild.

Said Nicky, “ We inherited a well-known, historic bar that meant a lot to a lot of people. It quickly became clear that people have a lot of love for this place. I heard loads of stories along the lines of ‘I proposed to my wife there’, ‘I fell in love in that bar’ so it would have been a misstep on our part to rename it. What we have done with the refurbishment is to elevate it while retaining accents of the past. ” The pandemic meant that Mark and Nicky had to sit on what they’d done for a good while before its grand unveiling on July 1st.

“It’s been tricky. We have been ready to be open for pretty much a year, so we have lost all that trade but we’re in the same boat as everybody else. We were eagerly waiting for that ‘wow’ moment on our customers’ faces and that’s what we got when we opened. It had a good heartbeat without

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World-class coffee roasted in Glasgow

people in it and this energy has translated now that we’re welcoming in customers.”

So what has changed and what has remained the same from when Neil Connolly was running it?

They’ve retained the original ‘Moskito’ sign on the stone floor plus the bar is in the same place but overall, the space is far brighter and feels more open plus it’s now divided into two bars - Moskito and The Monkey Room.

What was the beer garden at the back has been extended on to accommodate the toilets and a new cellar because it was felt that it was just a bit dingy and not really a suntrap, and where the cellar used to be is now a wee breakout space called The Bardot Room, with a lovely picture of a very florally festooned Bridget Bardot looking down on the intimate booth seating.

The other major change is the window at the back that used to be bricked up and is now open letting in much more light and this has been accentuated by moving the cellar from inside the bar to the new extension. There’s also some quirky wallpaper here above the window seat that’s always been there.

Said Nicky, “We wanted to keep the position and shape of

Coffee partner of the new Moskito

papercupcoffee.co.uk Facebook & Instagram: @pccoffeeuk

603 Great Western Rd Glasgow G12 8HX DRAM JULY 2021 31

the bar, not for posterity’s sake necessarily, but because it worked. We have restructured the aesthetics and the walls to open up the place because it was a bit of a rabbit warren before. Pete Sanders is the artist responsible for sculpting the walls (in a Venetian plaster style).”

“There’s definitely a natural division. It’s very much a twopart series, with The Monkey Room standing alone, and this is more of an upbeat party zone that’s also been designed for meetings and corporate events.”

The TV hidden in one of the mirrors in The Monkey Room can be used at any such meeting.

The lighting system is everywhere – along the ceilings, on the gantry, on the pillars, and behind the pictures - and changes the look and feel of the place at the flick of a switch.

The lights can remain on constantly or they can pulsate to the music.

Along with Bridget Bardot, another painting that really 32

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stands out is one of a man’s back full of tattoos, the metal monkeys on the walls and monkey handles are likewise lovely wee details.

As well as the bar being in the same place, the famous booths just in front of the bar under the front windows haven’t budged and are now reupholstered in glorious blue and gold velvet. There’s also a silvery-grey vibe going on because of those Venetian plastered walls and grey wooden floors.

The final mention must go to the outdoor area at the front.

It looks lush, thanks to oodles of greenery, mirrors, and gunmetal grey wooden benches.

Said Nicky, “We are really happy that we have the garden area at the front. Its moody and kinetic lights only add to how great it looks. We wanted to make detail outside as thoughtful as inside with a thought to the customer flow, and just as much opulence.”

The Gailes Hotel, Irvine

COAST RESTAURANT AND BAR DESIGN FOCUS

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5 Old Bridge Road, Ayr, KA8 9SX Tel/Fax: 01292 268369 Email: enquiries@stevensonsayr.co.uk

Specialist Installations | Bars | Restaurants | Cafes 34

DRAM JULY 2021

alcolm and Karen Simpson of SimpsInns have been busy bees during lockdown. They readied The Gailes Hotel in Irvine for the easing of restrictions, ready to welcome customers back – and among new facilities like a new spa, gym, and outdoor wedding bandstand, is the refurbished and rebranded Coast Restaurant and Bar. The inspiration for the hotel restaurant’s rebranding was the Ayrshire venue’s stunning coastal location and close proximity to the beach, the result being a strong nautical theme in both its design and layout.

Malcolm and Karen worked along with the team of designers at 3 Design Scotland who sourced bespoke pieces for the new restaurant from the UK and European suppliers to bring alive their vision of modern dining and excellent space to simply relax and enjoy great dining options.

Karen Simpson has a flair for interior design. She said, “We are thrilled with how Coast has turned out. The period of extended closure during lockdown was the right time for us to change the restaurant. It is something that had been on our minds for a while and we are just delighted it has all come together in time for reopening.”

They’ve also overhauled the menu with some new additions as well as some old favourites.

Explained Karen, “We’ve been working closely with our SimpsInns Executive Chef Gavin McGill and team to create a delicious new menu for Coast.

“We have a range of light bites and sharing plates to tasty main courses and mouth-watering desserts. We’ve also kept some old favourites because we know how popular they are with our regular customers.”

The rebranded Coast ties in perfectly with the number of key developments at The Gailes, including the next-door £1million Si!

THR3 Design

BY JASON CADDY Spa – described by the company as Ayrshire’s ‘stylishly seductive’ new Spa and Wellness destination - that is already proving very popular for day spa and leisure breaks.

