DRAM September 2016 - 313

DRAM

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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

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DRAM AWARDS

2016 AWARDS SPECIAL

@dramscotland

DRAM MAGAZINE September 2016 ISSN 1470-241X

/dram.scotland

Just some of the great reasons to work with Punch and create a winning formula to running your own pub business.

Punch plans to invest more than £3 million in its Scottish estate over the next 12 months.

Variety of agreements

Flexible Ingoings

Hotel, Pub, Restaurant Portfolio

Punch hotels, pubs and restaurants are all in prime locations and our refurbishment schemes have been designed to make the most of the site’s heritage whilst celebrating locally sourced food and drink. From traditional wet-led sites to award winning gastro pubs, our Scottish estate has it all. As part of our support package, we will work closely with you to develop your business plan, making this a great opportunity for the right candidates to take the lead on running their own business.

Recently Invested, Clovenfords 1 Vine Street, Clovenfords, Galashiels,TD1 3LU

Come along to the Punch Annual Roadshow

Tuesday 27th September 10:00am – 3:00pm The Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh EH28 8NB To find out more call 01283 501999 or visit www.punchtaverns.com facebook.com/PunchPubsScotland

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

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2016

incorporating the

DRAM

WELCOME This month, obviously, the magazine is top heavy with all our Scottish Bar and Pub Award winners. A great night was had by all and it seems our Brazilian dancers went down a storm. See all the pics on pages 21 through to 44.

Our team also managed to squeeze in a visit to McEwan’s Party at the Palace at Linlithgow so we have pictures of that too.

See page 54.

Katharine Gemmell headed out to visit Bubbles and Rahul Randev at their latest restaurant The Larder in Bearsden while I headed to Meldrum House in Oldmeldrum to see the improvements that the owners have made there - see pages 47 through to 51.

Meanwhile Annabelle Love interviewed the couple behind Wedgwood in Edinburgh. Find out what they have to say on pages 13 and 14.

Look out for a new magazine from us in the coming months.

Susan Young Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com

@dramscotland

/dram.scotland

AWARDS

CONTENTS September

2016

FEATURES

17 13 21 47

FACTS ABOUT COCKTAILS

Lots of interesting facts about Cocktails.

PASSIONATE ABOUT WEDGWOOD

Annabelle Love interviews Lisa Wedgwood.

SCOTTISH BAR & PUB AWARDS 2016 The 2016 Awards Winners.

DESIGN FOCUS

Susan Young & Katharine Gemmell check out The Meldrum House and The Larder.

REGULARS

4 6 53

NEWS

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

BRAND NEWS

All the latest brand news.

SUE SAYS

Straight talking from our very own Editor.

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 3

NOVEMBER LAUNCH FOR THE REFINERY The Refinery will open in November at Edinburgh’s St Andrews Square. The new restaurant is the first in Scotland for owners Drake & Morgan, who also own London restaurants including The Folly, The Fable, The Parlour and The Anthropologist.

It will sprawl over two floors, with a ground to ceiling glass window that allows people to view the décor from the outside and gives the place a very modern finish.

At the front, is the main bar and casual dining area which features a statement gantry. Towards the back will be an intimate restaurant and openplan kitchen with spaces to dine at the counter.

The restaurant also features an al fresco terrace with blankets and hot water bottles being provided so that the Scottish weather won’t get in the way.

It will serve everything from breakfasts, lunches, late-night dinners, to providing fun events such as master-classes and pop ups. The menu will include a selection of sharing boards, small plates and classic dishes to indulge in including superfood salads and artisan burgers.

Have you heard?

Andrea Pozzi has been appointed Managing Director of Tennent Caledonian Breweries following the news that Alastair Campbell is leaving the business after 14 months in the role. Campbell was the first non-drinks related MD appointment at the company in more than 40 years. Pozzi, who joined C&C in 2010, has had various roles within the group, the most recent being Managing Director International EMEA Region and Group Manufacturing Director.

4 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

SAY HELLO TO HALLOUMI The owners of Finnieston’s Rioja, Kevin Campbell and Antonio Cavbajosa, have opened a brand new Greek restaurant – Halloumi – at 161 Hope Street. Continuing the tapas-style food they served at Rioja, the 80-seater restaurant is offering a selection of contemporary Greek dishes including delicately marinated, skewered meats and poultry and fresh Scottish seafood.

Head Chef Andreas Christoforou’s inspiration for the menu stems from spending his childhood summers in Cyprus soaking up the culture, and the lifestyle, and learning how to cook from his Cypriot grandparents. He says, “I spent every summer in Cyprus growing up, learning from my family and the secrets to their innovative and aromatic cooking. You use what you have in the garden. Now, Glasgow is my garden, and I want you to taste it! We’re cooking everything to order using homegrown, locally sourced ingredients. It’s Greek food, but nothing like you’ve tasted before.”

The restaurant also boasts a bright interior that is decorated in white and blue washed walls giving it an authentic Mediterranean feel.

WINE A REAL FOCUS AT NEW EDINBURGH BAR Edinburgh has a new bar in the shape of il Calice at 4 Picardy Place, formerly Clouds & Soil. This new venture from father and son Ronnie and Kyle Reid, who also own KLR & RCR International Ltd, is the latest edition to the city’s enoteca scene, serving an exclusive selection of wines that are sourced by the father and son duo.

Ronnie commented, “Wine is very much the focus at il Calice and we want our customers to be given the opportunity to explore the many wonderful vintages we import from Italy, as well as others we have handpicked from around the globe.” They will also offer a well-edited cocktail list of modern classics and will serve a menu of Italian-inspired dishes.

The team at il Calice is led by general

manager, Guiseppe Stella and assistant manager, Massimiliano Berardi, with the head chef, Alessandro Mestriner, joining the team from Venice.

Ronnie continued, “We are currently developing our menu of Italianinspired dishes with our enthusiastic young chef from Venice. These small sharing plates are designed to enhance il Calice’s relaxed, convivial environment.”

This is the first stage of the renovation of the listed Georgian townhouse, as a second bar will be introduced on the first floor in October as well as a private bar and meeting room on the lower ground floor. In addition to this, four bedroom suites on both the upper floors of the building are due to open later this month.

A second Chop House bar & butchery opened last month at ‘The Arches’ on Edinburgh’s East Market Street. The new Chop House, owned by the Compass Group, offers a casual dining experience with a focus on ‘Best of British’ steak and innovative cocktails.The group also operates Edinburgh venues Monteiths, Sygn and The WestRoom. Mark Fraser, md, commented, “The new site is a fantastic continuation of the Chop House brand – staying true to the look and feel of the original whilst expressing its own character and style. We’re very proud of our Market Street offering and are delighted to be part of the regeneration of this area.”

NEWS

WWW.DRAMSCOTLAND.CO.UK

The Crieff Hydro hotel group has bought two hotels on the west coast of Scotland - the Isles of Glencoe Hotel and the Ballachulish Hotel. The hotel group has been managing the two businesses for the last two years. Crieff Hydro chief executive Stephen Leckie said, “These two hotels complement the existing collection we own. Their family-feel, great locations, access to beautiful scenery and warm homely feeling just make them a perfect fit. We have proven so far that with local management and involving people who are passionate about Scotland in the business, they can be a great success. We look forward to seeing these businesses continue to grow.”

FIRST LEISURE RAISE THEIR HATS TO NEW FINNIESTON STRIP JOINT Bag O’ Nails, the latest pub from Mark Lappin, Gerry Tartaglia and Paul Bright aka One Leisure Group, was opening as DRAM went to press. The former Partick Tavern has been completely refurbished, despite a slight delay, due to the collapse of the wall at the building across the street.

The Dumbarton Road pub is unlike anything the trio have launched before. It is serving up Cantonese dim sum with interesting beers and live music.

Meanwhile the trio have also been busy with plans for the re-opening of Bannisters on Argyle Street, which is currently being refurbished by Star Pubs & Bars in collaboration with the new leaseholders.

Lappin and his team hope to have the pub open

by November and are calling it Strip Joint, after the Finnieston ‘Strip’. The refurbishment will include the installation of large windows

to lighten the bar inside, opening up and reconfiguring the interior, adding an open plan kitchen and moving the toilets to the basement to increase space for customers. One Leisure Group is redecorating the pub throughout with a shabby chic look. The outside of the building is also being renovated to improve its appearance.

Strip Joint is also on course to be the first bar in Glasgow to serve Krusovice tank beer.

Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs & Bars managing director said, “The pub is in one of the best positions in Glasgow and has real untapped potential.”

Mark Lappin director of One Leisure Group, added, “Glasgow has got a fantastic range of bars and restaurants so you’ve got to work hard to attract customers. With our love of music, we’re excited to be next to the second busiest music venue in the world.”

BUZZWORKS BUZZ BACK TO KILWINNING Buzzworks will return to Kilwinning, where the Blair family originally founded the company, when it opens The Corner House shortly. Based on the former site of the Stag & Hound, the company is investing £750,000 in its latest new bar and restaurant, which will take the form of a traditional bar but with a contemporary twist. The restaurant will offer over 100 seats and a private dining room for up to 20 guests.

