Licensing World

DECEMBER 2010 Vol 55 No 4

Trade avoids excise increase BUT FACES LESS SPENDING POWER Review of alcohol licence system Significant wage implications

Budget 2011

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14 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 Vol 55 No 04 n

News

6 Pubs To Get More Green Initiatives 7 Beamish Site Reborn As Brewery Quarter 8 Tourism Targets Realistic Growth 9 Jameson Hits 3 Million Sales Record 10 Tullamore Dew Gets Grant’s Backing n

Features

11 Cover Story –The nightmare Budget has come and gone and excise has remained the same, we chart industry reaction and drinks commentator, Anthony Foley, gives an economist’s perspective.

14 INTERVIEW – John Teeling, creator of Cooley Distillery, is many things, but at heart he’s a passionate advocate of manufacturing and export-led recovery.

18 COCKTAILS – After a lull the cocktail circuit kicked into overdrive in recent weeks with a wave of awards and titles handed out. Here you will find the winners, the prizes and the recipes.

38 21 PROFILE – Gleeson, the dominant force in alcohol distribution in Ireland, has completed its purchase of Gilbeys of Ireland adding over e70 million to its yearly turnover. Nigel Tynan speaks to company founder, Pat Cooney, and wine manager, Sally Anne Cooney.

29 PUB PROFILE – Dublin publican, John Brady, has built a successful chain of pubs in South Dublin through determination, good food and a strong ethos of all year round customer entertainment. n

OFF LICENCE

25 Store Operator: Ruth Deveney on competing with multiples in the run-up to Christmas.

27 Wine: How can you avoid the worst of the post-Christmas sales slump? n

REGULARS

36 Wine Bordeaux 2008 Far From The Lost Vintage 40 Training Fire Safety Strategy 42 Any Given Day Paul Carty.

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

ON DAYS PAST AND THE MONTHS AHEAD n As the snow falls and we enter the final days of the year, this is the traditional time for every business operator to reflect on the year just passed? How did we perform? Was it better than expected or worse?

Did our best laid plans yield their intended results? How do we feel about the year ahead, are we positive, confident, nervous – terrified?

There are a fair few publicans in each of those criteria. There’s no doubting that despite the times some operators have found their stride, be it through good quality food, a strong entertainment offering or perhaps you’re a well positioned local bar – one of the many who enjoyed a welcome strong year’s end.

But then, there are equally a number of publicans reading this that are in doubt as to whether they will make it through another year such as 2010.

Indeed, some of you are even wondering whether you want to try.

So, where does that leave the drinks industry?

The truth of it is that life for the on trade is never going to get any easier – in fact, it will very likely get a lot tougher for a great many. Yet still, despite even this, optimism remains among a great many publicans and bar managers. While we can

hope that 2011 will see a return to acceptable levels of credit, the majority of publicans I have spoken to in recent weeks tell me that there should only be one real focus – business as usual.

The term ‘as usual’ of course will not fill many with confidence. There is little doubt that 2010 was catastrophic for many and our snow covered ending left many operators, especially those without a local clientele, suffering badly during what should have been one of the year’s brief busy periods.

One way or another, however, 2011 will be a year of change for Ireland.

We will see a changing of the guard in Irish politics, it could even be a historic year that sees a seismic shift from right politics to the left if current polls were to bear out in voting booths. But what would such a change mean for the drinks industry?

Then there is the fact that Ireland’s next Government will be hugely constrained by Fianna Fail’s parting arrangement with the International Monetary Union and the European Union. The pressure to meet loan repayments and the four-year programme to reduce the Budget deficit will place immense pressure on any future Government coalition.

With a series of three more punishing

Editor: Nigel Tynan Managing Director: Simon Grennan Chairman: Frank Grennan Commercial Manager: John Corcoran Contributors: Marilyn Bright, Jennifer Clarke, Dr Anthony Foley, James Murphy Design and layout: Jeannie Swan Production Manager: Jim Heron Circulation Manager: Nicola Hickey Subscriptions: Josie Keane Administration: Marian Donohue Printing: SPS/Conway Media, Wicklow Published by: Jemma Publications Ltd, Jemma Publicationss, Grattan House, Temple Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin Tel: 01 764 2700 Fax: 01 764 2750 Email: sales@jemma.ie

Editorial email: n.tynan@jemma.ie Advertising email: j.corcoran@jemma.ie Subscription: Tel: 353 (1) 764 2700 Fax: 353 (1) 764 2750 Email: jemma@jemma.ie Subscription rates: Ireland: 1 Year = e74+vat Northern Ireland: e74 UK: 1 Year = e99.79 Europe: 1 Year = e116.42 Rest of World: 1 Year = e153.19 Note: 2 & 3 Year Subscriptions are also available. Subscriptions Order Line: +353 1 764 2700 Discounts: Offered on orders over 10 Rates effective: January 2010

editor’s letter Budgets on the cards how much longer can the drinks industry escape an increase in excise duty?

