DRAM October Magazine

DRAM

360

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

@dramscotland

DRAM MAGAZINE October 2020 ISSN 1470-241X

/dram.scotland

BONNINGTON LAUNCHES NEW INDEPENDENT SCOTCH WHISKY BOTTLING BUSINESS

2020 SPBA AWARD FINALISTS REVEALED

Where versatility, usability and individuality count

The new X10

Coffee pleasure – freshly ground, not capsuled Customised coffee via 4.3" colour display thanks to One-Touch function for 31 programmable specialities Professional Aroma Grinder for ideal grinding results over the entire service life One-Touch Lungo function for delicious, aromatic barista specialities

Ideal areas of use: pubs, bars, hotels, restaurants, private clubs, coffee lounges, private function areas Recommended maximum daily output: 80 cups

JURA – If you love coffee

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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME

N

ext month hopefully Jason will be back at the helm but he has been busy on our behalf this month interviewing Janie Seaton at the Black Bull in Moffat and he also caught up with some of our award winners from last year.

Talking of the awards, we have whittled down the votes to the final six in most categories - which have been voted for by customers around the country.

Due to the current pandemic, the first measure we are looking at this year is COVID-safety.

A variety of mystery shoppers will be/and are already, visiting venues around the country - and we will continue to do so while we can. I would like to give a big shout to all our sponsors.

Everything is changing so much, even day-to-day, and it is difficult to carry COVID news in the magazine as by the time we are out in print it could be out of date!

So all this news is online at dramscotland.co.uk - we also have our regular weekly newsletters - so that’s where you will find all the COVID news and updates.

The good news is that there are a lot of people battling away on behalf of the hospitality industry - it is just that the Scottish Government doesn’t seem to be listening.

On a brighter note, despite the current climate businesses are continuing to invest in their premises.

This month we take a look at Angels, The Spateston and Barolo.

Stay safe.

Susan Young, Publisher susan@mediaworldltd.com dramscotland.co.uk

@dramscotland

/dram.scotland

CONTENTS OCTOBER 2020

FEATURES

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20 22 29

NEWS

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

LICENSEE INTERVIEW: JANIE SEATON OF THE BLACK BULL, MOFFAT SPBA AWARDS FINALISTS Six finalists in most categories!

DESIGN FOCUS

Angels, Uddingston; Dalziel Park, Motherwell; The Spateson, Johnstone; Barolo, Glasgow.

REGULARS

6 9 38

BRAND NEWS

The latest brand news.

BEER TIME

The latest stats and interesting facts.

SUE SAYS

Our publisher Sue pulls no punches.

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TOMKINS REDESIGNING URBAN BAR AND BRASSERIE Alan Tomkins is refurbishing and rebranding Glasgow’s Urban Bar and Brasserie on St Vincent Place, and he’ll unveil it all next month.

Responsible for the redesign is Michael Dunn of MD Hospitality. He said, “I’m delighted to be project director for Alan because it was my company that converted the site for him 16 years ago from the then Slug and Lettuce to Urban Brasserie. Its new name and branding will be announced in the coming weeks and the works are expected to be completed by November.”

THE BARRELMAN IS NEW NAME FOR DUNDEE’S MERCANTILE The former Mercantile pub on Dundee’s Commercial Street has opened its doors for the first time in four years as The Barrelman following a £630,000 refurbishment by Star Pubs & Bars and new licensees Tommy and Jacqueline Fox. The pub in a grade-A listed building was originally scheduled for April, the opening was delayed by lockdown.

The Barrelman’s interior is made up of exposed brickwork, wooden floors, and a glass stage plus subtle nautical nods. Spread over three floors, it’s capacity is 120 even with social distancing, boasting a bar, dining area, zones with booth and soft seating and mezzanine-level function space as well as outside café style seating. Other changes include new toilets, a new kitchen, and massive floor-toceiling windows.

Says Tommy, “Local interest has been huge. It’s exciting to be finally opening. The Barrelman looks totally different to anywhere else in Dundee now. Anyone who comes is blown away; they can’t believe it’s the same place.

“The centre of Dundee is picking up again but with bars and restaurants operating at reduced capacity, it’s difficult to get into many places. We feel very fortunate that The Barrelman is such a big airy venue where customers can easily space out. It can accommodate 120, so people can safely enjoy drinks, a meal, or a great night out in a fantastic atmosphere with a social buzz around them.”

VAN WINKLE NO 2 HITS GLASGOW’S WEST END McPhabbs Ltd is leasing what was formerly The Hill on Glasgow’s Byres Road from Star Pubs & Bars and has opened a second Van Winkle bourbon bar.

The original Van Winkle is on the Gallowgate opposite the Barrowland Ballroom.

Said Derek Mallon of McPhabbs Ltd,“The last few months have been undoubtedly tough for the hospitality industry, so it feels very positive to be opening new premises, creating jobs, and bringing something new to the food and drink scene in the west of the city.

“There will of course be all the expected COVID-19 safety measures in place to keep our guests safe.”

Van Winkle also has its very own Bourbon Bible to help visitors find their perfect pour and this alphabetical anthology showcases the bar’s growing range of bourbons. To mark the opening, Van Winkle is allowing customers with US Dollars lying around from a summer holiday that didn’t happen, to spend them at the new eatery. Van Winkle also has a special nutritious dog-friendly menu, developed by BBC Scotland’s resident vet Ross Allan from Pets’n’Vets.

Glasgow City Council has confirmed that Chef Nico Simeone has lodged plans to convert the former Fopp record store at 358 Byres Road in the city’s west end into a bar, restaurant with rooftop space.

Bon Vivant Group hand over Register club in Cheval The Edinburgh Grand Hotel Cheval The Edinburgh Grand has taken over the running of the hotel’s Register Club from the Bon Vivant Group, who will still be responsible for the day-to-day running of Lady Libertine on the ground floor. The Register reopened at the beginning of the month.

General Manager of Cheval The Edinburgh Grand, Gavin MacLennan said, “ The Register Club has been missed by both our team and our guests and we are very excited to welcome everyone back.”

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NEWS Viking-themed bar Thor’s now open

THE CLOCKWORK CLOCKS BACK ON AFTER REBRAND Caledonian Heritable took over management of The Clockwork Beer Company in Glasgow, which is owned by Three Thistle’s plc, recently. Now it has refurbished and rebranded the Cathcart Road premises as The Clockwork. The renovations were held up by the pandemic.

The pub no longer brews its own ales on-site but does have a larger ranger of beers on tap and the new design includes an open-plan kitchen equipped with a pizza oven and newly decorated walls with murals by staff member and local artist Caitlin Callaghan, a student at Glasgow School of Art. The ladies’ toilets have also been extended. GM Carol Wright told DRAM, “It’s been a long time coming it’s been well worth it judging by customers’ reactions. The removal of the huge sweeping staircase has created a lot more room inside which has facilitated social distancing.”

Maria Farrugia of MD Thor’s Bars Ltd. has opened a Viking themed pop-up called Thor’s Tipi bar at the top of Edinburgh’s Waverley Mall, which will operate for three months with a second pop-up called The Glasshouse opening mid-November. Maria told DRAM, “Thor’s Tipi bar the site features two large tents alongside outdoor seating and fire pits. We have also taken over another part of the rooftop called The Glasshouse Bar and will sit underneath the Thor’s brand.”

“Regular cleaning of the tables and benches, pre-order, pre-pay methods to pay for drinks and table service at socially distanced tables with a well-ventilated space will help to give people the feeling of safety.”

Arizona-born Gregory Forrest, a chef, has opened a new taco and burrito restaurant called Rafa’s in Glasgow’s Hidden Lane in Finnieston.

Gregory told DRAM, “We have had a fantastic response and I am about to close for a few days to do some staff training. I have been doing all the cooking so far, which is Arizona-style Mexican cuisine, which is similar to Northern Mexico and southern California”

Why Not Nightclub on Edinburgh’s George Street has adapted its business to reopen with a Secret Garden complete with fake trees, grass, and picnic tables. It is being operated

by Rose Street Garden and both venues will co-exist to offer customers an indoor and outdoor option. Rose Street also operates a beer garden and restaurant at the back of Why Not and The Dome, which opened in July.

OATES GIVES GLASGOW’S KELVINGROVE CAFÉ A REFRESH It’s been closed since the start of lockdown in March but owner Barry Oates has been busy refurbishing the Kelvingrove Café in Glasgow’s Finnieston, which he unveiled last month. He’s extended the ground floor which now boasts a new 240 square foot dining room with Versailles panelled tables, pine green Spanish plaster walls, and Italian terracotta floor tiles. There’s also a brand new staircase and window. Barry told DRAM, “The new extension, the Green Room, has been decorated with David Eustace prints and features a huge window, which floods the space in light. It is a beautiful room for enjoying brunch or afternoon cocktails, and comfortably sits a further twenty customers.