The bar will stock a large range of craft beers, wines by the glass and classic cocktails in addition to a food menu similar in style to the group’s venue The Mill House in Stewarton.

Colin Blair commented, “We are really looking forward to returning to Kilwinning, where we started our family business 38 years ago. As I’m sure you can imagine, we’ve always had a real affinity with Kilwinning. It will be a stunning venue – beautifully designed, cosy and comfortable and welcoming to all. We are sure it will be a great addition to the town and one that we can all be proud of.”

n.b. bar & hotel

THE CRIEFF HYDRO GROUP EXPANDS

Michael Bergson has opened his third restaurant in the shape of Bucks which is located in the basement at 111 West Regent Street, Glasgow. The new bar and restaurant, which follows on from his Soho and Little Soho offering, is not serving pizza, but is going down the chicken route specialising in buttermilk-fried chicken, bourbon with rock ‘n’ roll thrown in too.

DRAM revealed that The Kelvin Bar and Birdtree & Bellfish was set to open a couple of months ago, and it did indeed open at the end of August. Adjacent to, and owned by, the same people behind The Lorne Hotel, the Birdtree & Bellfish is pitching itself as a Glaswegian restaurant as opposed to a Scottish restaurant. It offers dishes as cheesy beanos, Irn-Bru fish and chips and chicken stovies.

Inverness pub The Tooth & Claw is the winner of the PRS for Music’s national Music Makeover competition. Owners James Carr and Paulina Matuszak took home a £10,000 prize to revamp their pub into a live music haven for the region. With PRS for Music’s support, The Tooth & Claw is now vying for the title of best live music venue in the Highlands. PRS for Music launched the annual Music Makeover competition six years ago to showcase and raise awareness of how important music is to local businesses..

Gretna Green Ltd, the company owned by the Houston family, has bought the 97-bedroom Gretna Hall Hotel. Company executive chairman Alasdair Houston said, “Gretna Hall joining our family of businesses allows us to continue our work of strengthening ‘Destination Gretna Green’ for locals and visitors alike.”

The Houston family already own the World Famous Blacksmith Shop and adjoining visitor and retail attractions, the four-star Smiths at Gretna Green boutique hotel and hotel, Greens of Gretna.

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 5

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BRAND NEWS

ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS

Beer

GLUTEN-FREE BREWERY LISTS WITH MAJOR WHOLESALERS Edinburgh’s Bellfield Brewery, the UK’s first gluten-free microbrewery, has secured distribution with a number of UK-wide companies including Gordon & MacPhail, Inverarity Morton, Craft Beer Clan Scotland, Food and Drink Hub for Scotland and Green City.

The brewery currently has two beers in its range – Lawless Village IPA and Bohemian Pilsner and after just four months of trading, the company managed to secure listings in more than 100 bars, pubs and restaurants in Edinburgh and across Scotland’s central belt. Says Brewer and Brewery Manager, Kieran Middleton,“We are continuing to see momentum building in the demand for gluten-free food and drink, both in the UK and internationally, and our new distribution partners will help us to fulfil this demand.

The beers are fully accredited by Coeliac UK and carry the “crossed grain” symbol.

PABST ROLLS OUT IN UK & IRELAND Tennents owner C&C have just introduced American based Pabst Blue Ribbon beer to the UK and Ireland. The beer, which was founded in Milwaukee in 1844, has an ABV of 4.6% and markets itself in a low-key style. It is now available in 30-litre draught kegs and 355ml format cans and 355ml glass bottles. It is owned and produced by America’s largest independent brewery and is multi-award winning for its taste.

Paul Condron, Tennent Caledonian Breweries Ltd said,“PBR is an American classic – but it’s

never felt more current than now. Bringing a taste of the States to the UK and Ireland is exciting, particularly when it’s a brand that’s so iconic and individualistic.” He continued, “From a business perspective, there’s a choice of formats for customers, and the benefit of some very different and engaging marketing that’s yielded such great results in Pabst’s home country.”

There are also plans to re-introduce Schlitz, a Pabst-owned brand that enjoyed great success during the 1980s.

HEINEKEN LAUNCHES CIDRERIE STASSEN INTO ON-TRADE Heineken’s Cidrerie Stassen has been launched in the on-trade following a successful trial in the off-trade. Heineken expects the super-premium cider brand will reach new audiences and new occasions, broadening the cider category.

Cidrerie Stassen is a premium artisanal cider and borrows cues from the world of sparkling wine with a sparkling wine-style cork. It is available in three varieties Stassen Cidre Brut, Cidre Cuvée Rosé and Stassen Cidre Grand Cru Luxury and is described by the company has having “unisex appeal”. The branding includes premium cues on-pack, such as an intricate label design on a metallic, textured label, a sophisticated, eyecatching logo and embossed bottle.

Emma Sherwood-Smith, Cider Director at Heineken, comments, “Cidrerie Stassen is a very exciting launch for us and drinkers will be intrigued by the refined style and luxury variants of this new sparkling sharing cider. Our aim with all our NPD is to provide operators with drinks that grow their business and the category. By moving out of the traditional cider drinking occasions, we can expand the category and further add to its growth. We’re delighted that despite only being available in the UK off trade for a few months, all three variants have already been recognised by two awarding bodies: at the International Monde Selection competition and the International Taste and Quality Institute. It’s a great achievement for such a new brand and we look forward to seeing our customers shake-up their cider offering with our latest innovation.”

Gin

GORDON’S CHAMPIONS HERITAGE WITH NEW MODERN LOOK Gordon’s Gin has revealed a fresh new look for its iconic bottle. The new bottle which launches this month has a “more contemporary, premium and distinctive back bar presence.” According to the brand owners Diageo. However, it now has an altered label and a new embossed design. Faith Holland, GB’s Head of On-Trade Category Development, comments, “The Gin category continues to thrive, with the craft and heritage of brands becoming increasingly important to consumer decisions. So we saw an opportunity for Gordon’s to assert our quality and trust credentials by modernising our most important asset – the signature bottle. The new design is bold, distinctive

and contemporary and will support the continued growth of this iconic brand in a category worth £600m to the on-trade.”

Proudly boasting the well-recognised logo, the refreshed bottle features an increased prominence of the brand icon, the Boar’s Head, as well as a new foot label featuring the founder, Alexander Gordon’s signature. The new packaging will be supported by a £3.6m marketing investment aimed at driving consumer awareness of Gordon’s, whilst demonstrating the wit and personality of the UK’s bestselling dry gin. Launching in October, the campaign will put Gordon’s trademark front of mind for customers when ordering the first G&T of the weekend.

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 7

BRAND NEWS GRAHAM NORTON TO RELEASE A SHIRAZ

Whisky

BENRIACH RELEASES BATCH 13 BenRiach Distillery has released Batch 13 of its renowned single cask bottlings. It comprises twelve superb casks that were bottled in June and all are now available. The twelve go from 40 to 16 years old, demonstrating a hugely eclectic range of expressions for which multi award-winning BenRiach is renowned worldwide.

The variety sets BenRiach’s single cask series apart, including whiskies in the classic Speyside style, peated expressions and wood finishes, such as Tawny Port, Burgundy, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Claret, Madeira and Tokaj.

All twelve casks have been handselected by Master Distiller, Billy Walker, who described them as “truly sensational” and added, “Our

much-anticipated batches allow us to identify very special casks in our inventory and every single cask bottling is an exclusive limited release. I have selected these twelve casks because they are outstanding and full of personality.”

Amongst them are some real highlights but the standout is the oldest from 1975. Cask 7028, at 53% vol, is a gleaming rich amber peated Sherry Butt. On the nose, it bursts with tropical fruits and ripe banana with the most distant hint of campfire embers, while the taste is of plum skins, dark raisins and hints of yellow pear which hold a robust peat reek. Rich vintage leather and old oaky characters add a classic aged depth.

DOUGLAS LAING REVEALS A HIGHLAND BEAST Douglas Laing & Co unveiled its limited edition Timorous Beastie 40 Years Old Highland Malt Scotch Whisky last month. Cara Laing, Director of Whisky, said, “After 40 long years of maturation, we truly believe that this refined, complex dram is a masterpiece of exceptional quality – a super-charged edition of our much-loved Timorous Beastie!”

Whilst the bottles stock is limited to just 1,080, Douglas Laing is putting 100 taster bottles up for grabs via a competition on its website www.douglaslaing.com This new Highland Whisky joins the rest of Douglas Laing’s regional portfolio that includes The Epicurean (Lowlands), Scallywag (Speyside), Rock Oyster (Islands), and Big Peat from Islay.

8 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

Talk show host and wine lover Graham Norton is releasing a South Australian Shiraz following the international success of his Sauvignon Blanc. He teamed up with Invivo Wines in 2014 and has sold more than 500K bottles of his own Sauvignon Blanc by Invivo, and now aims to replicate the success with his new Shiraz. The inaugural Graham Norton’s Own 2015 Shiraz will be released this October and is a blend of grapes from South Australian regions Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek.

