DRAM February 2023

Have you responded to the consultation paper that is currently before the Scottish Government on the proposed ban on alcohol advertising? Any submissions have to be in by 9th March. We have a feature on what it means and Nicola Young explores the figures - which definitely suggest it is not required. See pages 8,9 and10. I caught up with Ferrier Richardson who has had a phenomenal couple of months at the East End Fox in Baillieston.

This month Manorview revealed that it is sharing 10% of its profits with all members of its team as part of its Heartcount initiative. And they also hosted the company’s annual bash - the pics are on P20 with some pics from the annual Ben Dinner too.

El Santo opened at the end of the year - the new South American bar and restaurant features in our design feature along with Black Grape. And we also have a whisky focus - Adrian Gomes gives us his view.

Until next month.

Susan Young, Editor

susan@mediaworldltd.com

dramscotland.co.uk

OI MAMMA SET FOR

BEARSDEN

An instagram-friendly restaurant Oi Mamma, is set to open in Bearsden shortly, on the site of the former Raffaele’s Restaurant, which closed last month.

The new Oi Mamma restaurant and bar space is the first Italian focused restaurant brand from entrepreneurs Amalia Colaluca and Joe Lazzerini- the team behind The Loveable Rogue. Oi Mamma Director, Amalia Colaluca said, “Oi Mamma, a loud and bold Italian eatery that serves a ‘new look’ for the neighbourhood, will open this month. Our family-friendly restaurant will be vibrant from the inside out, providing local residents with a new place to eat and drink.”

Every day, Oi Mamma’s kitchen will make fresh pasta, and a variety of pizzas will be available. Head chef Giovanni Di Camillo said, “We aim to honour the team’s traditional family roots and warm Italian hospitality while also celebrating the muchloved neighbourhood’s personality. Our menu will be simple and flavourful, with classic Italian crowd-pleasers and a celebration of Italian produce”.

ScotHot extends deadline to enter Scottish Culinary Championship

The 34th Scottish Culinary Championships are returning this year to ScotHot, and chefs have until Valentine’s Day to enter after the deadline was extended. The deadline for Culinary Arts classes is now 28th February.

Sponsored by Compass Scotland, the programme will once again challenge and celebrate chefs both new and established from across Scotland. Headed by Scottish Chefs CEO, Neil Thomson and a team of experienced judges, the Live Theatre Competition, The Skills Arena – supporting the Andrew Fairlie scholarship and HIT Scotland, and Culinary Arts classes are open for chefs to enter themselves or submit colleagues into a wide variety of workshops to hone their skills and show off their culinary prowess. Live Theatre Competition Classes will host a packed programme of back-to-back hot live classes both days of the show, with competitions to suit chefs of all levels of experience from across all industry sectors. Classes include creating a Sustainable Fish Dish, a Food for Life Challenge to create a main course appropriate for a public sector establishment using organic, healthy products, a Braehead Foods Mystery Basket challenge, and a Vegan main course. The classes also include the Scottish Young Chef of the Year 2023, alongside the Scottish Chef of the Year 2023 competition sponsored by Lomond Foods.

The Skills Arena – supporting the Andrew Fairlie scholarship and HIT Scotland – will incorporate a programme of cold live classes for chefs and service staff to showcase some of the essential skills that will form a crucial part of their role as their career progresses. It will have an array of static classes that will showcase the incredible talent and creativity across the industry.

BUZZWORKS REWARD HARDWORKING TEAMS

Buzzworks Holdings recently hosted two spectacular, paradise-themed staff parties to recognise its team members’ hard work throughout the last year.

The annual Buzzworks celebration is always the biggest event in the group’s calendar and this year one was held at Scotts Port Edgar on January 22nd and the other at Vic’s and The Vine on January 29th.

This year’s events centred around a ‘Ticket to Paradise’ – a glamorous, exotic theme featuring entertainment including a fire eater performance, games with spot prizes, live singers, dancers and music from a saxophonist, bongo drummer and DJs.

Operations Director Alison Blair said, “It’s hugely important for us to show our Buzzworks family how much we appreciate their hard work and we were delighted to host these two brilliant events to thank the whole team.

“Buzzworks staff parties have been an annual tradition for us and we wanted to go the extra mile with this year’s events to create a special and memorable night for all.”

The company has also just launched a new digital wellbeing platform offering its staff tools to help with their mental, physical and financial wellness. This comes in addition to the company’s unique Employee Promise, which already offers the team discounted gym memberships, flexible working, well-being days and access to an Employee Assistance Programme.

MURRAY REOPENS THE SHIP

The Ship in Irvine has just re-opened. The pub which has been owned by the Murray family for the past 30 years, is now owned and run by Chris Murray, who has given The Ship a new lease of life and who is doing things a bit differently. His new mantra is Fail We May Sail We Must. Chris told the DRAM, “It has certainly been a journey. We’ve been closed for three years and there have been a lot of trials and tribulations along the way. I have put everything into this and the support since we re-opened has been overwhelming. For instance, we did 230 covers on Saturday. I didn’t realise how much people had missed the pub. However, we are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays to give the staff a break.”

He continues, “We’ve changed a few things - reduced our table sizes, made the pub a bit brighter and we have made it cosier by putting in a log burner.” More next month.

SPRING LAUNCH FOR BUCKS EDINBURGH

Buck’s Bar teased the opening of a new restaurant in Edinburgh last month and Michael Bergson has confirmed that the restaurant is opening in the capital bringing the number of Buck’s Bars to four.

He told DRAM, “We have just got the keys and we are opening at 32-34 Grindlay street right across form the Lyceum Theatre. We hope to be open by April and we have already got our eyes on a second Buck’s in Edinburgh. As a result I’ll be spending quite a bit of time through there.”

He continued, “Our infrastructure is set up for expansion and we now have three in Glasgow, and I think Edinburgh could take two or three too. It’s good news for my team too because it gives them room to grow.”

Carlowrie Castle is undertaking a series of improvements to its services and facilities following a £3.4 million investment from The Cumberland Building Society. The hotel which currently has twenty-one bedrooms has converted a former derelict stables block to offer seven ensuite bedrooms, while five modern cabins and a sauna will be erected in the new year, offering accommodation for a further 10 people. When the work is completed the castle will be able to accommodate 50 guests. The expansion of Carlowrie Castle comes as the business reported its most successful year to date, having hosted 265 weddings and events in 2022.

In addition to facilitating the expansion of the castle itself, the investment from The Cumberland has enabled founder and CEO, Andrew Marshall, to broaden Carlowrie Group’s portfolio through the launch of Edinburgh Street Food. The city’s first seven-day-a-week street market, which will open its doors for the first time on 25 February in the heart of Edinburgh, will feature a 10,000 sq ft indoor and large outdoor space and will be home to 10 award-winning street vendors, three bars, and 150 live events each year, creating a boost for the local economy. Coinciding with Carlowrie Group’s commitment to giving back to the local community, Edinburgh Street Food plans to use some of its profits to create a mental health initiative in the city.