As such we have many questions and few answers towards what the months ahead will bring. Here at Licensing World we fully intend to play our role in ensuring the on trade overcomes these interesting times and we have a number of new initiatives planned for 2011 that we will be unveiling throughout the year. We hope you will find these interesting, useful and, most importantly, beneficial to your business. 2011 will also see the launch the sixth Licensing World Bar Awards in February and we look forward to providing you with feedback, an excellent awards programme and categories that support your business and highlight the excellence that is a trademark of the Irish pub trade.

Until 2011…

Nigel Tynan Editor

Email: n.tynan@jemma.ie

following titles: Construction & Property News, Hotel & Catering Review, Irish Hardware, Irish Printer, Off Licence, Plant & Machinery No part of Licensing World may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form without permission of Jemma Publications.

ISSN: 1393 0826

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LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

NEWS

Pubs To Get More Green Initiatives Fáilte Ireland’s Environmental Team are working on a number of initiatives that they say can help publicans manage and reduce their business costs in the coming months.

Stating that ‘increasing environmental costs including energy costs, water rates and carbon taxes on fossil fuels are putting additional financial pressure on Ireland’s tourism businesses’, Fáilte Ireland has announced a new environmental programme for 2011 ‘providing much sought after support to tourism businesses looking to become “greener”, manage their business in a more environmentally friendly way and cut costs.’

As such, 2011 will see the launch of a series of two day environmental training programmes aimed at helping bars and restaurants achieve cost reductions by becoming more efficient in how they

consume energy and water and also generate waste.

This programme will focus on understanding the concept of environmental management, detailing how to measure and monitor energy and water use and waste generation within business and teach how to implement environmental management measures (to a level commensurate with basic entry level to existing graduated ecocertification schemes such Green Hospitality Eco-label and Award, Green Tourism Business Scheme).

Training will also detail how publicans can communicate the need for better environmental practices to staff, visitors and the local community, and how to achieve eco-certification, will be central to the new initiative. Further workshop details will be available in early 2011.

5(l-r) Munster’s Marcus Horgan with rugby legend Peter Clohessy, ‘The

Claw’, owner of Clohessy’s Bar and the Sin Bin in Limerick, and John Kelly.

Heineken, an official partner to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011, brought the Webb Ellis Cup to Ireland last month for a whistle stop tour, stopping off at Clohessys in Limerick, Rearden’s in Cork and D4 Hotels in Dublin

Muldoon Leaves Merchant For US Northern Ireland’s Sean Muldoon – one of the country’s most crowned cocktail mixologists – is leaving The Merchant Hotel in Belfast to open his own cocktail bar in New York.

With the backing of private investors, Sean Muldoon will open his own Manhattan venture in April. It will be called ‘The Dead Rabbits’ after an 1850s New York gang and will be located in the Flatiron District in the style of a mid-nineteenth century saloon. Commenting, Sean Muldoon stated: ‘I feel I will be offering a fresh outlook to what is an otherwise played out and stagnant New York cocktail scene.’

4Bombay Sapphire Gin continues to grow globally and

has increased its share by value within the premium gin category from 31.7% to 32.7%, as reported by IWSR (International Wine and Spirit Record). Based on a recipe created in 1761, Bombay Sapphire has nearly tripled in size in the 11 years since it was acquired by Bacardi Limited.

Thurles Casino Plan Appealed

5Model Georgia Salpa launches the Christmas Survival

Guide from drinkaware.ie. The guide contains nationwide gig listings focusing on the ‘20 Biggest Christmas Nights Out’, in association with Hot Press, as well as hints and tips for making the most of the season. Highlights include details of 7UP Christmas On Ice, 12 Days Of Christmas Market at Dublin’s IFSC and the Leopardstown Christmas Racing Festival, 26-29 December.

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

An Taisce has appealed the planning permission for a new e460 million casino, sports and leisure centre in TwoMile-Borris, Co Tipperary.

The permission, granted to Richard Quirke of Dr Quirkey’s Good Time Emporium on O’Connell Street, Dublin 1, includes plans for a 500 room hotel, 15,000 seater entertainment venue, international equestrian centre, casino, horse-racing track, greyhound racing circuit and replica of the White House on a 900 acre site outside Thurles.

An Taisce claims the proposed development is based on an ‘unsustainable development model of dependence on air travel from all over the world and car dependence for visitors from within Ireland ’.

NEWS

Beamish Site Reborn As Brewery Quarter An artist’s impression of the new Brewery Quarter in Cork that will incorporate the former Beamish & Crawford site.