“We have a brand new cocktail list and we want to be Scotland’s go-to cocktail bar as well be a destination for customers looking for casual dining and the new interior reflects this.”

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BRAND NEWS COVER STORY

RUM

The Whisky Cellar toasts ‘Private Cellars Selection’ single cask launch

IAN MACLEOD DISTILLERS BRING BACK LANGS JAMAICAN RUM

Newly launched independent Scotch Whisky Bottling Business The Whisky Cellar has unveiled a series of ten unique single casks bottled under its new Private Cellars Selection label.

With just 2,100 bottles drawn from the ten casks, the whiskies will be made available on strict allocation and spearheading the launch is founder of The Whisky Cellar, Keith Bonnington, a Scotch Whisky industry executive with 18 years’ experience.

Said Keith, “We have selected across a broad spectrum of styles, age references and price points, some from well-known distilleries, others from lesser-heralded or even unnamed” “I believe that there’s a whisky out there for every palate and our ethos is to make Scotch enjoyable for all, opening up possibilities to try an expanse of flavours within each of our series’.”

Each of the ten casks – a mixture of barrels, hogsheads, butts and a quarter cask – were carefully selected by an expert panel of assessors to offer “a taste profile for everyone” within the range.

The bottles, which include a 1997 rum cask finish from the BenRiach distillery, a 1995 hogshead from Glenallachie and a 1984 Single Grain from Cameronbridge distillery, range from recommended retail prices of £50 to £185.

Within each series, the assessors will select a cask from a particular region – one which they believe captures the essence of that region – and bottle it unnamed and at 40-43% alcohol by volume as ‘House Malt’. Bonnington describes this as “good, signature single cask malt whisky at an accessible price.”

The ‘House Malt’ within the first series is a 15year old single cask from a renowned and popular Speyside distillery retailing at £50 per bottle. Keith hopes to build The Whisky Cellar’s following and become one of the foremost independent bottlers for flavour exploration.

Keith added, “Our series’ 2 and 3 casks are lying patiently in our warehouse, some recently re-racked while we explore finishing – that final period of maturation – in port wood, French wine barriques and Oloroso sherry quarter casks.”

The whiskies are available from select retailers in the UK and some export markets including Italy, Germany and Taiwan.

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Ian Macleod Distillers is bringing back Langs Jamaican Rum to the UK with the release of Langs Banana Rum. The tropical spirit is the first flavoured rum to feature in the distillers’ portfolio and is the first of a range of flavoured rums that Langs will be releasing in the coming months, along with plans for a phased roll out in the UK on-trade.

Barbara Turing, Innovation Manager at Ian Macleod Distillers, said, “Our rum benefits from the best of both countries; the finest rum from Jamaica infused with natural banana flavour in Scotland.”

Originally imported in 1861, the initial recipe for Langs Banana Rum was showcased at the Edinburgh International Exhibition in 1886, winning gold.

Neil Boyd, UK Managing Director of Ian Macleod Distillers, said, “At Ian Macleod Distillers, we’re continually looking at trends and listening to our customers and consumers, which is why we’re thrilled to announce the relaunch of Langs Jamaican Rum, a classic from the 1860’s.”

WHISKY

Tobermory Distillery releases special 23-YO Tobermory Distillery has released Tobermory 23 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish. Originally the 15-year-old liquid, Tobermory 23 Year Old has spent more time resting in Oloroso casks at the distillery to create, say the company, an even more exquisite and full-flavoured whisky.

Julieann Fernandez, Master Blender at Tobermory Distillery, said, “Our team at the distillery have been working hard for many years on the return of this old friend, and we’re incredibly proud to be introducing whisky drinkers around the world this exciting addition to the core range.

“Absence certainly makes the heart grow fonder and the extra years have been spent well, as our whisky has continued to mature into the new sherried expression. One of the finest expressions we’ve ever made, it’s an honour to introduce Tobermory 23 to markets in Europe, Asia and the UK. The Tobermory 23 Year Old will join the Tobermory 12 Year Old, Ledaig 10 Year Old and Ledaig 18 Year Old in the distillery’s core range of malts.

For more information visit www.tobermorydistillery.com.

A N E W LOOK .

T H E GL E NGOY N E WAY. UNHURRIED SINCE 1833

A NEW ERA FOR SCOTTISH ALE It is evident that a period of market uncertainty has called for absolute confidence in the products publican’s stock on their bars. At a time where capacity is capped and offerings are limited, it is critical to ensure every single beer tap drives efficiency and profit, without sacrificing quality or consumer appeal.

The recent success of our hero ale Ossian Smooth Flow has showcased the consumer appetite for a premium golden ale in the Scottish ale category. By evolving with the times and building on the strength of our – once Champion Beer of Scotland – cask credentials; we have extended the range of our Ossian brand to include a contemporary smooth keg ale.

And the response from our drinkers and stockists has been outstanding!

“Ossian Smooth Flow has filled the gap where beer drinkers as opposed to lager drinkers have been missing out. They love the fact that an ale can still be so flavoursome when chilled. The creamy nature of Ossian Smooth Flow makes for easy drinking too!“ – PETER KNIGHT, Owner of Teuchters, Edinburgh.

By taking Ossian’s two key ingredients – an award-winning recipe and Scottish heartland heritage – and reimagining them for today’s market; we are confident that Ossian Smooth Flow has unlocked a new era for Scottish ale. Our brewers have infused Ossian’s beautiful recipe with nitrogen to create a chilled, velvety mouthfeel that enhances the beer’s zesty citrus and baked caramel flavours. Unlike most traditional smooth ales that are dark and malty in character, this refreshing golden ale is light and sessionable. Coupled with a clean and contemporary design, which looks at the brand’s long-established origins under a new lens; Ossian Smooth Flow bridges the gap between the old and the new – boasting wide consumer appeal as well as trade confidence in a profitable keg solution.

– CRAWFORD SINCLAIR, Commercial Director, The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co. Ltd. Inveralmond Brewery’s award-winning golden ale is now available in a refreshing new format. Ossian Smooth Flow is a premium Scottish ale that provides a contemporary alternative to traditional styles.

ABV: 4.1%

MALTS: Pale ale, Caramalt, Wheat.

For more information contact: sales@innisandgunn.com

HOPS: First Gold, Cascade, Fuggles.

FORMAT: 30L KEG.

SAID STEVE JACKSON, GM AT THE GUILFORD ARMS IN EDINBURGH “We were slowly gaining ground and building beer sales after lockdown but each new regulation, like the rule of six and the 10 pm curfew is a blow to our business and fewer people come through the door. Because of our reduced capacity, we are now down to 3 cask beers when we would normally do 10. In terms of our best selling draught lager, I am ordering 3 11 gallon barrels instead of 5 22 gallon barrels. Estrella is Damm is also selling well as is Leith Pils from Campervan Brewery, which are pretty much even-stevens.”

Cenosillicaphobia

is the fear of an empty glass.

Fried beer won Most Creative Fried Food at the 2010 Texas State Fair.

According to the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), beer sales in the UK plummeted by 40 % in the on-trade in March 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, reflecting the immediate impact of lockdown.

eamed cently str Mark e r n n u G r Innis & ongwrite rt singer-s ig as pa g w o s g d s n la la G w o r r a ld’s B McDona ommending the on its ec ‘R mpaign of the a c ’ s r e people end Recomm age. Over 1100 friend kp es or a lv e s m Faceboo e th rded t either be rewa to t. d r have pu a w in Augus one for unched la or loved n ig a e camp since th

Carling is running the next phase of its Made Local campaign with ‘Support Your Local’, a multichannel campaign to encourage people across the country to back their local pub. Filmed at a local pub with a real landlord, the campaign will champion the central role that local pubs play in British culture and society – and the importance of supporting them through these challenging times, whether that is meeting a friend for a drink, ordering a takeaway or simply showing support on your social channels.

Carling is also working with CALM, the campaign against living miserably (CALM) to tackle men’s mental health, the charity leading a movement against suicide, to launch their first campaign in a threeyear partnership called Caring TeamTalks. It looks to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health by using a shared love of football to help normalise what might feel like tricky conversations about feelings.

A cloud near the constellation Aquila contains enough ethyl alcohol to fill 400 trillion pints of beer.

Although considerably down on last year, Beer has enjoyed the strongest recovery in Scotland, as good weather and a shift to lower tempo occasions have benefitted the category.

Around 75% of outlets have now re-opened in Scotland, growing at a rate of 3% week by week.

Info courtesy of Molson Coors

UK licensees were forced to waste an estimated 70m pints of spoiled beer according to the British Beer & Pub Association.

Some of the unsellable beer was also donated to farmers for organic fertilisers.

