PREDICTIONS FOR 2021

PREDICTIONS FOR

We asked several licensees and operators for their thoughts and business projections for the first quarter of 2021 and here’s what they had to say…

DAVID WITHER, CHAIRMAN MONTPELIERS, EDINBURGH

We are in a poor situation in Edinburgh by being in tier three and we took the decision two weeks ago to close all our venues apart from Montpeliers of Bruntsfield – it’s simply not viable closing at 6 pm and not serving alcohol. To be honest, in the last couple of days I’ve become quite pessimistic because I felt that we would be moving into level two this week and that is not going to happen. I can see the restrictions being in place until next spring. Level two could probably get close to breaking even but at Level three we are losing £30 000 a week – that’s rent, supporting the team, pension top-ups, national insurance top-ups, holidays accrued, etc. To be honest, as a business we came from very strong foundations and we will be able to navigate our way through this despite going from healthy cash flows to loans. It will take a good two years to get back to pre-Covid levels and to increase cash flows and wipe our deferred costs and for these reasons, I can’t see all operators being able to continue. There are some massive deferred costs to address in the future like VAT, landlords, and unpaid costs that are so sizeable for so many businesses. This is going to be catastrophic – as will the effect on mental health which is a major issue going forward and I am not convinced that the Scottish government has found a balance between mental health and economy. The majority of people spent 15 to 20 years working very hard to build up these businesses only to lose them in a few months. It’s incredibly frustrating that the government is not listening to us - it’s so unjust. As part of the Scottish Hospitality Group, we have suggested that minor adjustments like serving alcohol until 8pm at night would allow our businesses to be viable. If only they would listen and strike a more reasonable balance between health and the economy.

LES ROSS, LICENSEE, THE DOUGLAS ARMS, DUMFRIES

Even if we’re able to reopen, the Big Burns Supper Festival won’t be going ahead this year (11 days at end of January/beginning of February) so we’ll miss our biggest two trading weekends anyway - the two weekends of BBS are our most profitable of the whole year - even better than Christmas or Easter Bank Holiday Weekend, etc., so it’s a real blow to the business to lose these. The Big Burns Supper is only one of several Burns Night celebrations which take place in Dumfries every year (the town makes the most of the Rabbie Burns connection) so a whole lot of businesses in the hospitality and tourism sector will be affected by the cancellation of dinners etc. this year. February, post-BBS, is probably the quietest month of the year - though thankfully short - but it’s hard to predict customer behaviour in the ‘new normal’. We’ve noticed a significant amount of people have adapted to the restrictions e.g. we expected to see a dip in sales when the 10 pm curfew was introduced, but people started to come out earlier and stay with us for most of the evening, so we’ve been doing OK. Maybe folk will buck the usual trend and come out in February 2021 if we’re open, perhaps in an effort to make up for the time they’ve been unable to socialise during lockdowns. I’m pretty optimistic.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2021...

ROBERT KYLE, RAD HOTEL GROUP, AYRSHIRE

Firstly let me express our gratitude to all the frontline and key workers and acknowledge the seriousness of this situation. From March 2020 we have supported our wedding couples (over 400 across the group) in their decisions to move and postpone their wedding dates, many of whom after having moved their date three or four times are now going ahead with 20 guests. I think they know as we do that next year won’t be back to any kind of normal until after March and even then restrictions will still apply. For us to open up under the current tier three conditions costs us double than staying closed which is having a huge detrimental affect to hospitality as a whole. Our fixed costs don’t go away, and as much as I appreciate the furlough scheme, this still has costs which we contribute to, so I can understand the sectors struggles On opening on the 15th July this year we put a lot of investment in to risk assessments, to open safely and do more than required. We feel the hospitality sector on a whole got this right and created a safe environment to go out in, I do not feel that the hospitality sector caused the numbers to go back up. I do get the decisions the government is making but recently in one day we have had to have three different meetings because the Scottish government guidelines and website were changed as many times. Weddings were reduced to 20 for ceremonies only in tier four with no reception with only a few days notice. In the context of the pandemic this might not seem important but on what should be a happy family time, it can be very distressing. Funerals are allowed in Tier four for up to 20 guests, this is not financially viable, but as a community service it is important we do them, It’s the right thing to do. We also feel it is the right thing to go ahead with our plans to develop our business as we want to deliver on our promises to our wedding couples and guests. A new function suite and lodges at The Lochside Hotel are on course to be finished by April next year. We want to be ready to bring hospitality back to where it was. We have secured borrowings to achieve this and maintain our team. We don’t know how the economy will be next year but we have to try. Borrowings however need to be paid back. 2020 was going to be our best year because we had invested and finished two major refurbishments at Hetland Hall Hotel in Dumfriesshire and Dalmeney Park Hotel in Renfrewshire, this will not now be the case but looking forward with hope that 2021 will come good.