The former Beamish & Crawford Brewery in Cork is to be redeveloped into a new Brewery Quarter – a residential, commercial and cultural district.

The development, which is currently seeking planning approval, will be a e150 million joint venture between Heineken Ireland and BAM Contractors.

It will take three years to complete and will integrate new structures with the protected Beamish & Crawford Counting House building. A key feature of the development will be a large exhibition, music venue and conference space, with a capacity to accommodate up to 6,000, within the old brewery building.

This will also be used for displaying artifacts linked to the history and tradition of brewing in Cork and to the historical nature of the site.

David Forde, managing director, Heineken Ireland, says ‘we have always been conscious of the need to draft appropriate plans that optimise the uniqueness of the Beamish & Crawford site. I think that not only have we delivered on that, but have exceeded it.’

Munster Room Claims December Just Ask The Munster Room at Waterford Castle Hotel and Golf Resort has claimed Bord Bia’s ‘Just Ask Restaurant of the Month’ award for December.

Just Ask is a Bord Bia campaign, in association with the Georgina Campbell Ireland Guide, which aims to encourage consumers to look for information on where their food is coming from when eating out and encourages chefs to provide this information on their menus. Speaking about the win, Georgina Campbell said: ‘For over a decade Waterford Castle has been fortunate to have Michael Quinn as head chef and, during that time, he has earned the hotel – and, in particular, the Munster Room restaurant – a welldeserved reputation as one of Ireland’s most exciting places to eat’.

Good Food Ireland Outstanding Shortlist Good Food Ireland, the all-Ireland food tourism group, has been short-listed as a finalist in the ‘Outstanding Small Business Category’ of the Small Firms Association (SFA) National Small Business Awards 2011. This is the second year in a row Good Food Ireland has received the nomination. Founder and managing director of Good Food Ireland, Margaret Jeffares, says the shortlisting is recognition of the ‘heroes of our country who sustain 5,000 jobs and put money into the Irish economy through the purchasing of local food, creating further business opportunity’.

(l-r) Philip Robson, marketing director, Findlater Wine & Spirit Group and Peter Roycroft, regional sales manager, Findlater Wine & Spirit Group, present Mary Ryan from Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, with the title of Euro-toques Young Chef 2010 at a special ceremony in Restaurant Parick Guilbaud in Dublin. Findlater Wine & Spirit Group was one of the title sponsors of the competition which, now in its 20th year, is one of Ireland’s leading culinary events. Also pictured (right) Ken Kinsella, field sales manager, Findlater Wine & Spirit Group.

Frugal Christmas Season On The Cards Christmas 2010 will be the season of private labels, frugal shopping and less spending as new research reveals consumers remain focused on saving money wherever possible.

While in previous years branded goods have done exceptionally well at Christmas, a new survey, by ECT Ireland, reveals that 51% of shoppers plan to buy fewer presents this year and 63% of the 1,004 surveyed saying they expect to spend less over the Christmas period.

Meanwhile an incredible 96% of those surveyed stated that ‘value for money’ was a driver of store choice in this year’s festive season.

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LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

NEWS

Tourism Targets Realistic Growth Tourism Ireland is forecasting a return to growth next year and is targeting a 4% increase in visitor numbers and a 5% increase in revenue.

Launching the agency’s overseas marketing plans for 2011, Tourism Ireland chief executive, Niall Gibbons, said an upturn in the US economy, coupled with an improvement in the worldwide travel market, would help boost Ireland’s tourism performance next year.

While overseas visits to Ireland slumped this year, with tourism numbers anticipated to be down 12% by the year end, Niall Gibbons explained that 2010 was ‘a year of two halves’ with the first half of the year badly impacted by the poor weather conditions and ash cloud crisis.

Decline in visitor numbers eased slightly to 8% in quarter three, while quarter four figures are anticipated to be level with last year.

Food Tourism Strategy Launch Fáilte Ireland has launched ‘Food in Tourism’ – a strategy that aims to help raise food standards in Ireland and improve visitors’ food experience.

The framework, which was developed by an industry working group led by broadcaster Derek Davis, prioritises four key tasks to develop Ireland’s food tourism offering: Brand development and promotion communicating Ireland’s product offering; enhanced quality and value; business and sector support to enhance food skills and encourage innovation, and greater research and benchmarking.

‘In order for more tourists to visit our country, which in turn supports more jobs and injects more money into the economy, we need to improve what is on offer at the mid to lower end of the food spectrum,’ commented Derek Davis at the launch of the strategy. ‘Everyone eats when they are on holiday so food is now firmly established as an important aspect of travel. However our focus is not just on those looking for a gourmet delight but on the food experience of every tourist that enters Ireland, we must cater for everyone.’