Tim Lightbourne, Invivo’s Marketing Director, said, “We asked Graham if he would be keen to make a South Australian Shiraz, which he was really excited by, so we took six or seven samples from across South Australia and he chose his favourite blend.

GLENTURRET SPECIAL EDITION MALT IS A HIT The Glenturret has proved to be a whisky connoisseur’s favourite after making it into Scottish Field magazine’s Whisky Challenge Grand Final. Scottish Field’s judges have nominated The Glenturret Sherry Edition malt whisky to go through to the final of this year’s prestigious Whisky Challenge, a competition which subjects some of the country’s finest Scotch whiskies to a set of expert taste buds.

The next step is for the Sherry Edition, one of a trio of malts hand-made at the Glenturret Distillery in Crieff, to be included in a blind tasting by the judges. The results of the Whisky Challenge will then be published in a supplement to the December issue of Scottish Field magazine.

The Sherry Edition was launched last year as part of a new range of single malts that highlight the versatility of Glenturret’s small batch processes.

Stuart Cassells, general manager at Glenturret Distillery, said, “The Glenturret Sherry Edition is special to us because it helped relaunch The Glenturret, reinforcing Glenturret Distillery’s unique heritage as Scotland’s only remaining producer of hand-mashed whisky. We’re thrilled that it appears to be special to Scottish Field’s judges too. Let’s see whether this gem of a whisky goes all the way to win the competition.”

The Glenturret Sherry Edition retails at £45 and is distributed in the UK by Gordon & MacPhail.

MAKES HEADLINES AT THE NEWSROOM

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

THE NEWSROOM’S ARTHUR MUSTARD TALKS TO THE DRAM ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF THE WELL-ESTABLISHED EDINBURGH BAR AND RESTAURANT AND HOW HEINEKEN HAS SUPPORTED THEM THROUGH THE YEARS.

E

dinburgh’s The Newsroom, situated just off Princes Street on Leith Street, and owned by Merchant Leisure’s Jim Tullis, has always been a city-centre establishment worth keeping an eye

on.

Three years ago the venue went through a massive revamp and since then an on-going programme of subtle upgrading has allowed The Newsroom to reincarnate itself.

Arthur Mustard, Operations Manager of Merchant Leisure stresses that keeping the bar fresh is down to the unwavering support of the venue’s loyal supplier – HEINEKEN. HEINEKEN has traded with The Newsroom owner, Jim Tullis, for the best part of a decade and has always had a collaborative relationship, being involved in any refurbishments they have planned Arthur Mustard and new business ventures.

Of course, there have been obvious changes to the venue, as can be seen by the revamp of the bar that is no longer the vertical style that previously occupied much of the floor space. Instead, it is now a horizontal bar that allows more room for space and seating on the floor.

However, the real innovation comes from the relationship with HEINEKEN’s. The Newsroom is the first permanent outlet in Scotland to install the Krusovice tank offering.

The Krusovice tank, which was installed in January of this year consisting of two stainless steel tanks in the middle of the bar, one on top of the other, which have 500 litres of beer in each tank.

This has helped them to stay top of the game in terms of their retail offering in Edinburgh. Arthur explains, “The installation of the Krusovice tank right at the front door of the bar is an amazing feature for us. It is a quality product and a great thing for us to talk about as a business.”

He continues, “Our customers are essentially drinking the beer 100% brewery fresh. A big oil tanker goes to the Krusovice Brewery in the Czech Republic, fills up with beer, drives to Scotland, and the beer is transferred to our tank. It then goes from the tank to the bar, coming out of the tap exactly the way it is supposed to. It is essentially a bit like filling us up with petrol!”

This creative innovation from HEINEKEN is certainly converting to sales, as Arthur explains, “Heineken® and Amstel have always been our best selling draught beers. However, now Krusovice is third behind them, which considering we didn’t sell it until the start of this year, really shows that the tank is a selling point and customers

appreciate real quality.”

HEINEKEN’s investment in quality and sustainability is consistent not just from this example, but also from the installation of SmartDispense systems in both The Newsroom and its sister site, Burgers and Beers Grillhouse.

The SmartDispense unit is a fully integrated, sealed unit replacing traditional keg dispensing systems with creative technology to reduce waste, mess, time and ultimately producing a better quality pint.

Arthur says, “The whole cellar used to be really messy, you had to scrub down every day, you had to clean your lines every week, and there was quite a big cellar job going on.”

“Having to clean the lines every week would cost us not just a large amount of money and time but also had an environmental impact in terms of wastage. Now, we still clean the lines, but they are only cleaned once a month and a technician comes in to do it for us. I have 25% less waste and none of the labour – meaning a very happy manager.”

“Also, because it is a sealed unit, the beer never gets warmer than 3°. before, there were a few areas where the beer was exposed to upper temperatures – maybe 10-12°. Now, it never gets a chance to form bacteria.” This temperature control feature also has major benefits for the sister venue, Burgers and Beers, which has limited cellar space. Arthur said, “The cellar at Burgers and Beers is more like a cupboard. The SmartDispense can work from 20° ambient down to 2-3°, so it is perfect. It is the ideal solution.”

Arthur concludes, “HEINEKEN’S support is unyielding. They’re just great with innovation.

Whenever there is anything new coming up they always give us a shout and even vice-versa. We work really well together and are a great team. It’s all about growing together.”

John Gemmell, Trading Director for HEINEKEN UK, comments, “Our relationship with Merchant Leisure is a great example of how HEINEKEN can help our customers to build and develop their businesses. We’re immensely proud of the innovative approach we’ve taken with the Newsroom and the collaborative effort that has been put in. I’m delighted that the Krusovice tank and SmartDispense units are making such a difference to the company, as these are products that are exciting and provide a real point of interest for the consumer.”

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 9

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PASSIONATE ABOUT WEDGWOOD

BY ANNABELLE LOVE

O

NE of the keys to success in any business – and perhaps none more so than the licensed trade – is to make yourself the customer, to think about what you like to eat and drink, and how and where you like to do it.

It might sound like a simple starting point but it is something that husband and wife team Lisa and Paul Wedgwood were determined to place at the heart of their enterprise when they opened the aptly-named Wedgwood the Restaurant on Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile nine years ago.

The couple wanted to create their perfect night out – somewhere that people could enjoy fine dining in a relaxed, unpretentious setting.

It is an ethos that has stood them in good stead and the venue, which offers a sophisticated Scottish fusion menu, already has a string of accolades to its name, including an appearance in The Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants list and winning the Hospitality Hero regional award at last year’s Scottish Thistle Awards. Most recently Wedgwood has been shortlisted for the Food and Travel Reader Awards 2016 – the only Scottish restaurant to be recognised in the Outside London category.

Lisa (35) explains, “We were determined to create the sort of restaurant that we would like to come and dine in ourselves – somewhere that serves good, local food, nice wine, and has great, informal service from happy, friendly staff in a lovely environment.

“We were also very keen that diners should not be thrown out or given the bill after two hours just so that we could get another table in.

“I remember being in one restaurant in the city where we were actually presented with our coats after two hours. It was such a shame because up to that point we’d had a lovely meal, a lovely time, but it just meant that the evening ended on such a negative note. It became about making money, not about making an experience. We want to make the experience for each couple or group so good that they want to come back to us again.”

Lisa and Paul (42), who moved to the capital from the Lake District 11 years ago, are clearly passionate about what they do and both are eminently qualified for the different roles within their business.

Lisa’s background is event management – she started working DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 13

PASSIONATE ABOUT WEDGWOOD for a small company called Contemporary Photographic Training after leaving college at 17 and literally learned on the job.

She says, “The firm was just starting out and it became very successful. It was run by two women who were very inspiring and gave me a brilliant insight into how to run a small business. They helped me learn every element from accounting, sales and front of house to customer service.”

Meanwhile Paul had started out as a kitchen porter at 14, working his way up to head chef and learning his craft at a range of venues from pubs, bars and country house hotels to Michelinstarred restaurants before reaching a point in his career when he decided he wanted to have his own place.The couple looked at various venues in the Lakes but couldn’t find anything that worked for them so they decided to spread their wings, sell up and move to Edinburgh where Paul’s parents are based.

But if it sounds so far as though they have led a charmed life, the next 18 months were to prove exactly the opposite – as well as eventually being the making of everything that they have today.

Lisa explains, “We had seen the venue that is now Wedgwood and were in the final stages of wrapping up the deal, having left our home and said goodbye to all our friends. We were literally on the motorway, driving up here, when our solicitor phoned to say that it wasn’t going to work out.

“It was awful, mortifying, but you have to shake yourselves up and start again and in hindsight it ended up being the best thing for us. We both got jobs in bars and we met some wonderful people who are our closest friends now.

“Our focus was still very much to get a restaurant and we looked at lots of different ventures across the city but nowhere had the pull for us that this one did. Two of our new friends lived on the top floor of the building on the Canongate and we were on holiday when they phoned to say a board had gone up outside and the space was up for lease again. We called our solicitor straight away and set the wheels in motion and 18 months after losing the place we got it back again.”