TATSUYA MINAGAWA, LICENSEE, THE HIGHLANDER INN, CRAIGELLACHIE

What will January and February hold? My honest opinion is that it’s difficult to call because the complexities now seem greater. At the start of the pandemic I like a lot of operators never thought it would only last for so long, and in the face of another lockdown in the West of Scotland, we are fortunate enough not to have been shut down up here. However, our international tourist market has been all but wiped out, so thank goodness for the support we are receiving from the local community. They have been great. But that being said, you never know what Nicola Sturgeon will announce next and there are so many variables at play here and many pubs in our locality have chosen to remain closed and perhaps will do until March if the restrictions remain at the same level. We were able to share shifts with our staff and the government looked after some of their wages through the furlough scheme because we wanted to stay open so that we didn’t disappoint our customers. The way I see it, no actions means no result. If I shut down completely, I will still have to pay bills, plus I do like a challenge. I doubt the first minister will ease off the restrictions too much at Christmas because of the consequences that will mean for January and February and as the virus gets more a grip during the depths of winter and so things are going to get tougher.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2021

PAUL STEVENSON OWNER, PAESANO PIZZA, GLASGOW

It’ll come as no surprise to you that I think it’s going to be pretty tough in January and February. This furlough scheme is masking a lot of things - plus people’s money and job worries and their fearfulness of the future are all starting to become very real. On saying that, because of this second lockdown and people being cooped up again and the promise of a vaccine on the horizon, we could get a wee kickback and a boost in January if we are open of course. But I really don’t see February being anything but bleak for the hospitality industry. The fact that we have a younger demographic and are reasonably priced means that consumer confidence will hopefully be restored quicker in my businesses compared to more high-end or fine dining businesses that I think will be hit a lot harder.

NEIL MORRISON OWNER, MACGOCHANS TOBERMORY, THE LOCHSIDE IN BOWMORE, THE BENLEVA IN DRUMNADROCHIT

I think it’s going to be a write-off until Easter. We will tighten things in the meantime and then hit it hard then. A lot of the chat about things easing off in January and February has just given people false hope because there can be no possible decent business movement until there’s a vaccine. We have two venues in tier two and two in tier one and trade is down about 40% across all the businesses and we are doing a lot more takeaway business than we’re doing in the units because customers still feel that they want to be on the safe side. We had to close the Ben Nevis in Fort William because trade was so poor. It will remain closed until Easter and we are taking the opportunity to give it a refurbishment. We are creating a balcony on the lochside and putting in three big lifts from the kitchen to improve service – it’s normally a busy busy unit. We created a whisky bar in it before this all started and we are now concentrating on the refurbishment of the restaurant. It’s also been hard because seasonally we tend to cut staff back anyway but you are furloughing a lot of people that you need for the following year and it’s hard to know what to do for the best because you also want to look after your people.

GAVIN STEVENSON, DIRECTOR, MOR-RIOGHAIN GROUP,THE MAINS OF SCOTSTOWN INN, ABERDEEN, GELLIONS. INVERNESS Quarter one of next year is going to be very in growth for the last few challenging with restrictions likely in place until years and we don’t expect early summer 2021 and these restrictions to reach pre-covid levels of at any level are devastating for hospitality turnover for at least 2 or 3 businesses. Our Inverness site is in level zero years - that’s when I think and can still only accommodate 25 per cent of global tourism will return customers because of social distancing. Large and when we will hopefully be suburban restaurants don’t have as much of a over the worst of the recession. problem managing this but city-centre bars and Governments broadly started well in terms of music venues will struggle. support but current level software support is This has an impact on revenues too of course. grossly inadequate for them to survive until the There are no ways for sites like ours to break summer of next year. The majority of businesses even at level zero let alone at levels two and in the market have already spent that cash flow three. support from bounce back loans and grants and We have invested in covid-safe measures and need the same again to get them through the reduced capacity by three quarters and adapt next six months and what will be a time of much to what our business and buildings are not set lower turnover than normal. up to do - like Gellions, Inverness which is a live Although we got support there are far too many music venue, not a daytime venue. It is reliant hospitality businesses that we have become on tourism and a high volume of customers aware of that were not eligible for support and the finances of this sort of business are that fell through the cracks and have been geared to continue that model. Late-night completely devastated as a result. There’s a lot venues, music venues will continue to struggle of work to be done to refocus support on the throughout the first half of next year because businesses that need it. there will be fewer people in city centres. I don’t see any real recovery until the second half of 2021. We are a business that has been