5 Pictured at the launch of Aramark Ireland’s Christmas campaign in aid of Focus Ireland are (l-r): RTE star Pamela Flood, Joan O’Shaughnessy, chief executive of Aramark Ireland, and Joyce Loughnan, chief executive of Focus Ireland.

Aramark Supports Focus Ireland Contract caterer, Aramark Ireland, has launched a Christmas campaign supporting Focus Ireland.

To celebrate the festive season, Starbread cookies will be sold in over 200 Aramark restaurants nationwide with proceeds going to the Focus Ireland Sponsor a Star campaign. The aim is to raise e250,000 to help fund the growing demand for Focus Ireland’s services.

Joyce Loughnan, chief executive of Focus Ireland, said, ‘we really depend on the support of companies such as Aramark Ireland as a third of our annual running costs come from donations and corporate sponsorship. This year more than ever we need all the support possible. We are urging everyone to treat themselves to a cookie and help raise much needed funds for people who are homeless this Christmas.’

Grants & Sons Grow Irish Presence Owner of Tullamore Dew, William Grant & Sons, is continuing to improve its Irish presence with a string of new appointments. The Scottish premium spirits company has just announced the addition of Enda O’Sullivan as global brand director for Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Gemma Adams as brand manager for Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Ciara McDevitt as marketing manager for Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Alison Hunter as marketing manager for Hendrick’s Gin, and Deirdre Clarke as brand manager for Hendrick’s Gin. Both Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum and Hendrick’s Gin are part of William Grant & Sons’ core brands which also includes Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, Glenfiddich, Grant’s, and The Balvanie.

3 (l-r) Pictured receiving first prize at Fáilte Ireland’s National Tourism Video Clip Competition is John Tyrell of Coláiste Dhulaigh with Ruth Watkins and Sean O’Malley from Fáilte Ireland. The competition asked third level and further education students to submit videos showing their view of Irish tourism. The winning video will appear on Fáilte Ireland’s careers in tourism website picktourism.ie, which is designed specifically for second level students and provides an insight into the tourism industry and the range of tourism careers and courses available.

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

Coca-Cola Profits Dip Coca Cola’s Irish division saw pre-tax profits decline by almost 80% last year on the back of a redundancy programme and reorganisation costs.

According to accounts filed

by Coca-Cola HBC Ireland, the Irish arm of the Greek company which holds the European bottling contract for the Coca Cola brands, there was a seven per cent decline in turnover to e212.9 million for the 2009 calendar year. The company’s operating margin improved by over six per cent in 2009 thanks to lower administration, distribution and marketing costs.

However, an e11.6 million re-organising charge, the result of a decision to move to an outsourced distribution model, caused pre-tax profits to drop from e4.47 million in 2008 to e953,000 in 2009.

NEWS

Jameson Hits 3 Million Sales Record Jameson has sold three million cases globally becoming the first Irish whiskey to achieve this milestone figure.

The announcement, which Jameson has been looking forward to for a number of years, reflects recent sales figures which show that Jameson is a consistently strong brand in the global marketplace.

Growth in the US, Jameson’s largest export market, is now integral to the whiskey’s success, with the North American market accounting for one million cases sold.

Despite the recent economic downturn, sales volume has increased by 9% while value grew by 12%, for year ending June 2010. While US sales grew by 24%, with 49 states in double-digit growth, other key markets include Russia (+8%), South Africa (+7%) and France (+7%).

Festival Awards 2010 Festival lovers across the country have the opportunity to vote for their favourite summer outing online, part of the Irish Festival Awards 2010.

At festivalawards.ie there are a total of 20 category awards up for grabs, ranging from ‘Best Large Festival’ and ‘Best Service’ to ‘Greenest Festival’ and ‘Family Festival Awards’.

Voting runs throughout December and January and the public’s favourites will be unveiled at an awards night in early February.

3 (l-r) James Murphy, DIT, Bar Management, Brid Grant, dean of DIT College of Arts & Tourism, with Lorraine Kelly, Mespil Hotel, who recorded the highest results at the Licensed Vintners’ Association (LVA) examinations, with Donall O’Keeffe, chief executive, LVA. The LVA presented their annual education awards at a special ceremony in DIT, Department of Bar Management Training Bar, Cathal Brugha Street. The awards are presented to the successful candidates of the LVA Bar Supervision and LVA Bar Management courses which are designed for those interested in a career in the licensed industry at management or operational levels. The subjects covered include customer service skills, draught dispense management, cocktail making, responsible service of alcohol, product knowledge, legislation (HACCP, fire safety, license laws), financial control, management and services marketing.

Whiskey Live Comes To Dublin

Whiskey lovers from the world over will congregate in Dublin next year to celebrate at Whiskey Live, due to be held for the very first time in Ireland.