NEWS

SimpsInns to create 30 new jobs following £250,000 makeover of Si!

SimpsInns will create up to 30 new jobs in the spring following a £250,000 redevelopment of one of their key venues in Irvine as they introduce ‘The Potting Shed at Si!

The group has also kick-started a recruitment campaign for the new venue in Irvine.

Jack Simpson of Simpsinns comments, “We’ve shaken things up at Si! and are delighted to introduce one of Ayrshire’s trendiest new meeting places where flavours and ideas from our global travels have come together at The Potting Shed.”

The Potting Shed is on the ground floor and will seat up to 80 people in the completely reimagined new space, which includes a dedicated dog-friendly area, relaxed and informal seating areas that are ideal for meeting friends, family and colleagues for coffee or brunch throughout the day.

Upstairs, The Terrace bar and restaurant will seat diners, both inside and on the newly refurbished heated outdoor balcony. This will be a wonderful space any time of the year and especially as a place to kick back in long summer evenings.

SimpsInns owner Malcolm Simpson said, “We’re committed to exceeding our guests’ expectations and continually invest in our hotel and leisure facilities to make them the very best they can be.”

NEW PETERHEAD BAR ON THE CARDS

The Old North School in Peterhead is currently being transformed into what will be the North Bar in King Street. This is the first phase of the redevelopment. When finished it will not only have a bar but restaurant and function space and a day spa too. Owners John Adam and Khanim Guild have not confirmed the opening date but locals are being kept abreast of progress on social media.

RADIO 1 BIG WEEKEND RETURNS TO DUNDEE

BBC Radio One has announced that the location for their next instalment of the “Big Weekend” will be in Dundee. The three-day event will be held in Camperdown Park between May 26-28 May. Eighty thousand music fans are expected to be in Dundee for the event in what is set to be a massive weekend for the city. The lineup includes the likes of The 1975, ex-One Direction star Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi.

Dundee was originally scheduled to host the huge event in 2020 but this was cancelled due to covid.

Local licensee Jimmy Marr is delighted, “It is a great achievement for the city. The last time it was here we all did very well. It was a win win for everyone. It is fantastic news.”

BRAND NEWS

Trio of spirits from MacMillan

MacMillan Spirits, the new independent bottler, owned by Uist locals and father and son, Angus A MacMillan and Angus E MacMillan, has launched its inaugural trio of spirits inspired by its home in the Outer Hebrides.

The liquids include Wheelhouse Whisky, an eight year old single cask single malt produced on Islay; Machair Gin, a herbaceous, aromatic gin which contains heather and wild angelica botanicals which are harvested on Angus’ Uist croft; and Molucca Rum, an eight year old golden rum. The father and son team are also behind Benbecula Distillery which is currently under construction on the Island. Angus A MacMillan, Managing Director of MacMillan Spirits, said, “As a proud islander, I wanted to bring together flavours and stories inspired by the Outer Hebrides to MacMillan Spirits. Wheelhouse Whisky, Machair Gin and Molucca Rum each have their own story but Molucca Rum is my personal favourite.”

“This initial collection is just the beginning of our plans for creating a family of spirits that embodies our small island home and celebrates our slow, natural craft.”

For trade enquiries please contact Jamie MacDonald at jamie@macmillanspirits.com.

Molson Coors to distribute Tapp’d Cocktails

Tapp’d Cocktails, have secured a nationwide distribution deal with Molson Coors in the UK.

Molson Coors intends to support the growth of Tapp’d Cocktails by expanding the brand throughout the UK, as the consumer demand for ready to drink cocktails continues to grow.

Tapp’d Cocktails has already had success in the UK with its cocktails already available in over 15,000 UK pubs, having forged strong partnerships with key wholesalers.

Tapp’d Cocktails was set up in 2018 by James O’Hara, who spent the majority of his professional career in mathematics and software engineering. Noticing a gap in the market for high quality, pre-mixed cocktails, he spent a year in research and development creating the unique mixologist quality bottled cocktail range that is now Tapp’d Cocktails.

Octomore 13.4 set completes collection

Bruichladdich Distillery has unveiled the final single malt offering in its Octomore 13 series. A distillery exclusive, Octomore 13.4 joins the super-heavily peated 13.1, 13.2 and 13.3 to complete the coveted collection and is priced at £170.

Octomore 13.4 is bottled at 61.6%, with the spirit maturing in first fill bourbon casks, filled back in 2016, before being recasked into American Virgin oak casks later that year. The latest 13.4 release uses the same batch of barley as Octomore 13.1 and 13.2 . In each new Octomore series, the distillery explores the very limits of single malt whisky. Distilled with quality not quantity in mind, the experimental collection of limited bottlings continues to push the boundaries of whisky making, exploring barley provenance, terroir, varying peat levels and cask management in the pursuit of flavour.

Bruichladdich Distillery Head Distiller, Adam Hannett, said, “Completing the Octomore 13 series, the 13.4 edition once more demonstrates the delicate balance of intense peak smoke with our elegant signature style. The maturation profile combined with strong peat levels and cask strength has resulted in a truly unique and complex single malt.”

MURRAY MCDAVID REBRAND

Murray McDavid has evolved and invigorated the presentation of its Scotch whisky. A new bottle shape has been introduced as well as a bolder label design to reflect the quality of their uniquely matured small batches whisky. The eye-catching design of the secondary packaging retains the six core colours, which have been refreshed whilst staying true to the original distinctive Murray McDavid look. Taking pride of place on the new bespoke cork stopper, label and also on the carton, back bigger and friendlier than ever, is its wee Westie.

A major consideration has been sustainability, resulting in the old tin tubes being replaced with recyclable and lighter cardboard cartons. This contemporary rebrand marks the start of a new chapter in Murray McDavid’s 30-year history. Dean Jode, Murray McDavid’s Head of Whisky Creations comments, “Aceo’s first rebrand of Murray McDavid was eight years ago, so we felt now was the right time for a re-fresh.”

ON THE ROCKS: THE ALCOHOL ADVERTISING

SPECIAL FEATURE

Proposals to significantly restrict alcohol advertising would force the Scottish drinks industry to re-brand and would have a direct impact on bar, pub and hotel owners. The Scottish Government has no power to prohibit broadcast and digital marketing, but it does have over printed and other advertising.

Lynn Richmond, Partner & Accredited Specialist in Intellectual Property at BTO Solicitors (pictured below) and Lauren McFarlane, Senior Solicitor at BTO spell out what it all means.

In November 2022, the Scottish government launched a consultation on a range of measures to restrict alcohol advertising and promotion. Borne out of concern about what the consultation describes as Scotland’s “deep, longstanding and troubled relationship with alcohol”, the consultation puts forward a number of proposals that would significantly reduce the extent to which drinks companies can advertise their products.