30ml Belsazar Red 10ml Cherry Syrup 80ml Sparkling Wine Method In a mixing glass and over fresh cubed ice, stir together the Belsazar and syrup for 5-10 seconds

Carefully pour the chilled mixture into a Coupette glass or Champagne Flute that’s already half filled with good quality sparkling wine, topping up if necessary Garnish with a skewered cherry or three No and low alcohol that one in three (32%) adults alcohol category has increased by 48% in the last year, and is now a £60m-a-year category. An effervescent mix of Johnnie Walker Black and Champagne carefully combined with apple, aromatic fresh mint and ginger. 30ml Johnnie Walker Black 60ml Clear Apple Juice 30ml Champagne Method

Mix all ingredients together in a Highball glass and serve with a

options are proving more popular. CGA research shows has tried a no or low alcohol beer, wine or spirit in the last six months—equating to some 15.5 million consumers. The no and low garnish

THIS IS THE FIRST CHRISTMAS THAT LANGS JAMAICAN RUM WILL BE AVAILABLE TO OFFER AS PART OF YOUR SEASONAL OFFERING AFTER IAN MACLEOD DISTILLERS BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE UK IN SEPTEMBER WITH THE LAUNCH OF LANGS BANANA RUM. ORIGINALLY IMPORTED IN 1861, THE INITIAL RECIPE FOR LANGS BANANA RUM WAS SHOWCASED AT THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION IN 1886, WINNING GOLD.

ACCORDING TO AN ANNUAL STUDY BY AMERICAN EXPRESS, PEOPLE IN THE UK WILL SPEND AN AVERAGE OF £645 THIS YEAR AT CHRISTMAS, UP FROM £601 IN 2019.

The Macallan has collaborated with graphic designer David Carson to create a campaign for the festive season that focuses on a selection of five distinctive single malt whiskies – The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old, Sherry Oak 18 Years Old, Sherry Oak 25 Years Old, Rare Cask and Estate – which ‘reflect the uncompromised pursuit of excellence which has driven The Macallan since 1824.’

According to CGA from the 12 months to October 2020, last year’s top ten UK on-trade spirit brands – Smironff Red (1), Gordon’s Pink Gin (2), Captain Morgan’s Spiced (3), Gordon’s (4), Jagermeister (5), Jack Daniels (6), Famous Grouse (7), Baileys (8), Bacardi Carta Blanca (9), Courvoisier VSOP (10) - sold a total of 3.5m nine-litre cases but this has fallen to 2m because of lockdown and government restrictions. Baileys climbed two places to number eight with the Smirnoff Red, Gordon’ s Pink Gin, Jack Daniels and The Famous Grouse all maintaining last year’s position. Others have risen and fallen with no brand falling out of the top ten and no newcomers of course.

LET’S SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF FESTIVE DRINKS. HERE ARE SOME SEASONAL COCKTAIL RECIPES, BRAND NEWS, STATS, AND SOME INFO ON THE SOFT DRINK MARKET - AND WITH SOFT DRINKS BEING EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IN YOUR OFFERING THEY INTERESTING READING. THERE ARE ALSO SOME FUN FESTIVE FACTS TO HOPEFULLY GET YOU IN THE MOOD FOR AS GOOD A CHRISTMAS TRADE AS YOU CAN HOPE FOR UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES… The typical number of calories in your average Christmas dinner is

957

£603m is the value of the premium soft drinks market in Britain in the last twelve months according to CGA.

More and more people are turning to soft drinks according to CGA and the Office for National statistics. Around a fifth (21%) of the UK’s adult population now say they don’t drink alcohol at all, which is a good reason to stock up on some new soft drinks and epecially since in some areas of Scotland alcohol can’t be sold over at the moment.