In Scotland it is Core (e.g. Tennents, Carling) & Premium 4% (e.g. Coors Light, Amstel) Lager that have gained share since re-opening. In the ale category, Traditional Keg Ales (e.g. Belhaven Best, Caledonia Best) have also taken share as drinkers reach for their familiar favourites in times of uncertainty.

Source: CGA OPM P08 (08/08/2020)” Info courtesy of Molson Coors

Said Tony Lopez, GM at Hootenanny in Glasgow “Our beer sales are down purely because there are less customers, and given our proximity to St Enoch, the lack of subcrawls, etc have really cut into our business.

Tennent’s, St Mungo, and Heineken all sell well and we have also introduced Amstel, which is also selling well and summer since the lockdown hasn’t been bad for beer sales, although, like everybody else, there is a lot of uncertainty over what the winter months will bring.”

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NEWS GIGI’S RESTAURANT IN BONNYRIGG EXPAND The Pia family-owned Gigi’s Italian restaurant and cocktail bar in Bonnyrigg will debut a redesigned restaurant and cocktail bar extension this month. Said the project designer Michael Dunn of MD Hospitality, “The family has owned the restaurant for a decade and they decided to extend into the next-door premises in response to customer demand for an cocktail area dedicated to pre and post cocktail drinks. In terms of the design, think a fabulous continental-style brasserie.”

BENROMACH LAUNCHES 21 YEAR OLD WHISKY AS NEW LOOK GOES GLOBAL To mark the worldwide release of Benromach’s new look, the Speyside distillery has launched a new permanent addition to its core range – the Benromach 21 Year Old. Matured exclusively in first-fill sherry and bourbon casks, the 21 Year Old leads with sherry aromas followed by the taste of subtle spice, raspberry and Seville orange, with a soft smoky finish.

Benromach launched its new look core range, which includes the 10 Year Old, 15 Year Old and 2009 Cask Strength Vintage, in June and began shipping to several markets throughout Europe and Asia. These designs were inspired by the Speyside distillery’s history and traditional approach to making their award-winning single malt whisky, and are now beginning to hit the shelves.

Keith Cruickshank, Distillery Manager at Benromach, said: “The 21 Year Old is the oldest expression we have offered in our core line up since our team reopened the distillery 22 years ago. As an older whisky which is still grounded in our commitment to using only the finest firstfill bourbon and sherry casks, it provides a unique take on the classic Benromach style.

“We’re proud to see our new bottles which better reflect the Benromach story and approach to whisky making, now filling stockists’ shelves and drinks cabinets around the world” Stockist information can be found on the brand website: https://www.benromach.com/stockists

Sava Estates has lodged an application with Glasgow City Council to turn a B-listed and former bank building at 704 Govan Road into a new restaurant. The applicant wants to convert the ground floor and basement of the property. Said the application, “Given that there are few other significant uses on this part of Govan Road this new restaurant in this feature building will contribute very positively to the character of the area and become a local icon.”

Glasgow’s Garage reinvents itself as The Electric Gardens Hold Fast Entertainment has reopened The Garage on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street as a temporary indoor beer garden called The Electric Gardens after the venues had been closed for seven months because of the restrictions that are still in place keeping late night venues from operating. The Garage will return as normal after Covid-19.

The inspiration behind it comes from a dance club in Glasgow - also named The Electric Gardens -which was located in the very same building in the 1970s.

It’s now got a 250 capacity with plenty of room for social distancing, plantings, visuals, moving graphics and changing pictures throughout the bar to create that ‘electric atmosphere.’

GLENGOYNE DISTILLERY WINS GOLD Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is celebrating scooping a gold award in the inaugural International Spirits Challenge Tourism Awards. The International Spirits Challenge, in its 25th year, introduced the ISC Tourism Awards to recognise innovation and excellence among global distilleries this year.

Stuart Hendry, Brand Home Director at Ian Macleod Distillers Limited, said, “We are delighted to be recognised with this prestigious new award. Following hot on the heels of ISC Golds for our Glengoyne 10, 12 and 18 Year Old, this award recognises the hard work and dedication of the team who ensure our visitors leave with a smile on their face and a deeper understanding of our unique processes, flavours, and history”.

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Feeling lost & confused We can shed with your some light. business? Access free 1:1 business adviser support and online resources for a brighter future.

Connect with us at

bgateway.com

LAST YEAR’S AWARD WIN

BY JASON CADDY

AHEAD OF THE SCOTTISH BAR & PUB AWARDS 2020 WE CAUGHT UP WITH SOME OF LAST YEAR’S WINNERS TO FIND OUT WHAT WINNING HAS DONE FOR THEIR BUSINESS AND WHAT IT HAS MEANT FOR THEM PERSONALLY.

L

LAUREN CLEGG AND CALUM RUNCIMAN, BUZZWORKS AND MONTPELIERS EMERGING ENTREPRENEURS OF THE YEAR

auren Clegg and Calum Runciman won the 2019 Buzzworks and Flow Emerging Entrepreneur Award in recognition of their business acumen and professionalism. They opened two Dundee bar businesses, The White Goose and The Giddy Goose, in as many years while remaining debt-free. Part of this award involved a year of business mentoring from Buzzworks’ Colin Blair and Montpeliers’ David Wither. This is what Lauren had to say.

“We got a lot of brilliant business advice from both David and Colin that we couldn’t have got anywhere else and the benefit of their wisdom was especially invaluable throughout the COVID-19.

We were business-led before we won this award but thanks to this mentorship we are now even more business-savvy and David and Colin have been so transparent with their advice – even about the mistakes they made along the way so that we don’t make the same ones and this has been a very humbling experience for us because they too are humble.

They also put us in touch with brand reps and we have been able to network with other people in the trade too.

Right from the word go they taught us about the importance of being part of a business community and sharing things with neighbouring hospitality businesses and competitors because it benefits everybody. Transparency is always better than secrecy, and I think the pandemic has taught a lot of businesses that this is a way better way to operate rather than holding all our cards so close to our chest.

One of the most important skills we have learned from this mentorship is how to maximise what we’ve got and push it one step further, much of which we have applied to our long-term expansion plans, with our ultimate goal being nine Giddy Geese in Scottish towns. Colin and David gave us some strong advice on building the brand and helped us identify towns rather than cities as potentially being the best markets for our businesses.

My advice for the next winners of this award would be not to be afraid to ask and to utilise the mentors’ wisdom and that of their teams too of course. We were a bit hesitant to ask questions at first, but they are both very humble and genuinely eager to help grow the mentee’s business.”

KEVIN CROMPTON

GM - CHURCH ON THE HILL - ANTOS DOG FRIENDLY PUB OF THE YEAR

W

ith Queen’s Park on our doorstep, it made sense that we were a dog-friendly pub and that is what we became known for and winning this award has really raised awareness among locals who now know that their dog is going to be treated as well as any human in our pub. This is the key to running a great dog-friendly pub, in fact. You’ve got to take the same approach as you would when you are running a family-friendly pub because a dog is after all part of the family. We even welcomed a local celebrity Japanese Shiba Inu with 10,000 Instagram followers whose owner had heard about our win.

On a busy day we could be looking at 20 dogs inside and out and COVID has of course altered this a little, plus customers are a little warier about making a fuss of other customer’s dogs, but we are lucky because even with all the restrictions, we remain a fairly sizeable venue, so we haven’t sacrificed too much in terms of capacity.

The one thing that has changed is that we had a dedicated area for dogs just in case there were any customers in who weren’t that

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comfortable with them, but since COVID they are now more integrated and spread out in the pub which seems to be perfectly acceptable for everybody.

I would say that a dog owner is looking for a pub in which they can chill, and in which, their dog can chill and where the dog gets as warm a greeting as the customer (COVID permitting) and this is what we do here.

The wider business is going strength to strength and we are actually showing sales growth on last year which came as a bit of a surprise to us, but I think that this is also a testament to our stringent safety measures and which provides customers with confidence, and I have also noticed that the no music policy and no night clubs being open has altered the type of clientele we’re attracting on a Saturday night. It’s an older crowd, like 30s and 40s, right up to couples in their 60s – it’s like they have got their pub back.”

NNERS REFLECT

NINA FRASER GM AT THE OAK TREE INN, BALMAHA SEA CHANGE EVOLUTION AWARD 2019 Sea Change is a range of environmentally conscious wines that are distributed by Inverarity Morton and in the same spirit, Inverarity Morton looks for a hospitality business with the same ethos that gives back to the environment and thinks in an evolutionary fashion. The Oak Tree is one such business and winner of this award in 2019. It proved that it was a business that is adopting a more sustainable way of working and recycling and this is what GM Nina Fraser had to say about the experience.

“Because the award displayed in our reception and on social media the customers often talk about it and it’s a great conversation starter between then and the staff and they have been really impressed by how we are continuing to strive toward making our business more sustainable and environmentally friendly. We are also now stocking Sea Change Prosecco as well as the red and white wines as more and more customers switch on to the brand.