The rationale, ministers say, is that the amount and frequency of drinking by Scotland’s young people rises in line with the degree of exposure to alcohol marketing. As such, it is in Scotland’s collective interest for a series of restrictions to be put in place in order to reduce the appeal of alcohol to Scotland’s young people, support a reduction in consumption of alcohol and subsequently improve their health prospects as adults. Ministers also say that restricting alcohol advertising will reduce the “potential triggering effect” that it can have on heavy drinkers and those in recovery or treatment.

What is the current regulatory position?

Alcohol marketing in the UK is largely selfregulated and protections for children and young people are already baked into that regulation. For example, current alcohol marketing must not be likely to appeal to people under 18 years, must not be targeted to people under 18 through the selection of media, and must not feature people drinking who seem to be under 25. There are also prohibitions against alcohol advertising in public spaces if more than 25% or more of the audience are under 18.

The proposals contained in the consultation go much further and are summarised here.

What exactly is the Scottish government proposing?

The consultation paper states that it is crucial that any potential restrictions on alcohol marketing are as comprehensive as possible. As such, ministers are proposing a variety of measures which, if adopted, would see a complete ban on certain types of alcohol advertising and severely restrict the rest. Such changes would have a significant impact on the nature and scope of marketing campaigns for drinks companies as well as practical implications for the licensed trade.

Proposals floated in the consultation include restrictions on:

1. Sports and events sponsorship

The prohibition of alcohol-branded sports merchandise including sponsorship on replica kits.

Offering accreditation to sports venues that are “more family friendly” which according to the report entails reducing the alcohol advertising on display, placing limits on the number of alcoholic drinks a person can buy, and hosting at least six alcohol-free events per year.

2. Outdoor and public spaces marketing

The prohibition of alcohol marketing on billboards and posters near to schools, nurseries and playgrounds, and on public transport vehicles, stops and stations. The removal of adverts for alcohol so that children cannot see them.

3. In-store alcohol marketing

The tightening of restrictions around alcohol display areas.

The prohibition of window displays within permitted alcohol display areas, thereby reducing visibility of alcohol from outside the shop itself.

Defining the location of alcohol display areas, for example, near the back of

THE PROPOSED ADVERTISING BAN

the shop away from entrances, exits or checkouts.

4. Brand-sharing and merchandise

The prohibition of the sale or distribution of alcohol-branded merchandise including T-shirts, jackets and baseball caps, as well as branded glasses and mugs.

Applying marketing restrictions to no or low drinks products (between 0% and 1.2% ABV) where these carry the same brand name, or identifiable brand markings, as alcohol drinks (over 1.2% ABV).

5. Print advertising

The prohibition of alcohol advertising in newspapers and magazines produced in Scotland. It is noted in the consultation paper that a likely exception to this prohibition would be specialist consumer publications, trade press and industryfocused publications, which are not generally read by young people.

6. Online marketing

The restriction of alcohol branded social media channels and websites.

The restriction of paid alcohol advertising online in Scotland (examples given are adverts appearing on websites, via pop ups, on social media platforms, on search engines, or influencer advertising).

The restriction of alcohol companies from sharing promotional content on social media (e.g. filters, videos or posts).

7. Television and radio marketing

The introduction of a watershed for alcohol advertising on television and radio. Possibly prohibiting alcohol advertising on television and radio completely.

The restriction of alcohol advertising in cinemas (with exceptions subject to the specific movie ratings, times of day, etc.).

8. Content of advertisements

Restricting the content of adverts to a list of objective and factual criteria, with a view to making alcohol adverts less appealing and to weaken the link between seeing alcohol adverts and developing positive feelings between brands and positive attitudes towards consumption.

As an example, the consultation paper cites the restrictions in Estonia, where adverts can only contain specific permitted characteristics including product name, product type, manufacturer’s name, trademark, country of origin, geographical area produced in, alcohol volume, properties (colour, aroma, taste) and serving suggestions.

The consultation paper explores various methods of enforcement, including working with existing regulatory bodies to monitor and enforce requirements in place in Scotland. The creation of a new regulatory arrangement or body is also floated.

It remains to be seen how these proposals, and their proposed enforcement, would interact with what is an already robust set of rules. It is not entirely clear from the consultation paper why the existing legislation is insufficient and how enforcement of the proposed regime would be any more effective.

How might the proposals impact your business?

It is clear that whilst these discussions are in their infancy, what is envisaged is a set of comprehensive and far reaching advertising restrictions that seek to create a strict framework within which drinks companies can market their products.

Were these proposals to be introduced in their entirety (and it should be noted that some of these proposals would likely require the agreement of the UK government – in

particular those relating to broadcasting and the internet), Scotland’s drinks industry may have to grapple with a fairly draconian set of rules when marketing their products. Many drinks companies rely heavily on their branding to distinguish their product from the competition, with large sums of money regularly invested in the IP portfolios of brewers and distillers alike. If implemented, these changes will force a review of how drinks companies and their retailers and distributors use their intellectual property and market their products.

Those in the industry – particularly those with a substantial IP portfolio – will need to rethink exactly how that portfolio can be used in light of any changes, in particular reviewing licensing and merchandising agreements to ensure that these are just as effective following any legislative changes. Many Scottish distillers, for example, rely heavily on income generated through sales of branded merchandise, an income stream that would be cut off if the proposals are adopted.

Given the potential consequences of the consultation, it is essential that those operating in the industry are aware of the proposals and take the opportunity to respond to the consultation before the process progresses.

Responses to the consultation are due by 9 March 2023. A link to the consultation can be found here: Restricting alcohol advertising and promotion: consultationgov.scot (www.gov.scot).

Lynn Richmond, Partner & Accredited Specialist in Intellectual Property: lyr@bto. co.uk / 0131 222 2939

Lauren McFarlane, Senior Solicitor: lmf@ bto.co.uk / 0131 222 2939

AD SPEND DOES NOT EQUATE TO INCREASED DRINKING!

The Scottish Government say the aim of the proposed ban on alcohol advertising in Scotland is to decrease alcohol consumption in young people... however alcohol consumption in Scotland is already decreasing, particularly among young people. The argument is that ads increase alcohol consumption but despite this belief, statistics show otherwise.

And here’s something interesting - as marketing spend on alcohol has gone up, alcohol consumption has gone down.

Lets take a look at the statistics. The Scottish Health Survey 2021 found that the “prevalence of hazardous or harmful levels of weekly alcohol consumption has declined steadily since 2003, from 34% in 2003 to 23% in 2021” and that the mean number of units of alcohol consumed per week by adult drinkers has also declined since 2003, from 16.1 to 11.3 in 2021.

According to alcoholchange.org, the number of people who don’t drink at all is increasing, particularly among young people, and overall alcohol consumption has fallen by 16% since 2004. Additionally, and according to Public Health Scotland, in 2020 population-level alcohol consumption in Scotland, estimated from alcohol retail sales, fell to its lowest level in the available time series (1994 onwards). 9.4 litres of pure alcohol were sold per adult in Scotland in 2020, equivalent to an average consumption of 18 units per adult per week, the lowest since 1994 and the largest reported year-on-year decrease. However, this still exceeds the low risk weekly drinking guideline of 14 units.