ARRAN MULLED ARRAN HOT TODDY: GINGER BEER: 45ml Arran 10yo 330ml Ginger Beer Star anise 60ml Boiling Water ½ Lemon juice 3:1 Orange and Lemon 1 tsp Honey is the ratio by which peel natural Christmas Cinnamon stick Method: Stir all ingredients trees outsell artificial Ginger sliced together in a mug/heat- Christmas trees Teaspoon of honey proof glass. Rosemary spring 25ml Arran 10yo Garnish with a cinnamon stick and lemon slice Method: Bring all ingredients (expect for whisky and honey) to simmer in a pot. Transfer to a mug/heatproof glass and add whisky & honey. Stir, garnish and enjoy! studded with cloves. Schweppes has launched a brand new festive campaign called Schweppes, We’ve Got The Tonic, You’ve Got The Spirit. It includes a TV advert and its the first time Schweppes has been on screens since 2017 and the campaign will continue next year, with the aim to celebrate

and encourage the unshakeable British thirst for positivity. Launching in line with a new brand identity, which includes ‘bold, fun,

SMOKEHEAD SNOW BALL eye-catching and bright statement colours’, the new campaign highlights 25ml Smokehead 50ml Advocaat 12.5ml Gingerbread syrup Lemonade both the Schweppes Classic range - created for everyday mixing and the Schweppes Signature Collection - a range of naturally flavoured mixers created for special occasions and moments of celebration. Method: Add Smokehead, Advocaat and gingerbread syrup to an icefilled glass. Stir and top up with lemonade. Pre 1930s there were many SMOKEHEAD GRINCH different variations of Santa in 25ml Smokehead 50ml melon liqueur 25ml lemon juice 12.5ml sugar syrup a variety of different coloured garments. Some people claim the modern day image of Santa Claus was created by Coca-Cola, but the original Method: Shake ingredients over ice red-suited Santa became and strain into a coup glass. popular in the US and Canada in the 19th century due to SMOKEHEAD HOT the influence of caricaturist BUTTERED RUM REBEL and cartoonist Thomas Nast. 25ml Smokehead Rum Rebel 3 dashes of mixed spice Coca-Cola commissioned its depiction of Santa in 1931. 1 tbsp unsalted butter Hot cider Method: Add butter mix to the glass, pour over Smokehead and the hot cider. Stir until the butter melts.

According to data

Smokehead Islay gathered Single Malt Whisky from

Reviewing the various festive sales opportunities for licensees, Andrew Lawrence, Sales & has launched its Facebook,

Operations Director for Scotland at Molson Coors, said, “Drinkers are seeking drinks with ‘Dreaming of a two weeks greater provenance and Aspall Draught Cyder is now a key player in the cider category, Wild(ish) Christmas’ before delivering 34.4% growth in value in Scotland. It’s the only super-premium cider brand in the campaign. Just like Christmas top 10 cider brands in the UK on-trade. Smokehead, say the is one of the

“In the lager category, Premium 4% option are worth £1billion to venues across the UK . brand, getting into two most

Coors Light is growing in value by 30% in Scotland , and offers a refreshing, crisp, easy- a season described popular drinking premium 4% option that’s perfect for social occasions. To build on this momentum we as ‘jolly’ definitely times for will be rebranding Coors Light as ‘Coors’ next year, which forms part of a multimillion-pound isn’t for everyone, couples to investment in the brand. and Smokehead break up.

“It will be supported by a new ad campaign, packaging and point-of-sale material to help brand ambassador Christmas retailers continue to drive sales in the new year. Mikey Sim’s wild Day is

“Make sure you are offering a wide range of no and low alcohol options to meet different Christmas cocktails the least needs. The launch of Doom Bar Zero means that we now offer offers drinkers alcohol-free are ‘smoky popular. options in ale, as well as lager (Cobra Zero) and cider (Rekorderlig Alcohol Free), catering for festivities in their a host of different tastes.” boldest form’...

FAMILY AFFAIR

LICENSEE INTERVIEW

EMMA AND ANDY MACSWEEN HEAD UP GLASGOW’S RALPH & FINNS BAR AND RESTAURANT. JASON CADDY CAUGHT UP WITH THE MARRIED COUPLE AS THEY DIGESTED THE NEWS THAT CITY OF GLASGOW WAS ABOUT TO GO INTO TIER FOUR LOCKDOWN.