Since winning the award we have introduced

a new till system which uses less paper with email receipts for customers and this has gone hand in hand with QR codes on the tables for customer ordering and has meant we have been able to say goodbye to disposable menus.

I like to think I lead the way in the business when it comes to making further strides in all these areas and I feel that it’s good for a business to have a similar dedicated person. This is a great way to start and it doesn’t have to cost a lot and make your business greener can actually save money in the long term and this percolates down to all the staff who are very good at keeping customers informed, always dissuading them from being wasteful – in a charming way of course!

In terms of our business since COVID, we have made no redundancies and Balmaha is just so busy and we have even opened our own car part because the first one filled up before noon. Our accommodation is up on last year and the bar sales are on par with last year.”

KRIS CLARK THE GEORGE HOTEL, INVERARAY THE SUNDAY MAIL PUB OF THE YEAR The George Hotel, Inveraray, won Sunday Mail Pub of the Year. At the beginning of the year Donald Clark, pictured centre died, but his legacy lives on.

Said son and owner Kris Clark, “The Sunday Mail Pub of the Year award definitely opened us up to a market that didn’t know The George and we had a good year last year. Business was great and this award’s positive effect contributed to this.

“Any award lifts the spirits of the staff and I’m fortunate in that mine have a tremendous pride in The George anyway and winning this award only strengthened this. We have new garden bar and we are looking forward to elevating its current BBQ offering to Champagne and oysters. You have got to be industrious in challenging times like these. If you sit still, you don’t progress.”

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ALISON BLAIR ON BEHALF OF BUZZWORKS

Cellar Trends Multiple Operator of the Year; BII Customer Service Award; Kopparberg Best New Bar

B

uzzworks won Cellar Trends, Multiple Operator of the Year, Mill House Stewarton won the BII Customer Service Award, and The Vic’s and The Vine won Kopparberg Best New Bar and the company’s owner/director broke down the significance of winning each award.

We went off-brand with the refurbished Vic’s and the Vine and it took customers a little getting used to but they now love it and winning Kopparberg Best New Bar if the Year has further elevated our status in the local community as a vibrant and bar with a great atmosphere.

Many of them were used to Elliots and this award stimulated even more interest in our new proposition which prior to lockdown was running at full capacity at all times of the day. Now we are operating at 25 % capacity because of COVID, of course, and we have been seeing customers coming our earlier in the evening and we will be encouraging more of this in light of the 10 pm curfew by continuing to provide safe and welcoming hospitality, although closing earlier will have implications.

I am hugely passionate about customer service and we do have a lot of training programmes in place for our staff and I was and still am so phenomenally proud that The Mill House won the BII Customer Service award.

Training is an area we excel in and this month, for example, our

EMMA MOODY WINNER OF THE WILLIAM GRANT & SONS BAR APPRENTICE PROGRAMME

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managers are taking every member of the team and training them in the art of elevating the emotional connection between them and customers. It’s all about peripheral vision and ‘reading between the rocks’. This is the difference between service and hospitality because it’s the emotional connection and how you make people feel. We are not perfect and we don’t get it right all the time, but this is what we strive towards.

The Mill House is 25 per cent up on last year and this award has also allowed people to understand that we see ourselves as an operator in the local community with whom we like to build connections.

Our guys are so proud to win this award and it means so much personally and it generates a lot of interest from customers too who see it displayed in the venue.

I can’t tell you how proud and emotional we were and still am to have won Cellar Trends Multiple Operator of the year. Kenny, Colin, and I see this as a phenomenal achievement and to be seen in this light is fantastic. We have been in this business for a long time now and we continually challenge ourselves to innovate whether that’s systems, how we work with people, menu offerings, etc. We continue to have huge respect for each other. Colin and I continued visiting venues during lockdown - we are always thinking of how we can make improvements and adapt, like what we are doing with our outside areas for example.

Emma Moody, formerly of No.1 in Edinburgh, won the William Grant & Sons Bar Apprentice programme. She told DRAM, “The mentors from William Grant & Sons were so knowledgeable about the brands and about the industry in general and because we did such intensive training I learned everything from the chemistry behind creating the drinks to different marketing techniques used - and everything in between. All the other apprentices were such lovely people and everybody gave their heart and soul to it so it was such a great atmosphere and very inspiring too.

I was still working in No.1 in Edinburgh up until November last year when I went to do a yoga course in India and the Glenfiddich ambassador that I met during the apprenticeship happened to know the master distiller at the Paul John distillery near where I was staying and he arranged for me to do some work experience there which was wonderful.”

EVERY ISSUE FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON A WM GRANT BRAND AMBASSADOR. WE ARE KICKING OFF THE SERIES WITH A Q&A SESSION WITH MARK THOMSON AMBASSADOR TO SCOTLAND FOR GLENFIDDICH What does your role entail?

It’s a really varied role. Ambassadors at their very heart are educators and diplomats. I am a diplomat for Glenfiddich in that I talk to many different people about the brand and educate along the way. I suppose I am also an influencer, although I don’t really like that term.

There’s lots of travel. My job is to get in front of people and talk about the brand allowing them to understand it better. Brand ambassadors also have to bring to life what marketeers create. They come with the brand world, which can be difficult to understand, it’s the ambassadors role to filter it to the audience. That audience may change all the time, so the delivery is different, but the message remains constant - through this, I help build brand advocacy.

What are the biggest challenges?

I’ve been the ambassador for Glenfiddich for nearly six years and people often refer to me as the Glenfiddich ambassador and interestingly not Mark. You do lose a bit of your own identity along the way and you have to work at not letting the role become you.

These days one of the biggest challenges for me is getting up in the morning. It can be a struggle because you never really switch off.

This is partly to do with social media. Yes, you can turn your phone off, but I can have messages from 8am – 10pm every day and at the weekend from people all over the world – someone from Japan or Australia, or the U.K. asking a question about the brand. Being constantly ‘on’ is a challenge. Even on holiday I am scanning the back bar looking for bottles of Glenfiddich.

Travel too can be tiresome. Usually when I am travelling I ask that I am not seated next to one of our guests (without them knowing obviously!). The reason being that the time spent travelling is ‘protected time’. Many brand ambassadors have a routine when travelling – they relax by watching a movie, or catching up on a bookmarked article.

One particular trip whilst boarding a flight , Ronnie Cox sat in the vacant seat next to me - he is the brand ambassador for the Glenrothes and a bit of an idol of mine. His group were at the back of the plane, mine to the front. When I explained to him I would be putting my headphones on as soon as we took off, he said “That is delightful to hear I was going to do the same,” and we proceeded to ignore each other for the duration of the flight until touchdown allowed for pleasantries to start again. Ambassadors who have been doing the job for a while get round the travel challenge and that is one of our tricks.

What do you love about it?

I’ve been in the whisky industry around 15 years yet I never get tired of helping people on their whisky journey and seeing that ‘eureka’ moment on someone’s face. It depends on where they are on their journey. Sometimes people want advice about what to drink or what cocktail to try. You‘re almost giving permission to try whisky a

different way. Even something simple such as it’s ok to add ice- it’s encouraging them go and experiment and have some fun.

It’s great working with experienced cocktail bartenders who want to get behind our brands, the production and flavours. It’s a super feeling giving someone additional tools for their skillset - to create great drinks – which in turn helps their career.

Then there is the top tier - the whisky geeks – the thing I love about engaging with this particular group is that you can relax. With many people we give our knowledge, time and experience, with geeks it kind of levels out. You learn as much (about whisky) from them as they do from you. They make me explore and research. Whisky is a fabulous category to work across and so enriching. Each day I can learn something new and I love when people take it in a different direction with new expressions, experiments, flavours or even packaging. It is certainly a colourful world and the people behind it are often just as colourful.

What did you do before?

I’ve been with Glenfiddich for nearly 6 years. Previously I ran my own company doing whisky tastings all over the UK and also I did brand advocacy work with companies such as Maxxium, Pernod Ricard and Wemyss as well as training the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Prior to that I worked in hospitality – pubs and restaurants around the U.K. This led me to specialise in drinks. Initailly wine was my passion, then whisky got me!

What is your favourite drink?

I love whisky, wine, beer and sherry – things that have had time and attention put into them. I certainly love well-made drinks with bags of character which tell a story.

What is the single bit of advice you have had which has stood you in good stead?

I think there is a lot of advice I should have listened to, but ignored much to my detriment. My advice to myself would be to stop and listen more.

A few years ago, a very good chef friend I was helping asked me to prepare some string beans – just top and tail, which I did. But upon completing the task, he came over and threw away six – exclaiming in his gruff French accent, “Mark we work too hard to eat brown beans’. When I looked closely there were tiny wee brown dots on them.

More a reminder than advice- we do work too hard, and we should take time to recognise and celebrate our worth.