The showcase of whiskey will be coming to Dublin’s Mansion House on 14 May, 2011, with Canadian, American, Scotch and Irish, all served in their own, select way.

Whiskey Live founder, Damian Riley-Smith, says, ‘we have brought Whiskey Live to many corners of the world, from Sydney to Taipei, New York to Madrid, and feel the moment is right that Dublin should have its very own whiskey festival. There is no greater city in which to enjoy the greatest of fine drinks.’

Redundancy Claims Decline Redundancy claims have fallen for the first time in 11 months, according to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe TD. In the first 11 months of last year, 72,880 redundancy claims were lodged to the Department and, so far this year, that figure is 55,910, a decline of 23%.

5 Models Georgia Salpa and Pippa O Connor (right) with Dublin publican Vincent O Reilly at the launch of his new Village Roof Garden and Cafe Bar in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, earlier this month.

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

NEWS

TULLAmore Dew Gets Grant’s Backing Tullamore Dew is to receive a multimillion international advertising campaign as new owner, William Grant & Sons, who acquired the whiskey from C&C Group in July, seeks to drive global sales.

Currently the world’s second largest Irish whiskey, with sales of over 650,000 cases worldwide, William Grant & Sons have announced their intention to seek ‘strong growth in 2011’.

According to William Grant & Sons Tullamore Dew is the largest selling whiskey of any type in the Czech Republic, Denmark and the Baltics and the number one Irish whiskey in Germany, Sweden, Bulgaria, Poland and Estonia.

The Scottish owner says it will seek to grow market share in the UK, the US, and Ireland and will focus on having a strong presence in high profile pubs.

3 Things are about to heat up in the

Irish whiskey market with William Grants & Sons announcing a major drive to grow Tullamore Dew sales.

Pub Kegs Targeted

By Crime Publicans need to ensure heightened security with reports across the country that kegs are being targeted by criminal gangs.

The VFI has acknowledged ‘numerous incidents’ of kegs being stolen across the country and says there is a significant trade for these kegs and it is not localised to any area’.

Publicans are being advised to be extra vigilant and ensure kegs are securely locked in an enclosed area – not a compound as this will mean they are not covered by insurance.

Smithwick’s Sponsors Stars 2011 Smithwick’s is once again the title sponsor of the VFI ‘Stars of our Bars’ talent competition. Last year over 300 pubs participated in the footfall generating initiative and this year the VFI intends to significantly grow that number. In 2011 there will be eight regional finals to the competition, up from four.

We Would like to take this opportunity to Wish all our readers and clients a prosperous neW year from everyone at

10 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

COVER STORY

Budget 2011 An economist’s view, trade reactions, CONSUMER analysis Before it even occurred we were terming it the Nightmare Budget that would break a generation and catapult Ireland back to the worst days of the Eighties. Now that the dust is settling on Budget 2011, Licensing World provides analysis industry reactions and charts the economic road ahead.

The Economist’s View BY ANTHONY FOLEY n Ireland’s long-running austerity epic continued with Budget 2011. So far we have had cutback Budgets in October 2008, April 2009, December 2009 and now December 2010. This one was the worst with tax increases and expenditure reductions amounting to e6 billion. Whatever Government is in power following the forthcoming election, however, the cutbacks will continue for the next three or four years but with lower levels of annual adjustments of between e3 billion and e4 billion – although the mix of tax and expenditure adjustments may change a little. We are committed to reducing our public sector borrowing to below 3% of GDP by 2014 or 2015.

Even after the reductions in this Budget the borrowing requirement will still be a massive 9.4% of GDP.

Impact on Drinks Industry

The Budget’s impact on the drinks industry can be divided into four key areas. The first two relate solely to the drinks industry while the second two apply to the overall economy as well as the drinks industry.

Alcohol excise tax was not increased despite the enormous pressures that were on the public finances. However a review of the excise duty payable for licences for the on and off sectors was announced.

The Budget introduced tax and PRSI increases and pension allowance adjustments which will affect workers throughout the economy. The resulting cutbacks will reduce disposable incomes and create downward pressure on demand for the drinks industry as well as other sectors.

Apart from the avoidance of excise increases there is nothing for the drinks industry to cheer about within this Budget except that it is a significant additional step to restoring the public finances to sustainability. This is a necessary requirement for long-term economic growth.

No Excise Justification

The Government’s decision not to raise excise is justified by cross border sales, employment intensity of the industry and weak state of the on trade.

The decision to maintain the current rates of excise was based on relatively solid economic grounds. There is a continuing threat from cross border sales despite the competitiveness improvements caused by exchange rate movements, the excise reduction in Budget 2010 and increases in UK tax rates.