Glasgow’s Ralph & Finns is close to the hearts of comanagers Emma and Andy MacSween. Not only were they married there in 2018 during its former life as Urban Brasserie but Emma’s dad Alan Tomkins, winner of this year’s Scottish Bar & Pub awards Lifetime Achievement, owns it as well as another four venues in the city so it truly is a family affair. Emma and Andy are now also making an equally as long-term commitment to the newly refurbished St Vincent Street venue and looking forward to a post-Covid future when eleventh-hour closures are no longer a thing. Said Emma, “Finding out on a Tuesday that they are closing you on a Friday has all sorts of implications, plus we were starting to get a glimpse of good things to come. Saturday was busy and full of atmosphere. It was just a shame that we to chuck them all out the door at 6 pm - and here we go again with another lockdown and having to close down at the drop of a hat as we’re moved to tier four.” Said Andy, “I wouldn’t fancy being in Nicola Sturgeon’s shoes but she hasn’t been very clear on where we’re going next. We had a really clear roadmap in the summer, like opening up in stages, but we are not sure what is happening tomorrow and that fills us with anxiety over what food to order and whether the staff are going to have shifts this weekend. But it’s nothing the government has come across before so it’s been really good work done, but I also think that sometimes the planning and the sharing with businesses could have been better. “We have decided to take the long-term view here and this is a 10 to 15-year commitment for both of us and we are optimistic about the future of the business. Family life is so important for us all, Alan included, and that was part of the process behind working together, that it would make family life easier.” Emma added, “In a few years we’ll have something else to talk about so I’m remaining upbeat. Life is so short.” Emma and Andy have also been managing customer confusion on top of all the demands of what is effectively a new business with a brand new layout and aesthetic. Said Emma, “We’re facing a full tier-four closure but even tier three is very challenging and you can see that in the city centre most venues haven’t even bothered to open. It’s like you can open, but you can’t really, and that’s quite sad. “It has all trickled on a bit what with the café/restaurant confusion and then the tiers and I think that the customer has every right to be confused unless they are living and breathing this stuff. Can we come in at night? Can we have a drink? These are the questions we’ve been hit with and the average customer doesn’t go to a pub between 12 and 6 for a soft drink with a meal either.” And all this begs the question, what made them decide on a complete refurbishment of an established Glasgow institution AND during a pandemic? Said Emma, “We are aware that we have opened a new restaurant at a bizarre time but we didn’t open for Covid, we opened for our future and I think that deep down we knew that we needed to make some changes plus there are so many new kids on the block opening up all the time that you’ve got to keep up. Said Andy, “We did debate whether we should open or not, and what came out of the discussion was that we had to get going and remain positive and we deal with what is thrown at us. “When else are we going to get five months to make changes like these? This was the right time to develop it into Ralph &

“A LOT OF OUR STAFF ARE AS EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN THE PLACE AS WE ARE. THEY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG, LIKE MICK COOPER OUR KITCHEN MANAGER - HE’S BEEN HERE SINCE DAY ONE. HEAD CHEF JOHN PAUL LAPPIN HAS ALSO WORKED FOR ALAN SINCE HE WAS A TEENAGER – NEARLY 20 YEARS NOW.” Finns and even though some might say that this is a crazy time to open a restaurant, we know that we are not going to be able to hit the ground running, we are thinking about what position are we going to be in next year and working together is going to make family life easier for us next year. “Customers are seeing the same faces because we were able to bring nearly all our staff back from furlough and so already there’s that sense of familiarity that you don’t usually get from a new restaurant when it first opens. Regulars feel relaxed immediately when they get recognised. Urban was a special occasion venue but we want to make this a lot more casual and drop in with a bar focus.” “Urban Brasserie was busy and there were so many loyal customers and at times like Christmas it had such a great atmosphere and I think that the big push was that we were shut anyway so this was our chance being closed for all this time to make the changes.“ The fact that all of their staff came back bar one also sped up the process for the couple. Andy explained, “A lot of our staff are as emotionally invested in the place as we are. They have been here for so long, like Mick Cooper our kitchen manager - he’s been here since day one. Head chef John Paul Lappin has also worked for Alan since he was a teenager – nearly 20 years now. It was only one manager that went to work elsewhere and every single other member of the team came back through the door after furlough. Said Andy, “It was really good to have them all back and they were all super-excited. This meant they all fell into working with one another with only two days of training. Emma added, “That’s the biggest stress when you open a restaurant. You have got a whole new team and no one knows each other and so not having this to deal with and organise was great.” Alan Tomkins’ portfolio also includes Glasgow wine bar Vroni’s, which was closed when we spoke, and Ollie’s, which was offering a takeaway service, and Emma has managed both outlets – as well as online wine shop wineorama.com Said Emma, “All of my dad’s other pubs were closed in tier three and it’s a shame because at this time of year Vroni’s would normally be heating up, dark nights, coming in after shopping, works nights out, so I feel quite sad. That bar was always about three-deep at Christmas and that now seems so long ago.” Emma started working for her father in Vroni’s before opening Ollie’s on the city’s Nithsdale Road in 2014 and she also runs wineorama.com, while Andy worked for Alan a decade ago and following working with Jonathan MacDonald at Glasgow’s Ox and Finch and Ka Pao in the interim, returning to the family business last month. Continued Emma, “My dad had wineorama in 1999 during the