Just to wrap up- I do hope everyone is cool and surviving out there in these most testing of times and hope we can catch up over a dram soon.

I’m here to help and if I can put bums on seats with a tasting or training, please give me a shout -between reasonable hours of business ;) @singlemaltmark DRAM OCTOBER 2020 15

According to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), total gin sales in the UK were valued at around £2.6 billion last year despite a slowdown in growth. Flavoured gin contributed over 80% of the growth in gin sales in UK retail in the year to July 2019. Flavoured variants now account for a third of overall gin sales.

Resourceful bar owners set up the Glasgow Cocktail Collective over lockdown and such was the success the venture is continuing.

Ten of the best bars across the city now regularly create new drinks and packages to tempt customers to order cocktails which are delivered to their homes.

Founding members of the Glasgow Cocktail Collection (GCC) include Vodka Wodka in the west end, Blue Dog, speakeasy Kelvingrove Café, alongside Redmonds and Phillies of Shawlands.

Dedicated to supporting Glasgow’s favourite bars, The GCC has also raised £1500 for Scotland’s hospitality charity - The Drinks Trust by donating sales of their drinks to help bartenders that have found themselves out of work.

The Collective aims to support all of the trade with their initiative, buying all stock from local sources and wholesalers and distributed back to local businesses and their families.

Fraser McIlwraith, founder of Dark Art Drinks and founder of Glasgow Cocktail Collective explains, “By choosing to buy a cocktail from GCC, you’re supporting local and helping keep your favourite bars in business.”

“Now more than ever, with the new restrictions in hospitality, we continue to offer an excellent service that allows our customers to enjoy premium quality cocktails in your own kitchen.

Schweppes’ new line of mixers, 1783 by Schweppes, refers to the year the company was founded.

THE VERY FIRST ISLE OF HARRIS GIN BAR OPENS THIS MONTH UNTIL MIDDECEMBER – ABOVE GLASGOW’S CAFÉ GANDOLFI ON CANDLERIGGS. EACH EVENING WILL BE HOSTED BY AN ISLE OF HARRIS DISTILLERY BRAND AMBASSADOR AND DEDICATED BARTENDER.

FACTS

According to AC Nielsen data to 15.06.19, gin is number 2 in the GB spirits categories, both by value and volume, after non-flavoured vodka.

Distilled to perfection on the Hebridean isle of Colonsay, Wild Island Distiller’s Cut Gin infuses an original gin recipe with island-grown redcurrants.

This international awardwinning gin is produced in very small batches in 250 litre still and bottle at the cut strength of 43.5% alcohol by volume.

The result, says the distiller, is a naturally fresh, fruit-forward contemporary style of premium gin, ideal served in a gin and tonic with a garnish of mint and a scattering of redcurrants.

THE JUNIPER BERRY IS NOT A BERRY – IT IS ACTUALLY A FEMALE SEED CONE WITH UNUSUALLY FLESHY AND MERGED SCALES THAT GIVE IT THE APPEARANCE OF A BERRY.

Juniper, the key botanical used to give gin its distinctive flavour, is under attack from an aggressive pathogen that causes withering and often the death of the shrub. The fungus-like pathogen Phytophthora austrocedri is spreading across Scotland, which produces 70 per cent of the UK’s gin. Experts are warning members of the public and land workers to take extra care when out and about to minimise the possibility of spreading the disease between sites and help protect Scotland’s home-grown gins. Efforts include cleaning soil from boots, bike tyres, and dog paws before and after visiting forests and moors.

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Lyndsay Blair is gin distiller at Edinburgh’s 56 North which stocks 350 gins. She said.

“We used to sell mostly what I call seaside-flavour gins before lockdown, such as gins with savoury notes like Edinburgh Gin’s seaside gin and Isle of Harris sea kelp gin – and Isle of Harris was our biggest brand bar-call before lockdown incidentally.

But post lockdown it’s all about pink gins. In fact, we have never ordered as much pink gin as the last few months and pink gin and lemonade was massive right after lockdown, but customers are now ordering it with a wider variety of mixers. Why pink gin? I think customers associate it with cheerfulness. Our own distilled gin is the most popular here because it’s our house pour and we are just about to launch a spiced one.”

Edinburgh Gin’s London Dry ‘Classic’ launched in 2010, and it now has a Top 15 spot in the UK super and ultrapremium London Dry category.

London Dry Gin still accounts for over 60% of the overall category.

GIN DOESN’T HAVE THE SAME GEOGRAPHICAL RESTRICTIONS AS SOME OTHER SPIRITS, SO ‘LONDON DRY GIN’ DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PRODUCED IN LONDON, OR EVEN ENGLAND FOR THAT MATTER! THE NAME IS JUST A PROCESS DESIGNATION.

A DUTCH PHYSICIAN BY THE NAME OF FRANCISCUS SYLVIUS IS GENERALLY CREDITED AS THE CREATOR OF GIN, OR ‘GENEVER’ – MEDICINE DISTILLED WITH JUNIPER BERRY OIL. HE INTENDED IT AS A CURE FOR STOMACH AND KIDNEY DISORDERS.

Nearly all juniper berries used to make gin are picked wild – unlike most fruits and vegetables they are not cultivated in masses.

FACTS

ALMOST HALF THE WORLD’S PRODUCTION OF GIN IS CONSUMED IN THE PHILIPPINES.

The total UK spirits sector is worth £11.4BN and the UK on-trade accounts for 59.6% of value sales, +2.9%.

AC NIELSEN

Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) said, “The Schweppes mixers range delivers a great pairing for cocktails and mocktails, allowing Scottish licensees to create the perfect gin and tonic. To help licensees cater for all occasions and give consumers the ultimate choice, the Schweppes mixers range includes both classic and premium options. Schweppes Classic – which includes the renowned Classic Tonic Water and Slimline Tonic Water – is tailored towards everyday occasions.

“For consumers who are on the lookout for a more premium option, there’s the Schweppes Signature Collection, which combines Schweppes’ renowned effervescence with natural flavours and sweeteners. The range features Crisp Tonic Water, Light Tonic Water, Golden Ginger Ale, and Quenching Cucumber Tonic Water. The bottles feature a golden Schweppes sash and black livery that differentiates the range in the chiller or on the back bar, and that delivers a premium finish” 18

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In the 1700s a Scottish doctor discovered that quinine – a key component of tonic water – could be used to treat malaria. British soldiers stationed in India began to drink tonic water to keep malaria at bay, adding gin to make the drink more palatable. And so the G + T was born.

The Christmas Classic

Mix: Bombay Sapphire Schweppes Tonic Water Orange slice & cinnamon stick From the nation’s favourite mixer brand.* To find out more visit www.cokecustomerhub.co.uk or call Customer Hub on 0808 1 000 000 *Nielsen & CGA Total Home & Out of Home’, Volume, MAT ending March 2020. © 2020 European Refreshments. All rights reserved. SCHWEPPES is a registered trade mark of European Refreshments. ©2020 BOMBAY SAPPHIRE IS A TRADEMARK

A WOMAN WITH A VISION INTERVIEW

M

offat’s Black Bull Inn is 452 years old and licensee Janie Seaton who bought the business back in November 2018 with husband Mark says that it has seen off worse things than COVID-19.

She told DRAM, “The Black Bull, which has 15 rooms and around 20 staff, has survived wars and plagues and it will survive COVID-19.

I see myself as the current custodian of this wonderful pub and all its history and links with Robert Burns and I feel that I have a duty to make it as COVID-proof as I can and that’s exactly what we have been doing. Customers still look forward to going out and there is less on offer in the leisure sector which another reason why we must all work doubly hard and compliantly to beat this.”

A former journalist and originally from Grimsby, Janie is friendly, open, and naturally curious. Husband Mark who Janie describes as “caravanning royalty” has nothing to do with the day-to-day running of The Black Bull. Mark is MD of Chichester-based leisure company Cove UK and he also owns three caravan holiday parks in Scotland Three Lochs Holiday Park, Lagganhouse Country Park, and WigBay Holiday Park.

The couple originally met in the mid-90s while working in sales for Bourne Leisure Group Ltd, the parent company of Haven Holidays, Butlins, and Warner Hotels, and of which Mark’s father is one of the founders. Their paths crossed again in the early 2000s, which is when they got together. Janie and Mark had a brief foray into property development but returned to the holiday park industry, starting their own business with a caravan park Craigielands Holiday Park in 2008 now known as Moffat Manor in Beattock, which is when they first fell in love with the area.

Ten years later they got a phone call from the previous owner of The Black Bull asking if they had any interest in taking a hotel off his hands. They said yes and they got the keys in November 2018.

Janie comments, “I had a clear vision of what I wanted – a traditional Scottish pub with an upmarket boutique hotel that had a crosscustomer universal appeal.