Paul’s parents helped them secure the capital investment – using their own home as security – and the couple’s new-found friends helped them launch the business, mucking in with everything from painting, cleaning prior to opening, to waitressing when they finally opened.

It hasn’t been easy though – for the first 18 months after they opened in August 2007, Lisa and Paul worked up to 20 hours a day, arriving home at 4am, sleeping for a few hours then getting up to start all over again at 7am.

Lisa says, “When you start a business there are so many peaks and troughs and there are times when you question whether you have done the right thing. It would be easy to get de-motivated and depressed when things aren’t as rosy as you think they’re going to be but that’s the motivation in itself to just keep going and stick to your ethos. “When you speak to other people you realize the reality is that we all struggle at times and if you didn’t, it wouldn’t be worth doing. It’s a big learning curve when it’s your own business and I’m still learning every day.” The restaurant, which has 48 covers, is a little way down the Royal Mile and 14 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

Lisa reckons that around 60 % of their customers are local, and around 40 % are tourists.

Many of the regulars have become good friends – people she and Paul socialise with away from work – and she prides herself on knowing just how they like their cocktails made, or which wines they will really enjoy. Her passion for the industry shines through and it is clear that, despite the long hours and hard work, she genuinely enjoys it.

Lisa says, “I’m really proud to be in hospitality. It’s a career that people in the UK don’t tend to take seriously and that’s a real shame because everybody likes to go out at the weekend for dinner, or for a special occasion, and it’s the people who work in bars and restaurants who make it happen.”

She is equally passionate about Paul and the work that he does, creating a modern Scottish menu designed to compliment what is on offer at different times of the year. Dishes currently include rabbit wrapped in pancetta with chestnuts, barley, chanterelles and carrot puree and sesame and soy glazed sea trout. All the ingredients are sourced as locally as possible and Paul also enjoys foraging for wild herbs and salad leaves in the woods and river banks around Edinburgh.

Lisa explains, “Paul is a very creative chef and he’s not afraid to use spices in his cooking. He is not classically French trained, which allows him to have a lot more freedom when he’s creating dishes. He has such a fantastic palate that he knows how a dish will taste before he puts it together. I am so proud of him and my belief in him knows no bounds.”

The couple, who employ 22 staff, split evenly between the kitchen and front of house, work well together but also make an effort to leave work at work.

Lisa says, “We promised ourselves at the start that we would remain husband and wife first and be business partners second. There’s nothing quite like having two people driving a business forward. We want to be successful and to have the best reputation possible, but when we cross the threshold of our home at night we try as hard as we can to go back to being husband and wife, and not to discuss work.”

Another possible key to their success is the fact that they take a three-week holiday every January, closing the restaurant straight after Hogmanay and heading off to explore somewhere new.

This year they visited Los Angeles, San Diego, Lima in Peru, Santiago in Chile and Buenos Aires in Argentina – while Wedgwood underwent a £70,000 refurbishment.

They worked with Pride Shopfitting, based in Cumbernauld, to create a light, airy, natural feel and even fitted a special vinyl acoustic floor so that noises like cutlery being dropped don’t detract from the ambience.

Lisa says, “Paul’s cooking is all about natural organic elements and we wanted the restaurant to reflect that. We exposed the original stonework on one wall to bring some of the old building back, and used natural wallpaper, made from bamboo and raffia, on another wall. We are thrilled with it.”

If the volume of repeat bookings and recent awards are anything to go by, their customers are equally happy.

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Fill your glass with crushed ice. Add the Brockmans Gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup into a shaker with a handful of ice. Shake and strain into the glass. Then pour the Crème de Mure over the top and garnish with fresh blackberries (or blueberries).

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There is some dispute around the origin of the word cocktail – but one of the most likely theories is that it dates back to a time when horses that were not thoroughbreds had their tails docked – and were subsequently known as ‘cocktailed horses’ or ‘cocktails’. The term was also used to refer to a ‘vulgar, ill-bred person raised above his station’. By extension, the word cocktail was sometimes used to refer to an alcoholic drink which had been diluted and was therefore not ‘purebred’.

The first recorded use of the word cocktail referring to a beverage rather than to horses was found in the now defunct Morning Post and Gazeteer, published in London in March 1798.

In May 1806 Harry Crosswell, editor of The Balance and Columbian Repository, published in New York, defined a cocktail as ‘..a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters..[It] is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, in as much as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time as it fuddles the head.’

Cocktails COCKTAILS might have made a comeback recently – but they have actually been around for centuries. Here Annabelle Love looks at the history of these drinks, how some of the most famous ones came into being – and what the future is likely to hold for them.

Disco Era drinks like the Harvey Wallbanger and the Grasshopper are making a comeback and retro ingredients like crème de menthe and blue curacao are also enjoying a resurgence too. Ad agency J W Thompson says mixologists are reinventing the sweet, creamy and fruity tipples of the 1970s and 80s to appeal to more modern tastes.

The Mojito (white rum, mint, lime, sugar and soda) dates back to 1586 when sailors on board Sir Francis Drake’s Armada were searching for a cure for scurvy and dysentery. They returned from the shores of Cuba with the main ingredients – given to them by some indigenous South American’s – and the refreshing summer time favourite was born.

Finest Call and Cellar Trends predict that cocktails will account for ten per cent of all spirits sales by 2020.

Gin features in more classic cocktails than any other spirit, despite being a less popular drink than vodka, whisky or rum. The juniper berries it is made from supposedly offer a range of health benefits – including keeping coughs at bay, relief from arthritis and boosting digestion.

The first British book of cocktails – Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks by William Terrington – was published in 1869. His first recipe was for a gin cocktail made with brandy or gin, ginger syrup, bitter and a splash of water.

Similarly the Brazilian cocktail Caipirinha (cachaca – sugar cane spirit, white rum, brown sugar and lime juice) dates back to 1918 and is based on a remedy that was often used to treat Spanish flu. The word Caipira refers to the Brazilian equivalent of a country bumpkin.

Curry cocktail anyone?

Spices like garam masala and turmeric from India are being used to give drinks a unique twist while the more obscure spirits like bacanora and sotol, from Mexico, are also growing in popularity.

Cosmopolitans (vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and freshly squeezed lime) will forever be synonymous with Sex & The City’s Carrie Bradshaw, who loved the tipple so much she once tried to order one with her drive thru cheeseburger and large fries.

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 17

46%

54%

CGA found that cocktail drinkers divide pretty much evenly between the sexes, with women accounting for 54 % of sales and men 46 %. The classic Mojito is still the biggest seller, followed by drinks like Pina Colada, Woo Woo and Sex on the Beach.

Cocktails

Shrub cocktails – ‘shrub’ refers to a blend of fruit, sugar, vinegar, herbs and spices – are also on the up. The acidic edge of the syrup brings out the fruit flavours without making the drink too sweet.

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Certain cocktails have been immortalised by film and TV. In the 1958 Bond movie Dr No, Sir Sean Connery insisted that Agent 007’s Martini should be ‘shaken and not stirred’ – although the phrase actually first appeared two years earlier in the novel Diamonds Are Forever.

The Diamond Cocktail, created at the Park Lane Sheraton Hotel in London and costing around

£3,400,

is also worth a mention. It contains Charles Heidsieck Vintage Champagne, a blend of Cognacs and a real diamond in the bottom of the glass – which can be swapped for a ruby if you prefer.

18/07/2016 12:06

One of America’s oldest cocktails is the Sazerac (a blend of rye whisky, bitters, sugar and Absinthe or pastis). It dates back to the 1830s when Creole pharmacist Antoine Peychaud invented the recipe. Two years ago it was named the official cocktail of New Orleans.

When it comes to garnishes, olives and onions are so last year. Expect to see flowers and even strips of red meat decorating your glass instead.

Savoury cocktails are likely to become popular too.

Don’t be surprised to find beer in the ingredients – as well as mushrooms, seaweed and spinach.

18 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

The world’s most expensive cocktail – Gigi’s – will set you back an eye-watering £8,888 (around £60 per 1ml). Served in a flute glass, ingredients include 1990 vintage Cristal Champagne and an extremely rare Armagnac from 1888, as well as gold leaf to make it even more blingtastic. The price includes the cost of each full bottle of alcohol, which would give you around 12 servings at £708 per glass. It was created in 2014 to thank singer Grace Jones for attending the opening of Gigi’s restaurant in Mayfair, London.

The Manhattan (a blend of whisky, sweet vermouth and bitters) was created for Sir Winston Churchill’s mother, Lady Randolph Churchill by Dr Iain Marshall. He invented the drink for a banquet she was hosting at the Manhattan Club in New York in the early 1870s.

The British Navy created the Gimlet (gin and lime juice) in a bid to combat scurvy – a disease caused by lack of Vitamin C – among its sailors.

More than one in five (22 %) of bars and restaurants in the UK now serve cocktails – with sales up around 10 % in the last few years, according to a report from CGA Strategy.

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18/05/2016 12:36

18/05/2016 12:36

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 19

GALLERY 48.