FAMILY AFFAIR

LICENSEE INTERVIEW

dot-com boom and we brought it back in lockdown because hospitality because customers will be champing at the bit to we had stock on the shelves and that went quite quickly so we get out again once Covid is behind us. Said Emma, “We do feel brought in more stock. It was quite good fun and crazily busy at optimistic about it because as much as it’s been a challenge, the beginning and when we went live my sister Lara and I made everybody we are speaking to is missing going out to the pub, the website and did the costings and sent out an email blast missing dining out more than ever and I think this was all taken and we had all these wine orders the next morning. It was really for granted and once this Covid wall has been broken down, busy for the first few months and then we got into a regular there’ll be a flurry of demand and making up for last year and rhythm with lots of loyal customers. We are just about to go UK so we just need to get there. delivery wide this week, and this takes the heat off me, mum “At the beginning of lockdown we had the end of the year to Hazel and dad delivering all the wine. It was all hands to the look forward to but now I don’t think people are making any pumps, apart from the five family dogs of course. plans until they know so when that starts to kick back in and And Andy enjoyed it too. He said, “It was a great lockdown project people can start to look forward to the end of the month and because we got to drive all around Glasgow for five hours at a planning, it will be a very good thing. Customers are missing time and got to know people. In the hospitality, whether it’s where they early stated they hadn’t seen anyone so we were stood at the door for 15 minutes chatting. WE ARE AWARE THAT WE HAVE OPENED A buy their coffee or go to the pub on a Monday night after work. All these things are so important. Said Emma, “ We also opened Ollie’s NEW RESTAURANT AT Said Andy, “Yes, cancelled weddings for takeaways during lockdown and I think that this was wonderful for the community who could come in A BIZARRE TIME BUT WE DIDN’T OPEN FOR and birthday celebrations. There’s a lot of making up to do.” Emma also hopes that this situation for a coffee and chat and some cake COVID, WE OPENED might also result in a change in and we sold the wine through there too, so we tried to make the most of our time off and it was a bit of a FOR OUR FUTURE AND I THINK THAT DEEP DOWN people’s perceptions of hospitality. She said, “I hope there’ll be a shift in perceptions and see it as skilled shock when they said, okay, you can WE KNEW THAT WE work. The term unskilled that I have reopen now. Ollie’s is my baby.” How did they meet and how are they finding living and working together? NEEDED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES PLUS THERE heard bandied about is horrible. Every job requires skill. Said Andy, “There’s been a real Explained Emma, “Andy worked at ARE SO MANY NEW KIDS drive of small independents that Urban over ten years ago and so we ON THE BLOCK OPENING have done well in Glasgow like Café sort of knew each other then, plus I was always trying to get a table UP ALL THE TIME THAT Strange Brew and Julie’s Kopitiam. These people got small units, at the Ox and Finch – the place you YOU’VE GOT TO KEEP UP. worked hard, and now they are could never get a table at. And we looking for bigger places to meet ended up permanently bumping into the demand. That shows people one another at work-related events. can flourish even when times are Said Andy, “I didn’t think that when I worked here ten years ago hard. that I’d come full circle and be married to the owner’s daughter.” Said Emma, “That being said, chains provide a lot of the jobs What is their working dynamic like and how do they complement so we don’t want them to go. There’s room for everyone in this one another? trade.” “We get on very well and come in together and go home Away from the job, Andy, who is originally from Inverness is a together and we also cover each other’s days off so we have keen cyclist while Emma loves horses. our own space as well,” said Emma. “I love cycling. I spent my whole lockdown cycling. Sometimes I “I like to be under tremendous pressure and make it up as I go can’t be bothered and then five hours later, I’ve had the best day along which I don’t think Andy enjoys that much because he is and it’s free,” said Andy. very organised. I think that’s when you perform at your best. Emma added, “I’ve not found my love for cycling yet. I’m a very Andy remembers a lot about customers. He’ll remember they keen horse rider and I have been riding since I was 5 or 6. Then were gluten-free and people love it. But we both love speaking took a break from it and then got back into it. Nothing too crazy. to people and don’t want to be stuck behind a desk.” Competing at any level is extremely time-consuming and we are The couple also feel that there’ll be a surge in interest in both now really focussed on the business.”