Said 3 Design Scotland Director Suzy Kingswood, “Our clients wanted a dramatic change to the existing interior to complimenting the other interiors we have already completed at the venue including the beautiful Si Spa. “Focusing on adding interesting finishes and contemporary artwork and furniture to create a seaside-inspired welcoming space.

“Unique touches including the local area maps wallpaper created specifically for the project on the ceiling and the nod to nautical with the boat-shaped bar cladding.

We have been fortunate to work with Simpsinns in all their properties currently finalising the works to their fabulous wedding penthouse and spa areas.”

What’s our verdict on the design? What a transformation. Coast is a wonderful new space with a wide selection of seating and breakout areas that also leads onto the private garden, patio and terraced areas. The new Beach Hut Table is sure to be a popular spot for families, likewise the dedicated booths.

Other things that caught our eye are the lovely teal coloured walls, wicker lampshades, the airiness of the place, and just how clean and fresh and together the whole design feels.

There is a real flow and cohesion to it all, despite a few contrasting colours and styles, it all gels together so incredibly well.

Malcolm and Karen want Coast Restaurant and Bar to become ‘Ayrshire’s new destination of choice’ and we reckon this is a shoo-in. As we come out of lockdown, and more customers get to hear about what they’ve pulled off with the refurbishment, we don’t think they’ll have any problem getting booking after booking.

We supply coffee and fabulous looking coffee machines to many UK licensed outlets, cafés, hotels and independent retail outlets.

Proudly supplying our coffee to COAST at the Gailes Hotel Our other retail brands include:

DRAM JULY 2021 35

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DRAM JULY 2021 37

@dramscotland

SUE SAYS!

/dram.scotland

C

ovid cases are rising, as predicted by everyone except the Scottish Government due to the fact they gave the go-ahead for the fan zone and didn’t curtail the Tartan Army when it came to travelling to London. The blame is also being put, by the government and scientists, on in-home entertaining. If you ask me the blame lies fairly and squarely on both governments. Does football really trump health and business? It appears it does.

The good news is that the high cases, the highest recorded in Scotland and in fact we have the highest number of cases in Europe - are not leading to a big spike in hospital admissions. As we went to press Boris Johnson announced that the UK Government is lifting most restrictions on 19th July. The big question is what will the Scottish Government do? The First Minister has always taken a more cautious route (except for the football). But I do think the Scottish Government should follow suit. Whether it does is another story!

The hospitality and night-time industry has often asked “Is anyone listening at Government level?” Maybe the new Cabinet Secretary for Business, Trade and Enterprise Ivan McKee will. I have heard him a few times now and I have to admit I like the cut of his jib. He says he knows business. I certainly hope he does. His biog on the government website says he was involved in several senior roles in manufacturing and business, managing companies in the UK as well as Poland, Finland, Croatia and Bosnia but there are few specifics, but Companies House records also show he was a Director of Common Weal a ‘think and do tank’ until June 2018... here’s hoping that his tenure is more about ‘doing’ rather than just thinking.

The biggest issue facing hospitality at the moment is filling jobs, and this is being compounded by the fact that if Test and Trace contact the venues, staff have to self-isolate for 10 days. This sometimes involves whole kitchens or

shifts. Surely if staff take tests a few days apart and still test negative there shouldn’t be the need for the 10 days self-isolation. It’s time this was looked at again and soon by the Scottish Government. If leaks coming out of the UK Government are to be believed in England vaccinated people will soon no longer need to self-isolate for 10 days after coming into contact with a positive person, instead they will have to do daily tests. With younger people now getting vaccinated in Scotland surely this should be looked at here as soon as.

And talking of filling jobs businesses are coming up with incentives to recruit staff as usual Buzzworks is leading the way. It has just revealed it has launched a bonus pot of £20K which will be dispersed to customers and employees who encourage people to apply for jobs with the company.

Bonuses range from £200 for a Commis Chef to £750 for referring a successful Head Chef candidate. Meanwhile, Crerar Hotels have increased their staff benefits to include things such as Pet bereavement leave and more. Both are great initiatives and, no doubt, many more such incentives will be in the wind.

Also on a positive note as you will see we have confirmed our awards date for the 7th September so be sure and encourage your customers to vote. Tickets cost £65 and are available by contacting Rebecca@mediaworldltd.com This year tickets are limited but all finalists do get two free tickets. So come along and enjoy the night... it will certainly be a bit different because we are hosting it at The Cranside and Radisson Red. That’s not to say the Hilton didn’t do a grand job, they did, but this year I felt it would be good to change the environment that is why it is an ‘inside – outside’ event. If you need any social media badges give me a shout or you can take them from the website... www.scottishbarandpubawards.com Roll on the judging!

DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING PUBLISHED BY MEDIA WORLD LIMITED t: 01560 600585 e: news@mediaworldltd.com w: dramscotland.co.uk Publisher-Editor Susan Young • Editor Jason Caddy • Chairman Noel Young • Advertising Nikki Oji, Syliva Forsyth Production Fiona Gauld, • Account Rebecca Orr 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 2021 Printed by Stephens & George Print Group.

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DRAM JULY 2021

RED DOOR HIGHLAND GIN WITH SUMMER BOTANICALS open, serve and share the good times. @RedDoorGin Discover more at reddoorgin.com please enjoy responsibly