THAT’S YOUR NUMBER.

BUT TODAY

YOU ARE NUMBER ONE. THE APPLAUSE,

THE CHEERING,

THE OVATIONSARE ALL FOR YOU.

FOR THEY ARE THE

REWARDS FOR ADVENTURE.

FOR INNOVATION.

TOMORROW PROMISES SO MUCH. AND IT ALL

CALEDONIAN BREWERY AWARD FOR INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

the

2016

incorporating the

DRAM AWARDS Well done to all our winners and runners-up at the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards. Every year the quality of the nominees is always impressive and this year was no different.

The nominees in the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards were put forward by their customers, who voted online, sales reps and industry professionals who all voted for their favourite pubs, which were then visited by mystery shoppers, and then the judges. In some instances there were multiple visits. What came out, time and time again, was the importance of the meet and greet and the quality of the service. Our winners all excelled in their individual categories. Our supplier awards involved making some 700 phone-calls. We asked independent licensees to rate their suppliers out of 10. This year there was a consistently high satisfaction level. So, well done to all our finalists and of course the winners.

This year we didn’t give out medals to our winners but we did give out special Glencairn Crystal Trophies, as we celebrated the stars of

our industry. It would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors who this year included The BII, Bright Signals, Caledonian Brewery, Diageo, Disaronno, Flow, Glencairn Crystal, Gordon & MacPhail, Inverarity Morton, Isle of Arran Distillery, Kopparberg, Mixxit, Molson Coors, Tennent’s and the Sunday Mail.

I’d like to say a special thanks to Bright Signals who created a wonderful bartender robot who dispensed drinks, words of wisdom and various other items during the course of the evening.

And of course to the Hilton Glasgow for their excellent service, particularly Chef Jim Carson and his team who did a fabulous job at creating a Brazilian Menu. Many congratulations to Jeff and Jonathan Stewart on their Lifetime Achievement Awards and last but not least to our Hall of Fame recipients: David Brown, Kathleen Hood, Alasdair Moore and Caroline Wright who have all made an outstanding contribution to the Scottish Licensed Trade.

Lifetime Achievement Award Jonathan Stewart and Jeff Stewart

LTR: Jonathan Stewart, Susan Young, Jeff Stewart

Jeff and Jonathan Stewart are brothers who have both built up successful businesses independently of each other, but in the same area of the country. Jeff has been in the trade for just over 50 years and Jonathan 42 years.

Jeff’s first pub was in the Hilltown area of Dundee, and was called the Three Barrels.

It was turning over £190 a week when he took it on but at the height of its success it was serving 14,000 pints a week. Over the subsequent years he has had various pubs including the Occidental, the Charleston Bar, The Albert, The Ferry Inn and the Ship and today still runs The Hotel Broughty Ferry with his wife Gerry.

Jonathan too has owned a raft of pubs including a tenancy at the Ladywell Tavern, and the freehold of The Shakespeare Bar, McGonagalls, The Fishermans Tavern (which he developed to include a 13 bedroom hotel) and The Campbeltown Bar. Today he presently owns and operates The Royal Arch and Mennies Speedwell Bar (named in daily telegraph’s top 70 UK pubs). The latter operated and is co-owned by son, Jonathan Iain. Wife Alison and daughter Jenny complete The Speedwell Inns Partnership. He has also been heavily involved in the licensed trade being DLTA president – between the years of 1999 – 2002 and is currently Chairman of Dundee City Council Local Licensing Forum. He has also done an immense lot of work for charity

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 21

the

Beer Brand Owner/Distributor of the Year

L-R: Alastair Campbell, presented by Colin Beattie from Oran Mor

WINNER: Tennent’s

Drinks Wholesaler of the Year

L-R: Ian Cumming, presented by Lisa Wishart from Lisini Co.

WINNER: Inverarity Morton

FINALISTS

THE FINALISTS

Belhaven, Heineken, Molson Coors

Dunns, Gordon & MacPhail, Matthew Clark

22 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

20

incorp

DRAM

016

porating the

M AWARDS

Food wholesaler of the year

Jim Rowan, Julie Dunn, presented by Fallon Cowley from Manorview (centre)

WINNER: Dunns

Spirit brand owner/distributor of the year

L-R: Stephen Rankin, presented by Elaine Scott from Ben Nevis

WINNER: Gordon & MacPhail

FINALISTS

FINALISTS

Bidvest, Brakes, Reids

Diageo, Maxxium, William Grant & Sons

Thank you to all of our customers for their positive feedback and comments which made it TWO IN A ROW for us at the DRAM Scottish Bar & Pub Awards.

We are extremely appreciative and remain more committed than ever to improving our products and services to you every day.

2015

You've helped us to two, let's go for the treble!

2016

www.dunnsfoodanddrinks.co.uk T: (01698) 727777 / E: sales@dunnsfoodanddrinks.co.uk 32 Glasgow Road, Blantyre, G72 0JY DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 23

CONGRATULATES THE WHEEL INN, SCONE WINNERS OF THE DIAGEO AWARD

FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMUNITY 2016

Mark Baird, Head of Alcohol in Society at Diageo, presents the Diageo Award for Social Responsibility and Community 2016 to David Taylor (L) and Jemma Anderson.

THE WORLD’S LEADING PREMIUM DRINKS COMPANY

Whisky Bar of the Year

L-R: Frank Murphy, Roshene, Gereldene Murphy, Lucy McGovern

WINNER: Pot Still, Glasgow The judges said of the winner: “The service was exceptional even though the bar was busy.

The bartender made whisky interesting and introduced our mystery shoppers to two new whiskies...they loved.”

FINALISTS The Ballygrant Inn, Islay, Cross Keys, St Andrews, Usquabae, Edinburgh

Customer Service Award WINNER: The Mill House, Stewarton The judges said of the winner: “We had a warm welcome and the customers service was outstanding. Definitely a 10 out of 10. The staff who were there actually looked like they enjoyed themselves and were happy to accommodate any requests.”

FINALISTS

The Douglas Hotel Isle of Arran

The Grill on the Corner Orocco Pier Glasgow Edinburgh

L-R: Brandon Van Rensburg, Jo Graham, Catlin Jackson DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 25

Social Media Award Congratulations to MANORVIEW on winning: ‘Best New Venue – Boclair house’ & The Social Media Award 2016 L-R: Lewis Jenning, Rose Woolen, David Craik (Bright Signals)

WINNER: Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group The judges said of the winner: “The winner had content which was of a consistently high quality, delivered good engagement, and sales. We were very impressed.”

FINALISTS Buzzworks Life, Hutchesons Bar & Brasserie, Orocco Pier

Award for Innovative Business of the year WINNER: Gallery 48, Dundee The judges said of the winner:

“This venue was a great example of its owners taking an idea and going with it. The bar and restaurant also now doubles as a modern, of the moment, art gallery with new exhibitions on a regular basis. It adds to Dundee’s renaissance”.

FINALISTS

Team from Gallery 48.

Andy Maddock (MD Caledonian Brewery) right 26 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

The Leadburn Inn Penicuik

The Mousetrap Edinburgh

Proud Mary Glasgow

CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS! TO TO

BLUE DOG DOG BLUE GLASGOW GLASGOW

WWW.BLUEDOGGLASGOW.CO.UK WWW.BLUEDOGGLASGOW.CO.UK

WINNER OF THE THE DRAM DRAM AWARDS AWARDS WINNER OF BEST COCKTAIL BAR BEST COCKTAIL BAR

THEORIGINAL ORIGINAL UNIqUE UNIqUE SWEET SWEET THE BITTER TASTE TASTE OF OF DISARONNO DISARONNO &&BITTER MAKES THIS FAMOUS ITALIAN MAKES THIS FAMOUS ITALIAN LIqUER RECOGNISABLE LIqUER RECOGNISABLE

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ENJOY RESPONSIBLY ENJOY RESPONSIBLY

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We were absolutely delighted to have been nominated for the first time, despite not winning. We had an absolute ball and we can’t wait for next year!

Jackie Keith and Erin McGeough, DRAM!

A cracking night. I loved all the guys at my table and that helped make it a fantastic night. The food was great and the compère was hilarious! I really enjoyed myself and of course winning a trophy definitely made it a night to remember!

Frank Murphy, The Pot Still

I had such a good night!

We were sitt good to mix ing with the it up. I loved island bars so Tom Stade, Rio theme w it was really especially th as fab and Th e comedy at e Hilton did Also, we wer the star t. Th a fantastic jo e shocked to e b to cater fo have won th John Dunca r so many. e award! n, Operatio ns Manager of FullerTh omson 28 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

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Great night - it really was good. I thought the dancers where brilliant as was Tom Stade. It really captured the atmosphere of Rio. Ann Nixon - Kopparberg!

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 29

the

Gastro Pub of the Year

201

incorpora

DRAM A

Lisa & Tom Lewis, presented by Laura Smith centre.

WINNER: Mhor 84, Balquhidder The judges said of the winner: “This was a quirky establishment and the food was absolutely first class. Fresh, tasty and perfectly served. The service was also lovely. A great experience all round”.