“But as any operator will tell you, finding an individual who can affect your vision is difficult so I had to do that alone. Previous management regimes I’d worked with had not been the right fit for me or the hotel and it was always very challenging to get my plan for the hotel realised.

I employed a manager who was running another hotel in the town at the time, so I knew him personally and I knew his work. Plus he’d worked at The Black Bull back in the 90s. This allowed me to split my time - I was here for half the week and he was there full-time. I will typically work a 12- hour day and that includes working behind the bar, cleaning tables, and talking to customers to continually get their feedback of course. I love it.”

Janie didn’t hang about when it came to adapting the business back at the very start of lockdown. She explained, “We started to adapt our outside space from April to suit and work effectively amid what I could see were changing times which would lead to a greater emphasis on outside socialising. It is now capable of accommodating 1-metre social distancing.

“In lots of ways we are the perfect shape for social distancing, the environmental health officer even said so on a routine visit. We have

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BY JASON CADDY

three separate areas – outside, the bar and the restaurant.”

Jamie made the wooden tables and chairs smaller for 1 metre social distancing by literally chopping them in half and repainting them, erecting what looks like a Pagoda-style wooden frame over which covers can be thrown, pained exterior walls, and she added a BBQ. There’s a big black bull statue nestled in the corner.

Janie added, “I also ripped out a whole line of restaurant booths as soon as we got the place and let the booths on the opposite wall remain so that this would give us greater flexibility in terms of seating larger parties and this also lends itself very well to social distancing too of course. I also repurposed the upholstery from the booths on the antique chairs that replaced them. “ She opened the hotel to keyworkers during lockdown and she still gets a lot of bookings from key workers now that are in the region on business. As for its main clientele, it is a stop-off point for those travelling further north as well as for walkers and cyclists and dog walkers. The Black Bull is extremely dog-friendly.

And what are Janie’s thoughts on a second lockdown? “If there is another lockdown we will be OK. We will just adapt. You have to.

There is no point in resisting this. People came out and supported us and for that, I am truly grateful and we owe it to people who want to go out and enjoy a meal in safe and clean surroundings to provide them with exactly that.”

Janie’s noticed that customers are expanding their drinks repertoire since lockdown because being table-bound means they can look at a menu and consider new options rather than making their usual barcall. She said, “I always wanted to build this business around bistrostyle dining in a cosy atmosphere where good wine, fine malts, and a choice of gins were a given.

Customers can now take their time to think about what drink they want and try something new. We have seen a shift toward drinks that people can share, like wine by the bottle, and gins made with an array of garnishes and I am building up my gin collection. We are also selling many more craft beers and work closely with Lowland Brewery in Lockerbie. We used to sell rose by the glass or Sauvignon Blanc but all of a sudden people are now ordering Malbec, Rioja and I have had to triple the amount of wine I order every week.”

She was also able to bring eligible staff back from furlough and their collective hard work has paid off because the pub just did the best sales since Janie bought the freehold. Said Janie, “Last week saw the best weekly sales since we opened and the hotel at 100 per cent capacity and we shouldn’t be returning such figures in September- they are more like typical August levels. My friends own The Balmoral Hotel in the town and they too have seen a real upswing in business in the last few weeks. “ Hindsight is a wonderful thing and Janie decided to close the pub which also has 15 rooms and 20 staff at the start of the year in what is generally considered to be a fallow period for the trade in Moffat, and while she would have closed for the winter anyway, she wouldn’t have refurbished some of the rooms and laid new carpet had she known lockdown was coming.

She said, “We were closed in January of this year because as anyone will tell you. Moffat is traditionally quiet at this time of year, then we opened weekends only during February and this allowed us

to do a mini-refurbishment. We then fully reopened in March only to be shut down two weeks later when we went into lockdown and I had to furlough all of the staff. Would I have refurbished had I known this? Absolutely not.”

In light of all of these ups and downs, would she consider look at another pub in the future and once things start returning to normal again? She said, “Mark and I are both business-minded people, but I also think emotionally and it would have to win my heart as the Black Bull has done and that is not easy.”

As a former journalist, and she worked on the Grimsby Evening Telegraph and Target, for five years. “I did a lot of the reporting on the hospitality sector and interviewed some early 90s pop stars. Right Said Fred. Remember them? They played Cleethorpes Pier in 1991 and I remember his rider was Red Stripe and chicken legs.”

She has combined her love of writing into always doing PR for the pub, like doubling the pub’s Facebook following during lockdown as

well as never missing the opportunity to promote The Black Bull- like the branded face mask she wore on the day we met.

Janie also writes her own blog on how to cope with anxiety which is stand-alone and for which she has received praise from customers who have read it. She said, “I also write a blog on coping with anxiety because my other passion along with the Black Bull is writing and only the other day a customer stopped me and said that my blog had really helped him throughout lockdown. “ “Even though I regard myself as a bit of a technophobe, according to one blog I am now a ‘visual storyteller’ and ‘conversation starter’.

It’s kind of fun to weave what we do at the Black Bull with my love of writing and I like to mix it up.”

I left Janie to crack on with what looked to be another busy day judging by all the phone calls requesting bookings and in a pub which us absolutely spick and span, I can see why customers feel safe there and are continuing to vote with their feet.

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ROUNDUP ON ACTIVITY OF SHG THE SCOTTISH HOSPITALITY GROUP WAS FORMED JUST OVER A MONTH AGO - AND IS MADE UP OF 10 OF THE MOST FORWARD THINKING HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES IN SCOTLAND. THE MEMBERS FELT THAT THEY WERE UNDER REPRESENTED AS OPERATORS. THE GROUP, WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY DRAM, ENGAGED THE BIG PARTNERSHIP TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF THE ISSUES AT THE VERY HEART OF HOSPITALITY TODAY. IT IS AN ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY ORGANISATION -AND NEW MEMBERS ARE WELCOME. THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE ACTIVITY OVER LAST FEW WEEKS.

Shut Down Rogue Operators to Save Scotland’s Bars and Restaurants The new body called on the Scottish Government to immediately shut down licensed premises which flout social distancing regulations.

The organisation demanded that ‘rogue licensees’ who fail to enforce social distancing regulations, in light of the revised Scottish Government guidance limiting gatherings to six people from two households, should be shut down immediately to safeguard the wider industry.

Award-winning hotelier Stephen Montgomery, spokesman for the SHG, who runs two hotels in Dumfries and Galloway, said, “We have been forced to act because our industry is facing an existential crisis.

“The vast majority of bars and restaurants in Scotland have been adhering religiously to every regulation that has been introduced because we realise the very future of our industry is at stake.

“The Scottish Government simply must not take a blanket approach if a few rogue licensees fail to do the right thing.

“All members of the SHG are united in calling on the Scottish Government to immediately shut down the operators of bars and restaurants who don’t adhere to the very highest standards of social distancing, PPE and other essential hygiene measures.

“Targeting the few bars and restaurants which are breaking the rules is the proper and proportionate way to proceed, particularly in light of the revised Scottish Government guidance limiting gatherings to six people from two households. Responsible bar and restaurant owners across Scotland are also essential to the effective use of the track and trace system. If you shut down restaurants and bars, you are massively increasing the risk of more house parties and irresponsible gatherings, where track and trace is almost impossible.”

Scottish Hospitality Sector has Vital Role to Play” in Combatting Covid SHG members serve 1.8 million customers since re-opening - only 17 confirmed cases The Scottish Hospitality Group, which represents many of the country’s best-loved hospitality chains, has revealed that its members have served 1,867,000 customers since venues reopened – with only 17 confirmed cases recorded amongst customers and staff.

The group is now calling on politicians to recognise the crucial role which the industry can play in helping combat the spread of Covid-19.

Stephen Montgomery, spokesman for the Scottish Hospitality Group, whose members employ over 6,000 people, warned that tighter curfews and shutdowns would dramatically increase the spread of the outbreak as people would simply continue to socialise at home.

He said: “Bars and restaurants are a crucial part of the solution to combat Covid, not the problem. If they are closed down, even for a short time, all the evidence shows that people will simply socialise

at home, without any of the safeguards we’ve spent months implementing.

“Our sector is the most regulated in the country and is the only safe place left where people can socialise. Between them, our members have served over 1.8 million customers since reopening after the lockdown and have recorded a total of 17 confirmed cases of Covid. That shows how rigorously we have been implementing the rules and how counter-productive it would be to impose further restrictions.

“The current curfew is not the answer, as we have all seen. It leads to overcrowding in the streets, on public transport and to more house parties, which are major sources of infection. Police Scotland broke up 300 house parties last weekend alone and that will only be the tip of the iceberg.”

The Group was also represented by Stuart McPhee on Debate Night, and Stephen Montgomery gave interviews the length and breadth of the country. Siobhan Edwards and Kenny Blair also represented the Group on BBC Radio.