The drinks industry – especially the on trade sector – is a very substantial employer. The overall drinks industry employs almost 78,000 persons in full and part-time roles. Most of these are in the on trade but this sector has experienced very large declines in recent years and that decline is continuing. It 8

5 Finance Minister, Brian Lenihan, TD, with his Budget for 2011

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 11

COVER STORY

I expect that the aim is to restructure the off licence cost to reflect size of sales and that a graduated off licence fee will be introduced with increases related to sales. also has to be recognised that Ireland’s alcohol excise is still high by average EU standards, which does not help our tourism competitiveness.

When the Minister for Finance reduced excise by 20% in Budget 2010 he stated his intention was to reverse this and warned that if the industry did not pass on the reduction in lower prices it would be swiftly reversed. The industry responded with price reductions and the lower rates have been maintained.

Review of Duties on Alcohol Licences

Making his Budget statement, Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, TD, announced that ‘a review will be undertaken of the excise duty payable for licences for on trade and off licence sales of alcohol products during 2011 to ensure that the system is both transparent and fair.’

At present the cost of a pub licence depends on the level of turnover. At the lowest turnover band (up to e190,500) the licence fee is e250. At the highest band (e1.27 million and above) the licence fee is e3,805. The off licence fee

is unrelated to the level of turnover. The off licence fee costs e500 for each of wine, beer and spirits. A full off licence regardless of volume or value of sales costs e1500 annually.

Consequently, an off licence for a large multiple, with possible alcohol sales of in excess of a e1 million or more, costs the same as a small convenience store with sales of e100,000 or less. I expect that the aim of the review is to restructure the off licence cost to reflect size of sales and that a graduated off licence fee will be introduced with increases related to sales.

Another issue is the volume of alcohol relative to the value of turnover. Because of lower off licence prices e1 million in bar sales represents much less alcohol than e1 million in off licence sales.

As such it could be argued that the respective licence fees should relate to the volume of alcohol rather than the value of sales.

It is also possible that the pub licence fee adjustments could include higher fees for additional bands above the current maximum of e1.27 million. The terms of reference for the review are not yet available but they will probably deal with

the issues identified above. The review will result in some parts of the drinks industry gaining and others losing.

Transparency would seem to refer to a licence fee being related to volume of alcohol and ‘fair’ would seem to refer to differences between on and off sales and differences within off sales.

A less likely possibility is that the review would look at the relatively high licence cost of operating a nightclub where a specific special exemption order costing e410 is required every night.

Pubs also have to pay the e410 charge for each late night.

Impact on Workers & Entrepreneurs

The income tax, PRSI and universal social charge change (in some cases) in the Budget will hit workers in the drinks industry where the average wage in the on and off sectors would not be substantial.

For example, an unmarried earner on e35,000 will be e218 worse off per year. Someone on e45,000 will be e1,101 worse off. In reality the drinks industry includes many part-timers on low

Budget 2011: The Consumer Experience Research firm, Behaviour & Attitudes, conducted a consumer poll, based on 500 Irish adults, assessing the impact of the Budget on consumers and to discover their impressions as to whether the Budgetary measures met their expectations.

The results indicated that even though the measures in the Budget were harsh in terms of impact on consumer income levels, 53% believed the Budget had met their expectation, 32% believed that the Budget was worse than they expected (this was particularly high among working class respondents and the younger cohorts), while 15% believed that the Budget was actually better than they had expected.

‘There is no mistaking that the Budgetary measures applied to citizens in terms of increasing levels of taxation, reductions in reliefs and benefits and the new

Universal Social Contribution will make personal financial situations more fraught than they were previously,’ reported Behaviour & Attitudes. Here is their analysis of the polls findings.

Confusion: For the majority of consumers their first experience of the actual impact of the Budgetary measures will be in their pay slip or social allowance in January, when the measures come into effect. Particularly as it applies to the impact the new Universal Social Contribution will have, the level of confusion as to their actual real income for this period will feed into a conservative retrenchment on spending over the short term.

Expectations of lower wage levels to cover the same level of fixed expenditure, should see reductions in discretionary spending levels, particularly in light of reduced affordable credit accessibility.

12 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

Distress: Among middle income earners, particularly those with families, a level of conservative retrenchment and increased levels of saving may occur.

Without clear indicators that the economic situation has bottomed out it is probable that a surfeit of consumer spending among this class will be forthcoming.

Although wage levels will only reduce modestly due to the Budgetary measures it may require a period of time before these consumers spend freely.

They are however considerably more likely to spend over the Christmas period than the working class or unemployed due to their relative security of employment.

Fear: In particular among the working class or unemployed, fear about maintaining a sufficient standard of living may lead to a significant reduction in spending levels over the short

term as they attempt to stockpile available surplus capital for use in the coming year. It is probable that expenditure on luxury goods will reduce significantly, even in the Christmas period, and situations may arise where certain fundamental purchases such as insurance, fuel, gas and electricity may also see reductions as individuals revisit their Budgetary priorities.