Finally, Drink Aware found that drinking on four or more days a week, and drinking 14 units or more had not changed significantly or had declined since 2017 and that the proportion of drinkers who binge drink daily or almost daily in the UK is highest in Northern Ireland (3.0%) whilst Wales and Scotland have the lowest rates (1.8%). Finally, the percent of people who drink at least once a week is down from 54% in 2015 to 50% in 2021 in Scotland.

If we now consider younger drinkers, one of the main thrusts of the consultation, the Scottish Government report that “alcohol consumption is at its lowest level among younger people (16-24 years) since records began” but “hazardous drinking and possible alcohol dependence are higher among those aged 16-24 years than any other age group.”

The ONS found in 2018, and as reported by alcoholchange.org that “since 2005, the overall amount of alcohol consumed in the UK, the proportion of people reporting drinking, and the amount drinkers report consuming have all fallen. This trend is especially pronounced among younger drinkers.”

If we look at The Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) alcohol report, also from 2018, it finds an increase in in the proportion of pupils under 16 who have ever had a drink since 2015 (71% of 15 year olds and 36% of 13 year olds), but this is much lower than the peaks on 2002 and 2004 and the lowest of any time before 2010.

This all tells us that alcohol consumption is at best not increasing and most likely falling in Scotland. But what about drinks advertising? Marketing spend has gone up, and so its safe to suggest that increasing spend is not growing the overall number of people who drink alcohol. It is not easy to find a body or research that can be compared against each other – and this is work that should be carried out as a part of any consultation – but there is research available from the U.S. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found that there is “no reliable basis to conclude that alcohol advertising significantly affects consumption, let alone abuse.”

A U.S. Senate subcommittee also investigated the effects of alcohol advertising and could also could not find evidence that advertising influences non-drinkers to begin drinking or to increase consumption. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in a report to Congress, concluded that there is no significant relationship between alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption, and did not recommend banning or imposing any additional restrictions on advertising.

Finally, researchers at the University of Texas found that the total money spent for alcohol advertising rose over 400% between 1971 and 2011 while consumption per person was roughly the same by the end of the period.

This all suggests that there is no evidence (that we have found) that proves advertising increases overall consumption but rather, its purpose is to gain market share – a share of a static or declining market.

Here’s what we do know: even though youth drinking has decreased, older people’s drinking habits haven’t changed much. And it turns out that people aged 55-64 are the ones most likely to drink at high-risk levels.

It seems like Generation X (those born between 1965 and 1980) are the “drinking generation” and they brought their drinking habits from the 90s and early 2000s into middle age. It can be argued that the drinking habits of this age group were formed during a time of significant change in lifestyle and living standards. This ranges from widespread acceptance of women being allowed into all areas of the pub, home ownership, 24 hour television – and wine becoming more widely available. Most of the units consumed are wine and this is being drunk at home.

Just because they may or may not have been influenced by alcohol ads back then, rather than the ‘loads of money’ culture of the time, it seems very unlikely that they are at all infludenced by advertising today and drinking more as a result. Now, let’s not pretend drinking isn’t a problem - alcohol abuse and problem drinking is still a big issue in Scotland. In 2019/20, there were 35,781 alcohol-related hospital admissions. Scotland has the highest death rate from alcohol, at around 21.5 per 100,000 compared to 13.0 in England and 13.4 in Wales. But it is very hard to conclude that these rates are the result of dinks marketing. Before we jump to conclusions about banning alcohol ads, we need to understand why people drink and who they are.

We know that 90% of drinkers are in higher income brackets yet around 4% of the population are problem drinkers and they mostly live in areas with low wellbeing. According to the National Records of Scotland, alcohol-specific deaths were 5.6 times as likely in the most deprived areas of Scotland compared to the least deprived areas. There is nothing wrong with introducing measures to improve health in Scotland nor to discourage binge drinking and children accessing alcohol – but we already have a number of laws in place.

To adopt a policy that will have a dramatic impact on the economy and the livelihoods of so many – from the businesses in the direct line to all the associated industries and then, once again, to the pubs and bars who receive substantial support from these drink companies in merchandise from beer garden umbrellas to glasses, would appear to be premature.We first must address how to provide opportunity for those who live in deprived areas and take a joined-up approach across the board in that support before adopting policies that may have a widespread and detrimental impact on industry and the economy.

The DRAM’s Head of Digital Nicola Young was formerly Marketing Research Manager for the Mirror Group. She takes a look at the research around alcohol, health and advertising.

REFRESHINGLY SIMPLE. JAMESON,

(RE) MADE FOR MIXING

COLUMN by ADRIAN GOMES

If the old adage goes that bass players are just frustrated guitarists, surely spirit marketers are actually just frustrated bartenders. Whilst the bassist watches with bitter envy as the lead guitarist commands the attention of the crowd, does the spirit marketer wish that they could sway the purchase of the consumer with as much ease as a bartender? Or are bassists and marketers just content to play the supporting role? I was a bassist and I absolutely wished I could play lead guitar. Fortunately, as a bartender by trade, I see the advantage of being able to enjoy a conversation with a guest in the bar, finding out what they like, what mood they’re in, and seeing what the scope is to suggest something new and obscure. Marketers only wish they had that depth of intimate ‘data’ when they’re sending their message out, very often with minimal feedback. Aside from focus groups and surveys, which do not always accurately reflect the mood of the nation, sometimes it’s a case of ‘suck-and-see’. Which brings me to the contemporary trend for ‘mixing’ whiskies. The Scotch whisky category has undergone a huge transformation in recent years, moving away from the stuffy, male-centric pretentiousness of last century into a more modern, inclusive category pushing a very democratic view on how you can (not how you ‘cannot’) drink the amber nectar. I’m old enough to remember the change in attitudes from ‘ye cannae put a single malt intae a cocktail’ to this new, fresh approach of ‘here’s a new expression of our brand and it should go into a cocktail’. These days, we’re spoilt for choice with a number of single malts and grains, as well as blends, which are promoting their mixability and versatility. We can go back to the 2005 release of Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt by William Grant & Sons (a company that’s always had a very active trade advocacy programme) as a significant moment in the industry’s attitude to whisky democracy, but I do also remember a push (circa 2013/2014) by the brand reps to insert the brand, not into the whisky or Scotch page of the drinks menu, but under ‘Bourbon’ so I do question whether the initial intent was to break new ground in Scotch or take sales away from bourbon, given that the ongoing modern era of cocktail culture seemed to favour bourbon in popular drinks such as the Whisky Sour and Old Fashioned. I’m sure someone in marketing thought they’d landed on a great idea but any semi-serious whisky bar, or cocktail bar for that matter, will likely have politely refused, given that a blended Scotch whisky is not a bourbon (I’m not expecting anyone to debate this point). At The Tippling House, we ended up house-pouring with it for a couple of years (as our rail Scotch), and it does indeed make tasty Sours and stirred drinks, but regardless we always give the guest a choice of Scotch, bourbon or rye (in our venue, it’s 50/50 between those who go for Scotch and those who prefer bourbon as the base). Their latest release Fresh Monkey is a very positive step for the industry, and for years I have been (quietly, to myself) advocating for new make to break out as a new sub- category. White dog and corn whiskey has been widely available for years, not only in the States, but over here too. Closer to home, it’s surprising that no one made the leap into new make territory earlier (although I do remember a small batch GlenGlassaugh release, ‘Clearac’).