FINALISTS The Drake, Glasgow, Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore, The Tower, Crieff

Social Responsibility and Community Award WINNER: The Wheel Inn, Scone The judges said of the winner: “What a great community pub. Not only do they cater for those locally but with the innovative sensory room, and other facilities for the disabled, it truly is a pub that embodies the spirit of community involvement and social responsibility.”

FINALISTS

L-R: David Taylor, presented by Mark Baird, Jemma Anderson

30 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

DRAM!, Glasgow

Southside Social, Edinburgh

Cocktail Bar of the Year

16

ating the

AWARDS

WINNER: Blue Dog, Glasgow The judges said of the winner: “It really is an outstanding cocktail bar. The staff know what they are doing, and have a quiet courtesy about them and an enthusiam for cocktails which they are happy to share. The bespoke Disaronno Cocktail was very tasty and the fact they were happy to create a cocktail on the spur of moment using a fruit we asked for, was impressive. Our mystery shoppers scored it top, and the judges did too”.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Badger & Co, Edinburgh FINALISTS

Chez Mal Bar, Glasgow

Heads & Tales, Edinburgh

L-R: Brazamba dancer Hannah, Matthew Ronald of Blue Dog and Rod Eslamieh (Disaronno UK Brand Ambassador)

Dog Friendly Pub of the Year

Team from Lord of the Isles Craobh Haven, presented by 2nd from right Susan Young

WINNER: The Lord of the Isles, Craobh Haven The judges said of the winner: “What a great pub for dogs and owners alike. A very friendly welcome, and a treat or two, and a great fuss was made of Jock.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Ben Nevis, Glasgow

Best New Venue

L-R: Carlton Graham, Anthony Cowley, Fallon Cowley, Presented by Kirsty Nicholson (Glencairn) second from right.

WINNER: Boclair House Hotel, Bearsden The judges said of the winner: “This new venue from the group is testament to their vision. They have taken an old council HQ and turned it into a fabulous, high end venue and hotel – which adds immeasurably to the area. ”

L-R: Elaine Scott, Susan Young

FINALISTS Crossbasket Hotel, Blantyre, St Luke’s, Glasgow DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 31

Award for Success WINNER: The Kingsmill Hotel, Inverness The judges said of the winning company: This year’s winner demonstrated a high level of success over a number of years with very strong growth in the past 12 months taking this independent hotel to a turnover of £8m plus. This hotel has worked on identifying the various channels they service and have developed the business so it is successful all year round. Enhancing their facilities to accommodate and attract Corporate business, international recreational business, staycationers, families and even dog owners. They have created a very strong bond with the local community raising in the region of £100K which has contributed very positively to their success in the past 12 months.

FINALISTS The Marcliffe, Aberdeen, Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group, The Chester, Aberdeen Joyce Arbuckle of Kingsmill Hotel, presented by Stephin Rankin of Gordon & MacPhail

Wine by the Glass Award WINNER: Seamill Hydro, West Kilbride The judges said of the winner: “Firstly we were impressed with the warmth of the welcome, and the overall service. When it came to wine the staff were equally helpful. All our enquiries with regard to the wine available were answered and the range of wine on offer was well displayed on the menu. Our experience couldn’t have been better.” The judges were impressed by the willingness of the management team to be a bit experimental with their range.

FINALISTS

L-R: Iain Silver, Scott Harvey, presented by Ian Cumming – Commercial Director InverarityMorton 32 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

Granite Park The Jefferson, Restaurant, Aberdeen Kilmarnock

Scotts, Troon

the

Proud Winner of The Scottish Bar and Pub Awards Drinks Wholesaler of the Year 2016 Sponsor of The Scottish Bar and Pub Wine by the Glass Award 2016 Congratulations to all the finalists they are:

Granite Park Restaurant . The Jefferson Hotel . Scotts The overall WINNER of the inaugural award was

SEAMILL HYDRO

L-R: Iain Silver, Scott Harvey, presented by Ian Cumming – Commercial Director InverarityMorton

“A range of wonderful wine and the opportunity to buy by the glass has a great appeal to the modern consumer. Good wine knowledge, great people, a range of wine by the glass selected from a well-received wine list and a desire to improve the customer experience all contributed to Seamill Hydro’s success.”

Embracing sparkling wines by offering a wide range of both sparkling wines and champagne, Seamill Hydro’s wine list includes Vilarnau Cava Brut and Vilarnau Cava Rosado both of which are served by the glass and by the bottle with the distinctive Gaudi Sleeve.

Both sparkling wines are perfectly served as an aperitif with the Cava Brut found as an ideal pairing with seafood and Cava Rosado having room to also accompany pasta dishes, pizza, paella and fideua.

As proud suppliers of Seamill Hydro, Inverarity Morton is the exclusive Scottish Supplier of Vilarnau Cava Brut and Vilarnau Cava Rosado.

For all enquires contact Inverarity Morton on 0141 610 6100 or email: sales@inveraritymorton.com InverarityMorton @InvMorton www.inveraritymorton.com

CONGRATULATIONS TO MACGOCHANS ON WINNING ISLAND PUB/BAR OF THE YEAR 2016

Island Pub/Bar of the Year

INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND INDEPENDENTLY MINDED. L-R: MacGochans Team, presented by Euan Mitchell (MD Isle of Arran Distillery)

WINNER: MacGochans, Isle of Mull

The judges said of the winner: “What brilliant service – all the staff were welcoming, cheery and a real credit to the owner. The food was, as you would expect from an island pub, fresh and with a excellent seafood offering. This pub also gets involved in lots of local goings on... from Car Rally’s to music festivals. It’s a great example of Scottish island hospitality.”

AWARD WINNING SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY FROM THE ISLE OF ARRAN.

FINALISTS The Drift Inn, Isle of Arran, The Old Inn, Isle of Skye, Westford Inn, North Uist

www.arranwhisky.com

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Independent Bar of the Year WINNER: Bloc+, Glasgow The judges said of the winner: “This is no new kid on the block but the bar has proved that good service, value for money and fresh ideas can ensure longevity.

It has also earned itself a fantastic reputation for promoting and helping young fresh musical talent. It’s an independent bar with an independent heart.”

FINALISTS

Bar 91 Glasgow

The Record Factory Glasgow

The Smoking Goat Ayrshire

Bloc+ team presented by Ann Smith (Regional Manager of Kopparberg) Centre DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 35

CONGRATULATIONS TO BLOC+, GLASGOW INDEPENDENT BAR OF THE YEAR 2016

Bar Apprentice 2016 WINNER: Loren MacGregor, The Busby Hotel, Glasgow The judges said of the winner: “It was a very close competition but in the end we felt our winner showed the most progress in terms of presentation, knowledge and confidence. The discipline of learning about spirit categories and understanding brands whilst finding a way to make that practical and natural in your normal way of working is one of the hardest skills of great bartending. She showed that she had the inquisitive mind set to understand spirit categories and apply that knowledge practically. Her drinks showed great promise and we’ve no doubt that she will go on to do great things in the industry.”

FINALISTS Chris Allen, The Boozy Cow, Aberdeen Marc Connelly, The Torrance Hotel, East Kilbride Drew Gray, Lulu’s, Edinburgh

Loren MacGregor – Busby Hotel, Presented by John Parsons – Senior Mixxit Ambassador

Family Business of the Year signs doorplates banners plaques menu boards

bespoke wallpaper window graphics vehicle graphics pavement signs point of sale

Lisini Pub Co / Presented by Susan Young (2nd from the left)

WINNER: Lisini Pub Co. Uddingston The judges said of the winner: “Every year the publishers of the DRAM present an award to an individual or business that has made a big impression on them during the year. This year the award is for Family Business of the Year.This family run business has dominated the Scottish licensed trade scene for more than 30 years. The business is well run, and is a real force to be reckoned with in Lanarkshire.”

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 37

Craft Beer Bar of the Year WINNER: Ox 184, Edinburgh The judges said of the winner: “A great offering and great bar staff who knew their business, and were happy to recommend. What was impressive was that the bartender selected a range of beers for our mystery shoppers to try before they bought. It really was super service”.

FINALISTS

L-R: John Duncan, Gary Thomson, presented by Hugo Mills (Molson Coors UK)

6˚ North Glasgow

The Crafty Pig Glasgow

Republic Bier Halle Glasgow

Congratulations to Ox 184 and wishing the venue all the success for the future.

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Congratulations to

Loren MacGregor from The Busby Hotel on winning Mixxit Bar Apprentice 2016 The Mixxit Dram Apprentice programme takes fresh new bartending talent every year and puts them through their paces in an intensive bartending course that aims to improve technical and theoretical ability.

Through a series of masterclasses, tastings and trainings with the broad spectrum of trainers within the Mixxit team, they embrace understanding of each category and the world of cocktails. This years most improved was Loren but all candidates passed their final exams and proved their calibre as top bartending talent.