2011 & Beyond: Initial consumer spending should remain at a low level or even reduce marginally. Provided that a similar level of nationwide employment is maintained relative to its current position, those in employment may return to the modest levels of discretionary spend achieved this year relatively quickly, although a significant increase in consumer spend of any magnitude would be outside any realistic expectation.

COVER STORY

earnings. A person earning e10,000 will be e200 worse off annually from the tax.

The few people in the industry currently earning above e75,00 will be hit by the removal of the PRSI ceiling. Entrepreneurs in the industry will be hit by the new restrictions on pension contributions.

Impact on Drinks Market

The Budget will dampen the overall demand for alcohol however as the reductions in social welfare rates and the tax increases will leave everyone in Ireland of 2011, except state social welfare pension recipients, financially worse off.

Unavoidably, the overall result will be a negative effect on demand. The Government’s projections for economic growth for 2011 provide miserable reading for the on trade.

2010 is expected to record a decline in overall consumption spending volume

of 1.3%. Consumption volume growth is expected to be zero in 2011, so there is no respite there. Prices will increase by about 1% overall in 2011 and the monetary value of consumption will increase by about 1%.

A 1% overall consumption value growth implies a very weak performance and continuing decline for the on trade. The off trade will do better as constrained incomes push more of the alcohol market into the realm of home consumption.

The Budget also gives the medium term economic projections but again from a consumption perspective these are very low.

Consumption volume is expected to grow by 0.9% in 2012 and 1.55 and 1.8% in each of 2013 and 2014. Clearly there is a long way to go in generating substantial increases in overall consumption which would support the on trade.

The main driver of the expected GDP growth will be exports and not domestic

DIGI Welcomes Excise Status Quo The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) breathed a collective sigh of relief following the Budget and were quick to welcome the news of the Government’s decision to maintain alcohol excise at existing levels.

Chairman of DIGI, Kieran Tobin, told Licensing World that ‘in the context of the difficult decisions that the Government has had to take at this time, DIGI welcomes the decision not to increase excise taxes on alcohol which remain amongst the highest in the European Union.’

He pointed out that this builds on last December’s excise reduction ‘which was passed-on in full by the industry, and had the effect of stemming cross-border sales and repatriating much of the revenue lost to Northern Ireland, as well as boosting consumer spending, the retail trade, the local drinks market, and the economy in general’.

Mr Tobin says the Budget will assist the employment intensive on trade that has continued to suffer serious declines throughout 2010 (down approximately 14% so far this year).

‘While our drinks products are performing well on international markets, our export success is founded on a solid domestic market. For that reason we will now work with Government to identify ways to protect the 78,000 jobs and e2 billion in tax revenue

we support and to enhance our tourism competitiveness through the facilities and services that we provide. We will also seek to build on the e1 billion in drinks exports which we currently generate and to grow our contribution to an export-led recovery.’

VFI Welcomes Hospitality Measures The VFI welcomed a number of measures contained in the Budget, most notably the decision to maintain excise levels and reduce air travel tax.

President of the VFI, Gerry Mellett, says, ‘both of these measures should help save jobs in Ireland and could provide a boost to the tourism industry.’

He points out that the introduction of the air travel tax ‘was to raise funds but it may have actually stifled tourist numbers, with huge losses recorded in Shannon in particular.

The reduction of the air travel tax from e10 to e3 is a victory for common sense and we see this as a step in the right direction.

‘The VFI look forward to sitting down with Government in 2011 as they review the excise duty payable for licences for on trade and off-licence sales of alcohol products to ensure that the system is both transparent and fair.’

demand. One ray of sunlight may be tourism which will hopefully recover some of its very large losses of recent years.

Unemployment is expected to be 10% in 2014 which also has a dampening effect on alcohol markets, and VAT rates are going to increase throughout the adjustment period.

The declines in national economic activity over 2008 to 2010 would appear to have been halted in 2011 which is welcome but the improvement is minor and will not provide solace to the on trade part of the industry.

Unfortunately these are the ‘to-beexpected’ economic consequences of the necessary fiscal adjustment.

The Overall Impact

The avoidance of excise increases is a very welcome feature of the Budget. The review of licence fees will remove some inequities of the licensing system and on balance is to be welcomed but there will be winners and losers from the review.

Individuals working in the industry will be worse off because of the tax, PRSI and pension changes. The Budget has a negative effect on overall domestic demand by reducing disposable income and social welfare payments and this is especially bad for the on trade.

2010 has been a successful year for Dalcassian Wines and Spirits Brands.