In the interest of transparency, I’m going to (belatedly) declare that I have an involvement in Cutty Sark, as a freelance ‘brand activist’ (this is what happens when they let you make up your own title). The reason I mention this, is merely to bring the brand into the conversation as a vintage blend that has pushed its versatile credentials from day one. Cutty Sark was created 100 years ago as a lighter, non-coloured style of whisky, aimed at the US market and promoted as a blended ‘Scots’ whisky (the SWA insisted that the word ‘Scots’ was replaced by ‘Scotch’ in the early 90’s, I believe). A lot of the work undertaken by the Glen Turner team and myself revolves around breaking down the mystery of blended whisky, dissecting the components and letting the on- trade taste the key elements, including the new make grain and malt. It’s our hope that this deep dive into the liquid will help bartenders when it comes to flavour pairing and matching mixers. The more recent release, Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition, was the work of previous owner Edrington who saw the potential for a higher ABV (50%) expression that worked as both a sipper and a stirred-down-andbrown ingredient.

It would be a fallacy not to mention Johnnie Walker and their loyal services to the Highball craze. The brand has more than 200 years under its belt and continues to innovate, more recently with the opening of ‘whiskyland’, aka Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh. Their 1820 Rooftop Bar boasts a number of Highball and cocktail serves on the drinks list, and I can first-hand confirm that there are some delicious curations on there. Going back to the 1990’s though, the brand’s communications strategy didn’t seem as integrated as it is today. Faced with declining sales, there were allegedly as many as 27 different marketing campaigns globally, which can send a very confusing message in a transient world obsessed with wanderlust. Imagine being on a backpacking trip, visiting 6 – 8 different airports in as many weeks or months and seeing 6 – 8 different marketing campaigns for the same brand, none of them necessarily related to the other. Or a business traveller, being in Singapore one week, New York the next. Born out of this stark realisation came a rebrand with a new contemporary logo and the acclaimed ‘Keep Walking’ campaign, which included a fantastic one-shot short film with actor Robert Carlyle of Trainspotting-fame.

So that’s blends and their mixing credentials – but what about single malts (or single grains) for that matter? Crabbie’s Yardhead (a single malt from an unnamed distillery created for consumers who ‘want to do more with whisky than just sip it’), Glasshouse (an independently-bottled single grain whisky from Loch Lomond Distillery) and Glenmorangie X Single Malt spring to mind – the latter’s logo is actually ‘Made For Mixing’ and was indeed the inspiration for this opinion piece. How far we have come when a single malt from a traditional distillery can shout loud and proud that this release is one to be drunk in any way you please. The ‘Men (and women) of Tain’ have further democratised the whisky industry and bartenders all around have another weapon to fight the staleness of the ‘ye cannae dae that with whisky’ crowd.

Written by Adrian Gomes, The Tippling House (Aberdeen)

The Scotch Whisky industry provides £5.5bn in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy

The Scottish government which makes around £125 from the 38 bottles being exported every second from Scotland.

4 bottles (70cl @40% ABV) of Scotch Whisky are shipped from Scotland to around 180 markets around the world each second, totalling over 1.3bn every year –with a value of £4.51 billion. Laid end to end those bottles would stretch about 377,000kms - that’s 98% of the distance to the moon!

Jack Daniel’s was the leading brand of whiskey in the on-trade channel in the United Kingdom in 2021. Sales of the brand reached £107.8 million that year. Famous Grouse was the next best selling brand with sales of 4£0.3 million

Jura has only the one Distillery and locals are dependent on its success for their employment. Today, almost every family on the island has a member who works in the distillery, with our distillery or in whisky-related tourism. Because Jura matters more to the people who make it, you can taste their dedication in every sip.

WHISKY INTERESTING FACTS

In November 2022 according to the Offie for National Statistics the average price of a nip was £3.25 by December that had risen to £3.29... in 1987 same nip cost 67p.

Around 90% of barley requirements of the industry are sourced in Scotland

More than 11,000 people are directly employed in the Scotch Whisky industry in Scotland and over42,000 jobs across the UK are supported by the industry 7,000 of these jobs in rural areas of Scotland providing vital employment and investment to communities across the Highlands and Islands

Scots aren’t actually the bigger drinkers of whisky the USA remains by far the most valuable market. According to the HMRC, it imported £789.8m of Scotch in 2021, more than double its closest rival which was France.

There are currently 142 operating Scotch Whisky distilleries across Scotland (January 2023)

There are more than 22 million casks of maturing whisky in Scotland. That’s four casks for every person. That is around 12bn 70cl bottles

In 2019, there were 2.2 million visits to Scotch Whisky distilleries, making the industry the third most popular tourist attraction in Scotland

In Diageo’s latest half year results (Feb 2023) the company revealed that following the news last year that Johnnie Walker, had reached £2 billion sales it has continued its success a 21% jump in net sales. Diageo revealed Scotch, which accounts for 29% of the company’s sales by value saw volumes increase 6% and revenue grow 19% over the same period.

THE UK’S NO.1 MALT WHISKY BRAND BY VOLUME

SUCCESS ON A PLATE

Ferrier Richardson is described by many as a ‘celebrity chef’ and certainly his past would lend credence to the descriptor, today, Ferrier who has more than 40 years’ experience in the hospitality business is using his talents in Glasgow’s East End with his first Scottish culinary business in more than two decades, the Gastro Pub – The East End Fox. He still continues to do work with his HNWI and A list Celebrity clients, home and abroad, though he has given priority to his new venture to get it off the ground and cement it’s long-term future. Ferrier is a well-known face in the Scottish culinary scene having been successful for more than two decades in the 80’s and 90’s as one of Scotland’s most distinguished chef/ proprietors with contemporary award winning venues such as October, Bearsden and Yes in Glasgow’s city centre, he was the opening Chef at Glasgow’s first Five star hotel and also owned Eurasia which unfortunately imploded in 2001, despite being the “New Scottish Restaurant of the Year in 2000”. However, he hasn’t returned to the fine dining scene, instead its traditional, comfort dishes that grace the menu at his new Garrowhill gastro-pub and they are going down a storm.

Ferrier is delighted, “We have certainly hit the ground running. I didn’t think it would quite take off in the way it has but I think it has been helped by my decision not to open on a Monday and Tuesday. The business we would have had over seven days has been condensed into five.”