John Parsons, Senior Mixxit Ambassador at Maxxium UK, presents the Mixxit Bar Apprentice 2016 award to Loren MacGregor, The Busby Hotel, Glasgow.

mixxit.co.uk

Cheers!

Congratulations to Gary, Gordon and the team at Ox184, Edinburgh

Craft Beer Bar of the Year 2016 DRAM Awards

WINNER: Airlie Arms, Kirriemuir

Quality Award

The judges said of the winner: “The owner of this pub has taken on board how important it is to maintain and invest in their cellar. It is kept in very good order, the temperature was spot on, and the staff have been well trained. As a result the quality of the liquid, particularly Tennent’s of course, was excellent. It really was a perfect pint.”

FINALISTS

Inn at Torbex Stirling

MacGochans Isle of Mull

The Piper Whisky Bar Glasgow

Airlie Arms, presented by Alastair Campbell MD of Tennents

the

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DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 41

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WINNER: Atlantic, Glasgow The judges said of the winner: “This is a classy bar and restaurant which has been beautifully finished. The service from the meet and greet to the presentation of the bill was exceptional, and both the drinks on offer and the food were well presented. What makes it stand out is its attention to detail and the quality of the food and service. ”

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16

ating the

AWARDS

Entrepreneur of the Year Kevin Doyle, Caledonian Heritable This year’s accolade of Entrepreneur of the Year, sponsored by Flow, was awarded to a man who is probably one of the most admired in the Scottish licensed trade, but with one of the lowest profiles. This Edinburgh pub entrepreneur started in the building trade, and originally bought the property company Caledonian Heritable Estates in 1980 – it has been suggested his move into the pub scene came because very many of the tenement buildings bought also housed a pub on the ground floor. Two years later he set up and developed the successful Coronation Inns, which he sold to Scottish & Newcastle in 1990 after growing the estate to 106 pubs. Today his business has in the region of £100m invested in the licensed trade with his business also backing a host of young licensed trade entrepreneurs from The Shilling Group to Kained Holdings, and many many more. But in true entrepreneurial style he also has investments in a range of diverse businesses from horse breeding to golf, nightclubs to the luxury golf resort that is Archerfield which he invested some £55m in and L-R: Kevin Doyle, presented by David Wither & Susan Young radio with a substantial investment in Beat106, which was subsequently sold to Capital. Over the course of his 30 years in the pub trade he has owned and does own some of Scotland’s most famous pubs including The Dome.

Pub of the Year The Anchor, Broughty Ferry The judges said of the winner:

“What a great pub, made great by its staff and the warm welcome they extend to everyone. This helps create a lovely warm inviting atmosphere and it is busy all day every day. Probably helped by the fact the owner is very prevalent. It’s customers voted for it, they said it was “about time”, and when it got to the last four they were vocal on social media saying “well deserved.”

It is too.

FINALISTS

The Leadburn Inn, Penicuik, Goblin Ha’, Gifford, Angels, Uddingston

Angels, Uddingston

The Team at The Anchor pictured with Allan Rennie of the Scottish Daily Record and Goblin Ha’, The Leadburn Inn, Sunday Mail (3rd from the right).

Gifford, East Lothian Penicuik DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 43

GUIDE

Best New Bar & Restaurant WINNER: The Atlantic, Glasgow The judges said of the winner: “This is a classy bar and restaurant which has been beautifully finished. The service from the meet and greet to the presentation of the bill was exceptional, and both the drinks on offer and the food were well presented. What makes it stand out is its attention to detail and the quality of the food and service. ”

FINALISTS

xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx L-R: Caroline Wright, David Brown, Alasdair Moore, Kathleen Hood (Received by Harry Hood)

Last year we introduced our very own Hall of Fame for people who have contributed greatly to the businesses that they are involved with and who have made an impact on the licensed trade. Football teams have Halls of Fames , the Film Industry has one, and ours is just beginning. Last year we gave five recipients the honour and this year we are adding to that with four more.

There is a dedicated website which will carry a biography on all those who become members and this year I asked people from around the trade for recommendations.

David Brown is a man that many will know from his days at Alloa and then at Whyte & Mackay. Today he is at the Glasgow Distillery Co, as a part-owner, but he is one of the great characters of the industry and talks even more than me!.

Kathleen Hood a lady that when I honoured her husband last year, Stuart Ross, quietly said don’t forget the role that Kathleen Hood had to play in the family Lisini business, and he mentioned that point again very recently. Saying to me “she deserves an honour.” I believe that too. Not least for putting up with Harry!

Alasdair Moore was one of Scottish Brewers longest serving sales reps for many a year, and one of the nicest guys you could meet. He left sales behind a couple of years ago but not for a quiet life... he now works with Colin Beattie.

Caroline Wright been working with Jinty McGuinty managing her bar for the past 20 plus years. She keeps saying she is going to retire but there are some that feel ‘that will be the day. She exemplefies what it is to be a loyal and safe pair of hands..

44 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

Congratulations to the Airlie Arms, Kirriemuir.

Winners of the 2016 Tennent’s Quality Award.

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46 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

Oldmeldrum AB51 0AE

MELDRUM HOUSE

DESIGN FOCUS

T

he owners of the four-star Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, have just invested £4.5 million in a new state-of-the-art Ballroom and banqueting facility and 28 new luxurious guest bedrooms -bringing the number of bedrooms the award winning hotel has to offer to 51. The addition of the wing heralds a new era for the hotel, which has always had a reputation for luxury.

The modern new wing has a very contemporary design which still manages to marry beautifully with the original period building. It is a great example of the old meeting the new, and the result is a classy, and versatile, luxury hotel, which will appeal to a very broad audience.

General Manager Peter Walker said, “People have asked why we might do something of this level when things are so gloomy in the City. But we were always committed to this project.

We have deliberately produced something at Meldrum House that will attract people to Aberdeenshire. We have big plans.”

Meldrum House is set in 240 acres which includes a golf course, lake and a field for its very own Highland Coo. This

BY SUSAN YOUNG privately owned hotel has a history which dates back some 800 years and the original hotel building is awash with historical artifacts from paintings to the revered Coat of Arms.

From the moment you walk up to the door of Meldrum House you are aware of how well the old marries with the new.

With automated glass doors opening to bring you into the castle-like building and a welcoming reception area which has a modern feel but which sits in front of a staircase with some very grand paintings from a different era.

The new extension to the hotel is the first since a complete renovation was carried out in 2009, and the new wing now spans over 950 square metres.

While the older wing of the hotel has luxury four poster beds and traditional designs with regard to its soft furnishings and wall coverings, the new wing offers elegant contemporary rooms, designed by Thr3 Design, which make the most of the fabulous views over the golf course with floor to ceiling windows. Some even have glass balconies overlooking the DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 47

expansive golf course. But we will come back to the rooms.

The new wing also encompasses the stunning Ballroom which has been created to make the most of the views too. The new suite, which you reach from the original hotel by descending an impressive set of stairs, takes you into the bar area which has double height windows that stretch the width of the area.

The colours are subtle – taupe with a subtle turquoise. The wedding suite itself has similar colours and can seat up to 200 guests. It too has glass on two sides and also boasts a super terrace which can easily hold a drinks reception.

There has also been a change to the main hotel with the former private dining room being changed into a contemporary restaurant. The bar, The Cave, has beeng extended so that it has twice the capacity.

The Cave, which is situated to the right as you come into the hotel, was formerly a small cosy bar with original arched stonework, giving as the name suggests the appearance of a Cave. The wall at the rear of The Cave has now been knocked through, and what was formerly a hotel bedroom has been 48 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

completely transformed into a bar which has a contemporary feel and a great selection of whisky on display. The bar area has lots of character and some memorabilia including a display of old keys which were once used to open the rooms in the hotel. The bar also has two turretted areas which have been transformed into cosy seating areas for guests. Tartan has been used on the back of the chairs, and on the walls, but although Scottish in feel there is nothing twee about The Cave.

Amy who showed me around said that returning guests would automatically peer into where they expected the bar to be and gasped when they saw how much it had been extended.

The hotel still boasts many traditional public areas which are popular for afternoon teas. Think deep sofas, and a very traditional Scottish country house hotel feel. But the newly refurbished restaurant has a more sophisticated and contemporary look.

The colour palette in the restaurant is muted with a tartan carpet in various shades of beige. The walls feature a striking

olive green paper which has a lovely sheen. All the beautifully framed pictures are of Meldrum House and its grounds, which is a lovely touch. In fact, all the framed photographs in the hotel have the same subject matter.

Heavy rosewood tables inlaid with brass around the cuff of the tables, two glorious statement lamps in the centre, comfortable leather seats, and leather sofas rather than fixed seating, add to the luxurious feel of this room. It has been very tastefully renovated. The quality of the soft furnishings and seating and furniture is very evident. And you can’t help but having a feel of the heavy gold and tauple curtains which adorn the original sash windows that offer beautiful views of the garden. The menu offered reflects the quality of Scotland’s cuisine with the chef using locally sourced ingredients of the season, from lobster to steak, from local supplier Presly & Co. The colour palette consists of beige, light browns and gold throughout. The contemporary luxury rooms in the hotel and the soft furnishings are all of the same exceptional quality, from the TVs that appear at the end of the bed, to the occasional

chairs in shades of gold and beige. It feels light and bright.