The newly-formed Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) comprises many of the country’s largest and best-known restaurant and bar businesses, including The DRG Group, Buzzworks Holdings, Signature Pubs, Montpeliers, Manorview Group, Lisini Pub Co, Caledonia Inns, G1 Group, Siberia Bar & Hotel, Mor-Rioghain Group, and Caledonian Heritable.

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incorporating the DRAM AWARDS 2020

The votes are in. The Scottish public and sales reps and others have been voiting for bars, pubs, restaurants and hotels that that they think deserve recognition. Mystery shoppers are now out and about and social media channels are being scrutinised.

It may be challenging circumstances but those of you who are operating to the best standards and practices that you can deserve a huge pat on the back and our awards aim to recognise the endeavours that you have all made.

You have been open, and operating, and those that have excelled deserve recognition. However we have just introduced some new categories which will be revealed mid-month - 2020 Licensed Trade Hero and an Employer of the Year Award, and last but not least a Covid-19 Best Practice Award. Some of the judging will be online, some in person and some in situ.

Roll on 3rd November when we will broadcast the event.

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

DOG-FRIENDLY PUB OF THE YEAR

CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD

BARRAS ART & DESIGN Glasgow

THE AULDHOUSE East Kilbride

BREWHEMIA Edinburgh

THE BANK CAFE BAR Glasgow

THE BRIG AND THE BARREL Dunbar

BUCK’S BAR Glasgow

CHURCH ON THE HILL Glasgow

THE CORNER HOUSE Kilwinning

DOUGLAS ARMS Dumfries

ROEBANK HOTEL Beith

THE EAGLE TAVERN Prestwick

SIBERIA BAR & GRILL Aberdeen

EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

COMMUNITY PUB OF THE YEAR

Entries still welcome until 14 October We are looking for young enterpreneurs who would benefit from mentoring from David Wither and Colin Blair. Read what Lauren Clegg, last year’s winner had to say on page 12.

If you know somone or are someone that would like to be considered email Jason@mediaworldltd.com

THE ADAMSON HOTEL/PUBLIC BAR Crossford, Fife FINSBAY Milngavie THE HILLEND TAVERN Hillend HUGO’S BAR & CAFE Dalgety Bay THE TOWNHEAD HOTEL Lockerbie THE WEST END BAR Blantyre

INDEPENDENT PUB GROUP OF THE YEAR

WHISKY GURU OF THE YEAR

BUZZWORKS Ayrshire

ROB BEATON The Malt Room, Inverness

CALEDONIAN HERITABLE Edinburgh

EMMA DUNBAR Station Hotel Bar, Aberlour

THE CORTELEISURE GROUP Edinburgh

DAVID HOWIE Buzzworks, Ayrshire

KILDERKIN GROUP Edinburgh

GILLIAN KIRKLAND The Piper Whisky Bar

SIGNATURE PUBS Edinburgh

FLORA GRANT/MARION MCKINNON THE ARDSHIEL Campbeltown FRANK/GERALDINE MURPHY The Pot Still, Glasgow

CONNOISSEURS CHOICE WHISKY BAR OF THE YEAR

KOPPARBERG BEST AND MOST IMPROVED OUTSIDE AREA

ARDSHIEL HOTEL Campbeltown

ANGELS Uddingston

THE CRAIGELLACHIE HOTEL Craigellachie

CRANSIDE Glasgow

THE POT STILL Glasgow

THE FORT Broughty Ferry

THE PIPER WHISKY BAR Glasgow

THE BRIG & BARREL Dunbar

THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY Glasgow

SMITHS Ayr

SCOTCH Edinburgh

WORD UP Greenock

SEA CHANGE E VOLUTION AWARD APPLECROSS INN Applecross BUZZWORKS Ayrshire DU VIN BOUCHERS Linlithgow FLATIRON Glasgow MacGochans Tobermory

WEE GUIDE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR CAFE ST HONORE Edinburgh THE CAIRN Auchterarder KIRKTON INN Dalrymple TWO FAT LADIES Glasgow

VESTA Edinburgh

PUB OF THE YEAR THE BLACK BULL Moffat

THE SMOKING GOAT Ayr

THE BRIG & BARREL Dunbar

THE SWAN Eaglesham

THE PIPER WHISKY BAR Glasgow

THE THORNWOOD Glasgow

THE POT STILL Glasgow

THE TOWNHEAD HOTEL Lockerbie

THE RAILWAY TAVERN Motherwell

THE TYNESIDE TAVERN Haddington

COCKTAIL BAR/INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

The Bar Apprentice Programme will now take place at the start of 2021 - in the intermim Wm Grant have asked businesses around the country to nominate young employees who they believe have gone above and beyond during Covid-19. The nominees will automatically be put forward for the programme. If you have a member of your team who you think fits the bill let us know.

THE COCKTAIL COLLECTIVE Glasgow DECANTER Edinburgh THE GATE Glasgow HOUSE OF GODS Edinburgh

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

2020 LICENSED TRADE HERO

TO BE ANNOUNCED

TO BE ANNOUNCED

SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

COVID-19 BEST PRACTICE AWARD

TO BE ANNOUNCED

TO BE ANNOUNCED

Interior Images - Joe James www.joejames.design

frank adams contracts

adams

FURNISHING YOUR IMAGINATION

Would like to wish every success to all the staff and management at Angels Uddingston and everyone at The Lisini Group.

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION. For your next project contact us: E-mail: info@frankadamscontracts.co.uk Tel: 01355 590 966

BESPOKE FIT OUTS

114 Main Street, Uddingston G71 7HZ

ANGELS

DESIGN FOCUS

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he The Lisini Pub Company never does anything by halves and this Lanarkshire-based hospitality business has managed to refurbish a few areas in two of its four venues - Angels in Uddingston and Dalziel Park Hotel and Golf Club in Motherwell – during these challenging times. All design briefs were on the table well before COVID-19 and one element couldn’t have been better timed considering the postlockdown importance of outdoor areas.

Explained Lisini’s Marketing and Purchasing Director, Siobhan Edwards, “ Back in March before COVID there were two design briefs on the table. My sister Lisa Wishart, our MD, was leaning more toward adding some sparkle to the restaurant at Angles, whereas I felt that we should have a third space outside with its own bar to replace the temporary one, complete with kiosk-ordering on phones to minimise queues.

We went with creating a third, outdoor space in the end and then COVID came, so you could say that it was perfect timing because hospitality businesses were and still are having to maximise their outdoor offerings in order to adapt.”

Managing the flow of customers coming into Angels was also something that they wanted to achieve with the changes, as well as make the venue a destination for all-comers and at all times of the day.

Said Siobhan, “We wanted customers to be able to come in off DRAM OCTOBER 2020 29

the street and every single time enjoy a heated, comfortable environment and order breakfast, lunch, or dinner and experience real al fresco dining, whatever the weather and we have got that covered with an awning that was specially designed in Holland so that we can use it all year round.

Neither did we want customers to have to second guess whether or not they had to come into the bar just to order a drink of if they could just take a seat outside. We also wanted a contactless experience too of course, which is now in place.�

The new exterior bar itslef, which has been designed by Frank Adams, sounds like it’s going to be the jewel in the crown of the outdoor area. It was still in transit at the time of us going to press so we’ll paint a picture for you - it combines cut glass inside, cork, a living wall of fresh mint, and all to beautiful effect, plus it also has coffee on draught.

Also looking good in the outside area is all the new seating, including some higher tables and it has to be said that while this area looks wonderful during the day, it takes on a something magical in the evening because of all the lighting.

The restaurant in Angels was also treated to a plush new look after being fully reupholstered and softened with a new colour scheme and against this new backdrop are some new plantings and some wonderful ribbed glass dividers between the seating with brass edging around them. They have also had to reduce the covers by around 20 per cent to enable social distancing.

Highlights include the movie star pictures gazing down 30

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100 Hagen Drive, Motherwell ML1 5RZ

DALZIEL PARK

Motherwell

on you, the twinkly cut-glass displays, and the overall sumptuousness of a design that oozes opulence, style, and comfort.

At sister venue Dalziel Park Hotel and Golf Club in Motherwell, it’s the reception area, bar, and brasserie that they concentrated on so far, but as Siobhan explained, this is only phase one of what they have planned for this venue.

There are some pretty hefty changes in the pipeline that will all contribute to a future vision the group has for it.

She said, “We want Dalziel Park to become the Number One destination venue for weddings and we also felt that we owed it to the wider community in recognition of their loyalty to us because we have been here for 50 years and we want to show them that we intend to be here for generations to come and that we will continually invest in the hotel.

“We are also really excited about the plans that we have to go ahead with woodlands lodges in the hotel grounds which are currently in the planning stages.”

DRAM will be first to report on how these plans are progressing so watch this space.