The Garrowhill site was not the only one that Ferrier considered after he decided to return to Scotland, his decision was also family-motivated after his first grandson Rouzbeh arrived. Says Ferrier, “People would be amazed at how many places you discard before you throw your money at one. I had a serious look at the town and had considered one or two units for various reasons. One was in the financial district. I walked along the street chapped every door and spoke to every concierge. I decided not to go for it. Today the Ho Wong is successfully trading there. I’m not sure if anyone else could have made it work so I take my hat off to them. I also took a look at what was Hutchesons. However, at this stage in my life although I don’t want to retire, I also don’t want to throw money down the toilet so I wanted to make sure anything that I was going to do was going to work. I took advice from various people I knew in the trade including my brother who has been in the industry a long time and runs The Lab, and friends such as Mark Lappin, who runs multiple successful ventures. The general consensus from everyone who I respected was that outside of Glasgow was doing much better than the town itself, hence the reason I threw my hat into the ring for this site.

“Initially owners Greene King put the site of The Barrachnie Inn up for sale, but I think they were surprised not only by the sums of money being offered to buy it, but the quality of individuals bidding on it. They subsequently took it off the market for the best part of six months and then advertised for someone to take a lease on it. Luckily out of around 55 applicants for the unit I was successful.

My proposition was attractive to them because I was just about the only one who planned to make it food driven. I was also lucky that it wasn’t quite a normal deal and I managed to do it free of tie. Having said that I have still gone with Belhaven, although I did speak to other brewers too.

“My idea was to create an English-style pub which was female friendly, food driven, but offering good wine, cocktails and beer. A mid-market venue and the design had to reflect that. Greene King allowed me to get involved with the design process and help develop the concept. I admit I do really like the development side, and getting involved with the architects and designers, and I was lucky that Greene King believed in what I was planning to do.

“The market is a lot more casual now than it was back when I did fine dining. People are looking for something more relaxed and I don’t think they want to spend £120 – £150 quid every week so I changed my tack concerning the style of food on offer.

“I also remembered how well my great friend Iain Murray at the Ship Inn in Irvine did when he presented great traditional pub dishes. He used to have one of the busiest pubs around for food – he must have done 300 covers a day at the weekend and his customers bought their drinks at the bar. People definitely consider this a pub, although we do table service, but then they are pleasantly surprised at how good the food is. That is because we put love and care into it, whether it’s mince and potatoes or a steak pie. We have tried a few sexier things as specials such as lobster thermidor, but we have found that our customers generally want comfort food and more vegetarian and vegan dishes. So that’s what we deliver. The trick is to know your market, find it and stick with it. I don’t want to force our customers into areas they don’t want to go.”

CHEF PROPRIETOR FERRIER RICHARDSON OPENED THE EAST END FOX IN BAILLIESTON TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR AND ITS FIRST FEW MONTHS OF TRADING HAVE EXCEEDED ALL HIS EXPECTATIONS, SUSAN YOUNG CAUGHT UP WITH HIM TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS BEHIND HIS RETURN TO THE SCOTTISH CULINARY SCENE.

The quality of the food is evidence that Ferrier has a good team in the kitchen, he agrees, “I have been very lucky. The guys here have a great temperament and although we are closed on a Monday they will come in and portion up the food and do other things so we are ready for the rest of the week. We can only have five chefs in the kitchen so they all need to know what they are doing.”

The success of the business to date has also meant that already Ferrier is thinking about extending the kitchen. He tells me, “I love Terence Conran’s places, and always bought his design books –he always gave 40% of space to the back of house. He used to say, “without a proper engine you can’t work properly.” We are just coping with our numbers at the moment, so I will review them after we get to the six months mark so we can enhance what we are doing. I’m not talking about taking our food to Michelin star level, just continuing to improve it day by day, giving our clients a greater experience”

That has really been the story of Ferrier’s career – he has always

strived to build on what he has been doing.

It was his mum that can be credited with his move into hospitality – she had been working at the Bellahouston Hotel and introduced her schoolboy son to Chef George Quar who advised him to stick in at school and go to college if he wanted to get into hospitality. And this is what he did – and although he originally wanted to be a hotel manager it was in college that he discovered his love of cooking.

His first role was at the Central Hotel in Glasgow – but says Ferrier, “The style of management was not to my liking which resulted in me getting fired. I thought at the time lunatics were running the asylum! However, the same day I walked along the road and got a job at the Albany where I spent two years – and really enjoyed it. Five months before my apprenticeship finished I chapped the door of the Executive Chef Eduard Hari and said I would like to go abroad and work – and he used his contacts to get me a job at the Intercontinental in Geneva which at the time was owned by Pan Am. I spent nearly a year there before coming back to Glasgow and getting a job at The Fountain in Glasgow – which was headed up by George Quar. He was a great motivator and just before I was 22 I got the number two role at the restaurant.

“Sir William Lithgow owned it and George was then moved to Gleddoch House – and it was suggested by the then Managing Director that now I had an opportunity to really prove myself – at the age of 22 I was Head Chef at the Fountain.

“In hindsight although it was certainly good for me, I would question whether it was a good move for the restaurant. I could cook, but I didn’t know how to run a restaurant. Before long I met Ken McCulloch – he was initially looking to buy The Fountain but ended up buying The Buttery instead and he approached me to join him.

“The biggest compliment in my whole career was that every member of my kitchen brigade came with me from the Fountain to the Buttery, even when I couldn’t tell them where I was going. They thought if it was good enough for Ferrier it was good enough for them. It was the springboard for my career.

“The same day that Ken opened the Buttery he bought the Rogano and I became Executive chef for both and I was still not even 25. It was great for me and working for Ken McCulloch ultimately took me on a completely different journey. I didn’t just improve my cooking ability, but his vision and attention to detail made a real impression. That’s where I learned to work with architects and designers and such like. He also involved me in the opening of One Devonshire Gardens.

“Then myself and a colleague - Hugh MacShannon - decided to open our own business in Bearsden. We called it October and we opened it in 1988. We were just two young ambitious guys and Glasgow was just blooming – literally – it was the era of the Garden Festival and Glasgow’s Miles Better which changed the perception of Glasgow as a city. I just happened to be one of the people who benefitted from that national and international publicity.

“October was a great success. We were booked out six weeks in advance and we were constantly full. We had a great team, and

the style of the restaurant was something new. I had visited an Italian restaurant in London with Ken – and had loved the design so much – I reflected it in October. The design was timeless.” October Cafe in Princes Square followed a couple of years later but not before the Bearsden restaurant was cited in The Good Food Guide which voted it newcomer of the year in 1988 and later Scottish Restaurant of the Year as well. However, Ferrier’s ambition to work for a hotel was still there. He had always wanted to work on Park Lane, London. So, when Hilton approached him a few years later to go to the new Glasgow Hilton the lure was too great.