The curtains really are epic – the Super King rooms above the new function suite are corner rooms with full windows from floor to ceiling on two sides – and the curtains are required to stretch all the way round. The curtains alone must have been a massive expense, but well worth it, because they do actually make the room. What also makes these rooms is of course, the view over the hotel’s Parkland 18-hole golf course and miles of countryside beyond. These rooms also come equipped with beautifully tiled bathrooms which also have great views.

Commenting on the development, CEO Andy Burgess said, “This development is a perfect addition to Meldrum House. It doubles our bedroom capacity as well as giving us a banqueting suite that is unrivalled for the area. With our world-class accommodation, coupled with the history of Meldrum House, we plan to market it to visitors all over the world as a luxury destination.”

It is certainly that.

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 49

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RAM caught up with R Group restaurant and bar owners Rahul and Pravesh – A.K.A Bubbles – Randev to hear all about their latest venture – The Larder in Bearsden.

Rahul and Bubbles Randev’s newest venture at Kirk Lane, right in the centre of Bearsden’s bustling little town centre, The Larder, brings the number of venues the brothers operate to five and includes outlets in Bishopbriggs, Lenzie and Milngavie.

Rahul explains that this time they wanted to do something distinctively different from their other offerings, “There was already a pub, a bistro and an Italian here. There was no point in doing something that was the same. So, we came up with the idea of a restaurant based around small plates.”

Before it became The Larder, the venue was formally Spanish restaurant Las Ramblas. The brothers admit to having had their eye on it for quite some time. Rahul explains, “It’s funny because we tried to buy this place back when it was a Chinese restaurant and owned by Sanjay Majhu of Harlequin. We met him at a football game and tried to buy it, but we couldn’t do a deal on it. He then took it back from the leaseholder and turned it into Las Ramblas. Last year I met him in the street, and said ‘if you’re ever thinking of selling it then we are interested. We must have caught him at the right time because he said ‘right here’s what I want for it’ and once discussing it with Bubbles we agreed on a price.”

The venue took six months to develop which included ripping everything out. From the new front-facing windows, to the terrace, all the ceilings, walls and floors. This time the brothers used Iain MacLeod for the design, who previously did the design for the pair’s Milngavie restaurant Garvie & Co. But as Rahul explains, “We do have input in to all of the designs for our venues. This was no different. But while at Garvie’s we invested in an abundance of wood panelling and tiled floors and marble bar tops, The Larder’s design is more stripped back.” It is almost as if they have taken the fuss away, as seen in the small plates, and used this for the

ER design too. The brothers confess that over the years they have learned hard lessons about designing their venues. Says Rahul, “We have learned a lot over the years when he comes to designing our places. For instance, when we did The Richmond (which is now leased out to Tribeca) we had custom made doors and when we went over the costs we realised we spent £30K on them. Doors?

People don’t care about doors. We could have spent much less and still put in decent doors and painted them. We realised you don’t need to go to that expense with the details. Most people just see a general space. You learn as you go and you don’t tend to repeat your mistakes.”

The new restaurant is bright and light with solid herring style oak flooring, and oak-like tables. Severino’s did all the flooring, supplied the fixed seating and the tables and chairs. The tables and the floors, and some of the chairs, all have a varying degree of grey tinge which makes it all look very tonal.

Above the tables there are Edison light bulbs which are linked via orange cabling. The orange theme is continued in the soft leather banquettes and booth seating, but this time in a more muted burnt orange. Classic Brentwood chairs spray painted grey fill in the spaces and manage to make a classic pub staple look invitingly chic. Large round lights loom down from the ceiling and Bubble’s admits that it was meant to be skylights, but they didn’t like the glass when it came and changed it to these frosted panels, that give a gorgeous soft glow of light when it is dark.

Mirrors all around the walls and leafy, green plants complete the design, with almost something quite ‘Pinterest’ about the entire aesthetic. All of the metal and glass, we are told, are provided by Glass and Metal Fabricators who Rahul and Bubbles say they always use.

The entire menu is made up of small plates and is described on the menu as minimally as the food – with just the ingredients being listed. However, the minimalism doesn’t mean it’s skimpy and the dishes pack a real punch in terms of flavour. Rahul explains: “It’s for people who are into their food. It’s not fine dining, but it’s good strong flavours. We recommended three plates at the start, but now we’ve upped the portions after getting feedback from

BY K ATHARINE GEMMELL the customers”.

And, from the way that Rahul describes the desserts you can certainly tell that he is a believer in his own food, “The desserts are to die for, and I’m not just saying that because it’s my place. They are actually the nicest things. The set raspberry, cream and honey is absolutely exquisite. The chef makes all his own ice cream and accompaniments.”

Throughout talking to the Praveshe’s it is clear that both of them have a real passion for the locality. The pair talk about their activism for local investment through Rahul’s position on East Dunbartonshire trade board. Indeed they could almost share the title of ‘The Kings of Suburbia’.

Nonetheless, life in the suburbs is not always ideal. Says Rahul, “We experienced great success with Garvie’s & Co at the beginning, but then there was a little bit of a lull. Now it has picked up again. I think a lot of suburban restaurants experienced a bit of a lull when the alcohol limit for driving in Scotland changed.

Most of our places are suburban and people who would normally come on a weeknight and have a glass of wine and dinner were deciding not to, because they couldn’t drive the next morning. They weren’t really drinking during the week anymore, then at the weekend they were probably going into town. We’re in Bishopbriggs, Lenzie, Milngavie so across our whole estate we did see that locally people weren’t coming out during the week.”

But it isn’t all doom and gloom, as the dip seems to have only been temporary, Bubbles adds: ‘The lull seems to be over as we have picked right up. It was always our strong point that we were busy during weekdays and we’re definitely busy again.”

So, what’s next then for the dynamic duo? The former Carriages in Lenzie has been going through a 10-month revamp and is expected to open next month as The Grove. The project has taken longer than both expected as they are putting on a roof terrace and have had issues with accessibility. After that, it’s looking towards the big city for the pair as they finally are starting to think about the Café Mao site that they have in Glasgow.

DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 51

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@dramscotland

/dram.scotland

SUE SAYS

I

thoroughly enjoyed our awards, particularly the look on everyone’s faces when first of all they met our bartending robot and subsequently when they saw our Brazilian dancers Brazamba. However, most of all I love catching up with everyone and being able to applaud the folk in the licensed trade for the effort they put into running their businesses. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, people underestimate the power of the meet and greet... it sounds simple! The ones that get it right are the ones that are winning the awards!

There is definitely no award for the numpties at Obesity Action Scotland (OAS). They have seriously suggested that restaurants should introduce a ‘calorie cap’ and cut portion sizes to stop Scotland’s obesity epidemic. That’s right they say a limit on calories would push chefs to cut the sizes of their meals and desserts which would stop folk from over-eating when they are out. Lorraine Tulloch of OAS actually suggested a cap of 200 calories on puddings! I’ve got news for OAS. Folk don’t get fat from dining out... it’s what they are eating dining in that’s the problem.

One of the highlights of our Awards was getting to know Kevin Doyle a bit better. He may run one of Scotland’s most successful companies Caledonian Heritable, but he is so down to earth, and a very worthy winner of the accolade Flow Entrepreneur of the Year. He also introduced me to Slam Poetry... one of his past-times. Meanwhile it appears that David Wither of Montpeliers has a new past-time... it’s called ‘losing his phone’. Yes, he managed to leave it in two taxis in one day! Amazingly he got it back both times.

absolutely fabulous. It had a cracking view. I particularly liked the wee fridge magnet they left there for me with a welcome note! It was only when their PR Susan Blair called to ask whether I had got the welcome pack that I realised my wee fridge magnet was actually a USB memory stick! I perhaps should have realised that a hotel as classy as Meldrum House wouldn’t be giving out fridge magnets! It had been a long week!

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I took a day out to visit Meldrum House Hotel in Oldmeldrum recently and what a lovely place it is. The staff were a delight (Amy, Marie and Jack) and my actual room was 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. dram@mail.com web. www.dramscotland.co.uk Editor Susan Young • Chairman Noel Young • Editorial Mairi Clark, Katharine Gemmell, Annabelle Love Advertising Lucy McGovern • Production Michael Rahme • Admin Cheryl Cook Published by Media World Ltd. Subscriptions: DRAM is available by subscription for all other qualified persons involved in the Scottish Licensed Trade at the rate of £52 per annum including the DRAM Yearbook. 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 2016.

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DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016 53

McEwan’s Party at the Palace took place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August overlooking Linlithgow Palace. What a weekend it was!

Festival goers enjoyed over 28,000 pints of McEwan’s beers while watching acts such as The Proclaimers, Billy Ocean, The Fratellis, Gun and Big Country.

Roll on next year!

54 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2016

TOGETHER OR APART, THEY ALWAYS STAND ALONE.

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