All in all, the end results of what Siobhan, Lisa, and the team have done has been achieved with clean lines, imagination, and foresight in adapting the business during what are rapidly changing and challenging times for the hospitality industry. The design brief strikes the perfect balance between comfort and style - everything we’ve come to expect from Lisini.

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THE SPATESTON INN DESIGN FOCUS

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he people of Spateston near Johnstone have been spitting feathers for the last nine months without their only pub. The good news is that The Spateston Inn finally reopened last month, gleaming with a £494,000 refurbishment by Star Pubs & Bars.

Formerly The Osprey, it was due to reopen in mid-March but work was delayed by lockdown, meaning that new licensee and life-long local resident Christine Knox had to wait that wee bit longer before revealing the works to the pub’s regulars.

The Spateston Inn is her first pub of her own but Christine has worked in Johnstone and Glasgow pubs for over three decades.

She said, “I was shaking when I saw the new design. It’s gorgeous and really has the wow factor. I think people are going to be blown away to have it as their local. The new team are all from the area, so there are plenty of familiar faces even if the pub looks completely different.”

“The Spateston Inn has a special place in my heart as it has always been my local and was my dad’s favourite pub. I’m over the moon to be running it. Spateston is crying out for a community hub.

“With so much new housing in the area, the demand for a welcoming local where people can get together and get to know each other has never been greater. I want the pub to fill that role again, just as it did when I was growing up. The interest in the refurbishment has been phenomenal, and there’s lots of excitement about the opening.

I can’t thank people enough for their support.”

The project has helped with social distancing by making the pub more spacious and adding alfresco space. There is a new garden at the back and outdoor tables at the front with external seating for more than 100 people plus festoon lighting for evening use and the plantings really brighten up the space.

JASON CADDY Stuart Warnock is director of Donaldson Construction, the main contractor on the job. He said, It was a challenge to keep the job as tight after COVID because our men on site were reduced from about a dozen to 6, but we were lucky in that it was a fairly spacious site to work on so we were able to practice social distancing and observe all the safety measures with ease. The end result is equally as spacious, plus the pub has such a good feel to it.”

The investment has transformed the pub inside and out and created 15 jobs, and the focus was very much to turn it into a great quality family-friendly local. The work opened up the interior and added new windows, giving it a light, airy feel. A contemporary design with wood floors, exposed brickwork, and plenty of stylish features complete the look.

As Spateston has no coffee shop either, Christine is introducing all-day coffee and hot drinks alongside a range of premium spirits, lagers, and wines and a menu of traditional pub grub.

Christine is implementing a host of new measures to ensure customer safety, securing the pub independent ‘Safe to Trade’ accreditation. Customers will be greeted at the door, shown to a table, and receive table service. There is also a one-way system, sanitiser stations, and an app for ordering.

Lawson Mountstevens, managing director of Star Pubs & Bars, said, “We’re passionate about creating great pubs for people to enjoy. We’re delighted to be joining forces with Christine to restore The Spateston Inn as a meeting place for residents and a centre of local life. It will hopefully bring some good cheer to the community.

“This project comes at a time when future investment in Scotland’s tied pubs is in danger of being jeopardised by The Tied Pubs Bill now being considered by the Scottish Parliament.”

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BAROLO

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ituated on the site one of the first Italian restaurants in Glasgow, Barolo Grill has always had big boots to fill and is now entering its third reincarnation and the changes are not just aesthetic.

The DRG – which is also behind The Anchor Line, the Di Maggio chain and Cafe Andaluz – has dropped ‘grill’ from its name, focusing on good quality Northern Italian food, that has a sense of occasion whether it is for lunch, Cicchetti (Italian tapas) or dinner.

The biggest change to the interior is the discovery of a previously covered, glazed cupola in the centre of the main dining room. The previous tiled floor has been redesigned with parquet flooring in light wood shades which are off-set by the white marble bar top.

The white marble features throughout the restaurant used as panelling on the walls in between rich blue wallpaper and delicately embossed golden wallpaper.

TV screens have been replaced on the walls with over 20 smokey mirrors throughout.

The previous design of having green opaque glass panels atop the brown booths has been discarded with the two-seater booths being remodelled in a royal blue velvet, with cleanable blue leather seats. All booths have clear glass panels to provide protection from COVID. The front area of Barolo has been streamlined, with the six previous booths being reduced to three booths, with the opposite booths being replaced with a brown leather banquette. Solo chairs are upholstered in either navy blue or gold velvet, supplied by Lecs Upholstery.

The bare brickwork has been covered up, throughout and decorated with a mix of large contemporary DRAM OCTOBER 2020 35

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DRAM OCTOBER 2020

colourful art and more subtle black and white photography. The booths at the side of the main dining area are covered in the rich blue velvet, while the main booths are in brown leather.

The centrepiece of the eight booths in the main dining area is a marbled pillar with brass metal shelving around it. Italian pottery and bottled ingredients are interspersed with greenery, which is a big feature in the revamp, with tall plants scattered around the corners of the tables. There’s a sense of airiness with the mirrors creating space, but offering an intimacy because of the smokiness.

There has always been a private dining room since it’s original L’Ariosta days in the seventies, but DRG has made the 24 capacity area warmer by replacing the tiled floor with a chequered carpet. Smoke mirrors line the walls, with more contemporary art. The far wall showcases its wine and champagne selection.

Lighting is a big feature in the new version of Barolo.

Its large hanging shades make way for half-orbs and full orbs in the open areas, with columns of wall lights between the pictures and picture lights on the larger artwork.

It’s safe to say that Barolo is ready for its new life and judging by its trade since it opened, the future looks good for DRG’s latest reinvention.

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SUE SAYS @dramscotland

/dram.scotland

When numbers started going up my heart sank. Yes, we knew it was bound to happen, but with students back, it has soared. It’s not the fault of youngsters - but surely someone somewhere needs to take responsibility for packing students into halls of residence. As we went to press student positive numbers sat at 700+ and if these figures had come from hospitality we would have been shut down.

The First Minister says it was a ‘balanced judgement’ - to give them a ‘degree of normality’. They would have “been denied the opportunity to make the links and connections that they could make at Uni.” Really? What about giving hospitality workers a degree of normality... after all most of them are students. And was it really worth the risk when they could have studied from home at least until the end of the year?

We have been asking now for the ‘evidence’ to back up the reasons all the restrictions that have been placed on Scottish hospitality by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Hospitality Group has 6,000 employees and has served 1.8 million customers (as at end 27 Sept) - the number of positive cases reported by EHO was 12! Now, these figures no doubt will increase but they hardly reflect the low opinion of Government which keeps battering the industry over the head with regulations. We are already battered and bruised - and we can’t take much more. I think the fact that inside is always more of a risk than outside is basically where the evidence is - it is not based on actual figures.

But if it is we would like to see the numbers so we can help do something about it.

Everyone should be doing track and trace. It is not optional!

Whether you are the Highlands or the city centre whether a cafe, restaurant or a bar. No exceptions. Face masks must be worn whether behind the bar or walking about... and that means over the mouth and nose! It is the first thing I am looking for when I am out and about judging...

Yes, that is what I am doing, and my colleagues and our mystery shoppers. I hope to get it all done by the school holidays - just in case we have a close down for two weeks - I am really hoping that will not be the case. The plan is to have a virtual hybrid event ... which you will all be able to watch from the comfort of your own premises.

Ove the next few weeks, we will be doing local PR for you guys and we have increased in some categories the number of finalists - so you can all celebrate with us - socially distanced of course.

We will have a winners and sponsors event just as soon as we can so that we can raise a toast in person.

And lastly, I would like to congratulate Josh Barr - he and wife Amy tied the knot recently. The couple, who have dated for 10 years, had to cancel their planned wedding earlier this year due to Covid-19. But they obviously didn’t want to wait any longer. So close family joined them for the occasion. Congrats to you both.

The Scottish Hospitality Group has been set up by 10 of Scotland’s leading hospitality organisations. It aims to add a voice to the organisations already there - the difference is all members are operators, all spokespeople are operators and it is entirely voluntary. It is tackling the practical and economic issues which affect each and every one of us.

I have been out and about more over the last few weeks and I have to say I have been both really impressed and also disappointed on occasions by the level of Covid-19 precautions.

DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING PUBLISHED BY MEDIA WORLD LIMITED UPPER FLOOR / FINNIESTON HOUSE, 1 THE STABLES YARD / 1103 ARGYLE STREET, GLASGOW / G3 8ND t: 0141 221 6965 e: news@mediaworldltd.com w: dramscotland.co.uk Publisher-Editor Susan Young • Editor Jason Caddy • Chairman Noel Young • Advertising Julia Smith • Michellel MacSwan •Nikki Oji • Social Media Jennifer Smith Production Fiona Gauld, • Admin Rebecca Orr The publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. Any transparencies or artwork will be accepted at owner’s risk. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. © Media World Limited 2020. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group.

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