He says, “It was a high-profile appointment for them. At the time I was involved in the Culinary Olympic team and was doing a column for the Evening Times. They initially asked me to do the fine dining restaurant but I said why would I do that when I had two of my own? I certainly saw the role as a steppingstone. Part of the deal was that I had to relinquish October – so I did a deal with Hamish McLean who subsequently turned October into Fifty-Five BC but just before we finalised it the UK went into recession (2008), I thought it might not get done, but luckily Hamish was a cash buyer and I had also managed to get a public house licence for the venue which made it very attractive to him.

“Again in hindsight, the Hilton move wasn’t right – either for them or me. I had been used to working for Ken and with Hugh, we had always been on the same journey to Damascus together, but I soon learned that in a larger corporation, everyone tends to look out for themselves. That was difficult for me, but I learned a lot about myself, how to manage numbers and more about purchasing, it also made me realise how I wanted to treat people. After two years we parted, it was very amicable both parties realising it wasn’t working as we both had different values and aspirations”

Ferrier then put all his energies into opening Yes in Glasgow another fine dining restaurant before becoming Managing Director of Eurasia, a new Asian fusion restaurant in Bothwell Street. It was an instant success so much so that Ferrier felt able to concentrate on another consultancy role with Johnnie Walker. He explains, “I started doing various media work for them in New York and the carrot was a plan to put a Scottish restaurant in the Rockefeller Centre.”

I took my eye off the ball at Eurasia, and left others in charge. I didn’t fully realise what was going on.”

As the business failed with suppliers going unpaid Ferrier’s business partners put the business into administration.”

He says, “It took me a long time to get over it because “I had never known failure.” Everything else up until then had been a success. It is still one of my biggest regrets.”

He then took off to America with his wife Anne-Marie and worked there for a while before coming back and helping James Mortimer with Rogano.

Then Ferrier went to Spain to work and the best part of the next four years was spent living in Sotogrande – a place that is now one of his favourite spots. Cairo then beckoned says Ferrier, “It was the craziest place ever. But I smiled every day whether it was at a family of four on a moped or a flock of sheep on the highway. A journey could take 20 minutes one day and two hours the next.”

His next role, was his most favourite job – as Private Chef to the

President and First Lady of Gabon! Although it initially was a three month contract - four years later he was still there.

“Out with working for myself it was the best job I ever had. I was responsible for houses in London, Paris, Marrakesh and more. I flew in a private planes and visited the King of Morocco, President Obama and the Queen and Prince Philip. I went to the likes Rio De Janeiro for the World Cup and London for the Olympics and enjoyed many more extraordinary experiences. But I worked hard, and they appreciated everything I was doing for them as a family.” But then Ferrier got a phone call that changed his life – he learned his brother Simon had been murdered. He had been in the wrong place at the wrong time after a night out with friends. Says Ferrier, “It shattered my world. Simon and I had been through so much together. He had been involved with October and Yes and wasn’t only my brother but my best friend too. If he had died of cancer or been hit by a bus I would have been devastated but I might have been able to accept it easier. But the way that it happened I just couldn’t deal with. Then six weeks later my mum died. She had Alzheimer’s and cancer, Simon had looked after her, but after he died she just shut down.”

These twin tragedies led to Ferrier handing his notice in to the President of Gabon. He then took two years out in an effort to come to terms with the grief and he admits he was not easy to live with. But time passed and he finally decided to re-join the industry that he loved, first of all with a role in Gibralter and then he joined former Towie star Elliot Wright at Olivia’s in La Cala. “He had issues with his kitchen, and I came in to help sort them out,” says Ferrier. He then went to Nikki Beach in Marbella for a season. He smiles, “Nikki Beach was amazing. It is a phenomenal business. I recall a White party when we took a quarter of a million in one day, and 70% of that was alcohol!”

His last role before coming back to Glasgow was working as a private chef for the leading professor in the world for Osteoporosis, working in Surrey and Vichy, travelling back and forward to his home in Sotogrande. It was back to private jets and meeting interesting people. Then Covid came along. Ferrier then decided to return back home to Glasgow with his wife Anne-Marie – which was good timing as his daughter had just given them their first grandchild.

The rest is nearly history – the former Barrachnie Inn came onto his radar, and today it is has exceeded everyone’s expectations. It is also a family affair, with his son and daughter also working in the business.

Ferrier comments, “We didn’t set out with a low bar but even we have been surprised at how well it has been received. I think the business has also been helped by La Vita opening nearby – it has brought more people to the area and some of their customers now come in for a pre and after dinner drink. We have also been working hard at doing special events like Burns Nights, and music evenings to enhance our offering with more events in the pipeline to keep our guests coming back on a regular basis.

“Do we get it right all the time?“

Probably not, but myself and the team at the East End Fox are doing their very best, we genuinely care about our product, the customers appreciate all our hard work and thankfully it seems to be paying off !!!

MANORVIEW CELEBRATE HEARTCOUNT PROFIT SHARE AT

SWG3

Manorview have this week shared a total of £162,479 amongst every team member who has worked there for 12+ months, and they marked the event with a team-party of epic proportions at Glasgow venue SWG3.

A total of 389 employees will benefit from their Heartcount Profit Share Scheme, which sees the business take 10% of net profits and share it equally with qualifying team members. It is calculated based on hours worked, instead of on their job calculated based on hours worked, instead of on their job role or pay. The scheme was introduced by the business, who own and operate 11 hospitality venues, in 2017. But this is the biggest amount to date that has been shared.

Speaking of Heartcount, David Tracey, Managing Director said, “We’re on a mission to make hospitality a better industry to be part of – so it felt absolutely right to find a way to share our profits with our incredible team. Without them, we wouldn’t have a high-performing, profitable business.

To mark the occasion of the profit share, all team members enjoyed an all-expenses paid party at SWG3 on Wednesday evening. The massive celebration with their 500+ team members included carnival dancers, an aerial artist, face painters & street food. All venues for the evening so everyone could

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84 MILLER STREET GLASGOW

EL SANTO

DESIGN FOCUS BY SUSAN YOUNG

Latin American-inspired restaurant, El Santo, has opened its doors in Glasgow’s Miller Street.

The bar and restaurant, owned by the Worq Group, can seat 90 diners in the restaurant area, while there is also a speakeasy lounge bar at the rear called El Santito. Situated above ground level, the restaurant and bar offers a vibrant and exciting addition to the city.

The WORQ Group worked with local designer Robbie Crocker-Smith of Crocker-Smith, his initial brief was to develop the restaurant and a ‘speak-easy’ bar to compliment its South American food and drinks offering.

After opening up the space by removing partitions installed by the previous occupants the designers also uncovered many original features which had been buried behind plasterboard for decades. Robbie Crocker- Smith comments, “Inspiration was taken from the woven patterns and rich colours associated with the continent, anchored in the design by a richly-coloured tiled wall inspired by Aztec motifs.

“A series of booths and seating areas break up the main restaurant providing engaging areas for conversation and socialisation, with plants adding additional layers but maintaining sightlines across the restaurant – so that patrons can ‘see’ and ‘be seen’!”

One of the most striking aspects of the new restaurant is the tiling

DESIGN FOCUS

- which is bright and vibrant - tiles of blue, orange, yellow, red and violet run riot behind the bespoke booths, which also feature brass circles above - signifying the gold of the Aztecs. The jade and gold cladding on the bar is also striking and further emphasises the quality finish of the interior which is also enhanced by a plethora of foliage - the majority of which is the real deal.

Situated at the back of the restaurant is El Santito - a speakeasy margarita bar with an exclusive menu of margaritas to enjoy after a meal.

El Santito has additional seating for up to 50 more guests and is accessed via a mirrored corridor with striking interactive lighting effects. The corridor also houses the stylish toilets - which are all individual booths and have mirrored exterior doors.

The speak-easy bar gantry echoes the one in the main restaurant, adding a focal point to this relaxed and inviting lounge space although the colours are more muted.

The WORQ Group is the management company behind El Santo. With over a decade of experience working with modern-day hospitality spaces, their portfolio is continuing to grow - with El Santo being their latest Glasgow venture following the successful opening of the LGBTQ+-friendly hotel, Revolver, in August.

Jonathan Doherty, Owner of WORQ Group comments, “El Santo is just the latest project for the WORQ Group, following the success of the Revolver Hotel earlier this year. We’re proud to see that Glasgow has continued to thrive in the past couple of years and the bustling area of Merchant City is getting its resurgence.

“We hope El Santo will bring something entirely different to the city - as one of the few Latin American restaurants. As 2022 comes to a close, we’re ready to enter the new year with some new projects in our sights and to bring new experiences to Glaswegians.”

240

THE BLACK GRAPE

DESIGN FOCUS BY: ALEX RALSTON

The Black Grape is a vibrant new wine bar which has just opened in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. Set back a few metres from the world famous Royal Mile, the venue is the brainchild of experienced operations manager Murray Ainslie, formerly of The Compass Group, and recruitment specialists Stuart Hunter and Cameron Taylor.

Located at 240 Canongate, the category A-listed site was formerly occupied by the long-running Pancho Villas, before being sold in 2019. Nestled discreetly in an alcove towards the foot of the Mile, the Black Grape aims to cultivate a stylish and easy-going atmosphere for dinner or drinks, with an emphasis on sharing with friends and enjoying new and eclectic tastes.

Designed and fitted by local agency Splintr (who also worked on nearby The Fudge House), The Black Grape presents a coherent blend of modern and vintage elements, creating a stylishly relaxed vibe for the space, assisted by the well-curated jazz, funk and soul playlists that play during its operating hours. Featuring an exciting and diverse menu, the venue is split vertically into a darker bar area and an elevated and spacious dining area.

Entering through the front door leads to a chic bar area with a dark terrazzo bar top and an eye-catchingly minimalist display of premium spirits underlit by accent lights. The casually urbane bar area is complemented by a variety of types of light fittings on both floors of the venue. Two large sash windows above the row of booths provide natural light to the dining area during the daytime hours. The highlight is undoubtedly the bespoke centrepiece, a striking large two-ringed oval light fixture suspended above the main dining area, overhung with plants and other greenery.

Greenery can be found throughout, aimed at making the space feel airier and more relaxed whilst also helping to add a different element to its layout. The design itself features a cohesive mix of textures and colours: the far wall of the dining area is muted redbrick set above grey wooden panelling, and other walls are interspersed with shelving areas adorned with potted plants set against dark blue

tiling. The walls and ceilings are a considered mixture of light greys and sea blues, which, in combination with the subtle variations in the lighting throughout the late afternoon and into the evening, work to ensure that the atmosphere retains its elegance without being too formal.

The wine bar puts sharing and communality at the forefront of its experience, with a menu designed to allow for the sampling of numerous different cuisines through an emphasis on splitting food with friends from the small plates menu to accompany the large selection of specially chosen wines on offer. This ethic is represented in the venue’s seating accommodation which invites cosy conversation with friends and fellow customers.

The 60-cover venue has a variety of seating aimed at promoting the sharing ethos at the heart of the concept. Situated across from the rustic bar seating is a 10-seater table intended to be used communally by different parties. Up a few steps into the dining area, the tables become more conventional in their arrangements with small single tables in the centre complete with plush leather booths along the walls, as well as an enclosed, more private booth adjacent to the steps leading from the bar. The easy transition between the bar and dining areas maximises the space available, allowing the venue to cater to both those dining and those enjoying its extensive drinks list without separating the experiences from one another. Every detail of the venue has been considered in service of best creating the warm and inviting atmosphere that the partners envision for the site.

Murray Ainslie, Stuart Hunter, and Cameron Taylor, having known each other for several years, wanted to recreate their favourite experiences of fine dining with friends, which they hope that The Black Grape will prove a fruitful culmination of. It is Hunter and Taylor’s first venture into hospitality, having spent nearly 12 years running Advance Global Recruitment together, which specialises in recruiting for the oil and energy sector with offices in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dubai.

The BEN Dinner was a great night - it was lovely to see so many people and catch up on all their news. My dinner companions Roy Grier and David McAllister kept me thoroughy entertained regarding stories of the past and Roy is just amazing.I hope at 94 years of age I am just as sparky. Most of the people I spoke to told me that January had been surprisingly good and that they were looking forward to meeting the challenges of trading in 2023 head on. That was great to hear.

It was also great to see the Charity moving with the times with barcodes for the silent auction, a fabulous cruise as the main prize - which Gordon Bell (pictured right with Roy) very kindly gave back to the Ben after winning it, which resulted in the prize being auctioned and raising a further £8K, nobody that knows Gordon was particularly surprised because he is just that kind of guy.

This month we have covered the proposed advertising ban that the Scottish Government believe will reduce the possibility of youngsters drinking. Is it just me or is the quality of consultation papers, and the quality of drafted bills as poor as I think they are?

Never mind the premise that by banning alcohol advertising you will save the next generation of youngsters from turning into alcoholics. All research shows that youngsters are drinking less than ever. It’s us middle to late agers that are the drinkers... and we are too long in the tooth to drink more because of advertising, but we might be persuaded to change brand.

The trade - producers, brand owners, hospitality operators are all opposed to it. They just have not thought through all the implications and the impact on the Scottish economy. Please respond to the consultation by 9th March.

Of course the unease over the Deposit Return Scheme is still rumbling away. Blair Bowman is doing a sterling job keeping everyone informed and he is certainly on the front foot with this with lots of industry support. He has also garnered the support of Fergus Ewing who in a Sunday Times article said it was the worst idea he had seen in politics in 43 years!

Roadshows on DRS are ongoing on 14th February at the Philipburn Hotel, Selkirk, the 15th February at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Glasgow, 16th February at the Cairndale Hotel in Dumfries. Checkout the Circularity Scotland website for ongoing updates.

DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

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t: 01560600585 e: news@mediaworldltd.com w: dramscotland.co.uk

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Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme

Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme launches in August 2 02 3. If your business sells drinks in Scotland, you may have retailer obligations to comply with as par t of the scheme.