From Chile the Bisquertt Gran Reserva range won 4 Silver and 1 Bronze medal from the International Wine Challenge 2010. The much loved French Paul Mas Cabernet Sauvignon and Spain’s Lagunilla Crianza also picked up a silver IWC award.

Schwartzhog continues to be the Hot New Trend in the late night venues as it takes the “Rising Star Award” for 2010 (the second year running).

Dalcassian Wines and Spirits would like to take this opportunity to thank all of their customers for their support in 2010 and Wish them all a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

The Dalcassian Wines & spiriTs co. lTD. 25 The Mall, Beacon Court, Sandyford, Dublin 18, Ireland T: +353 1 2937977 F: +353 1 2937978 E: info@dalcassianwines.com W:www.dalcassianwines.com

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 13

INTERVIEW

Custard Creams, Blues Brothers and Diamond Sales with John Teeling n You have probably heard many things about the

Prospector, innovator, entrepreneur, professor and, of course, founder of top European whiskey maker, Cooley Distillery, Nigel Tynan meets JOHN TEELING, one of the great personalities of the Irish drinks sector.

founder of Cooley Distillery, John Teeling. You may have heard that he is an academic from Harvard who decided to start an Irish whiskey distillery as an experiment in local manufacturing. You may have heard his name mentioned in association with African Diamonds, his Clontarf based prospector company.

You may have heard of him as a dealer of rare items, such as gold and diamonds – indeed during my meeting with him he will complete the sale of his stake in a Botswana diamond mine to a Canadian consortium. Or perhaps you know of John Teeling as the outspoken Irish entrepreneur with a golden touch, or even the fast talking UCD professor with a passion for free-thinking young minds.

But did you know that John Teeling loves custard creams? In fact we’re not ready to begin until he’s located them and steadied himself with a cuppa in hand and ample custard creams at the ready.

So where do we start? We could speak about the inspirational level of success that Cooley Distillery has recorded in recent years, not only winning the prized title of European Distillery of the Year for a consecutive three years running (including this year) but also the much sought after global title of World Distiller of the Year in 2009.

Or we could choose to point out that Cooley has a stock of medals for quality and taste that can match any other distillery here or abroad, in fact can exceed quite a few distillers combined. Or do we begin by mentioning that many of Cooley’s single malts and aged whiskies, think of Kilbeggan 15 Year Old and Greenore 15, Ireland’s only 100% grain whiskey, have completely sold-out and are considered connoisseur items under intense demand by whiskey lovers.

Indeed, Cooley will be unavailable to fulfil a mounting order list for these whiskies for a number of years – such is the price of success.

John Teeling, however, would like to start

14 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

somewhere else, he prefers to begin by pointing out that, in reality, it takes a particular type of ‘madman’ to contemplate entering the world of distillation during even the best of times. So what does that statement tell us about John Teeling, for he started Cooley Distillery in 1986, far from the best of times?

It is the sort of twist of language that delights John Teeling and gives him a moment to reflect.

‘I suppose, in retrospect, I have always been many things, I have no doubt that I will always be an academic, but I’m also a Blues Brother – that is to say: I’m on a mission from God. I’ve been sent to help Irish people be more entrepreneurial and to ensure we do not return to the disaster that was Ireland of the 1970s.’

He points out that the attitude of Irish people towards enterprise is one of the healthiest in the world – something which he hopes will stand to us now. ‘In the 1960s Irish people were afraid of enterprise; we were a nation that craved security and “safe jobs”.

During my academic years in University College Dublin (UCD) I sought to convince my students to branch out, to become true people of industry. I have always believed passionately in manufacturing – it has been my lifelong message. To me manufacturing is how you create long lasting wealth, for Ireland, a small country on the edge of Europe, manufacturing is our best future, it always has been – we just forgot for a time.’

Cooley Distiller, says John, is a realisation of his passion for manufacturing.

‘Ireland needs to get back to using its indigenous resources to produce export goods, that’s how we can ensure long-term prosperity, forget about the banks, for God sake forget about construction, forget about multinationals and Tesco, companies that kill 1,000 local traders for every 500 jobs they create.

Forget even about companies such as Greencore and Glanbia, who have all but moved out of Ireland.

Cooley Distillery, Co Louth

Kilbeggan Distillery and Locke’s Museum

‘Cooley is a successful indigenous manufacturing business that only uses natural resources – to me that is just a wonderful achievement.’

But has John’s realisation worked? Is Cooley Distillery profitable?

‘If you’re asking me has Cooley been a success for Ireland?

My answer is an unequivocally yes. If you’re asking me has Cooley been a success for its shareholders? I’d say, probably not. Have we made good money? Yes we certainly have and as 95% of our products are exported we will continue to make good money. But we’ve reinvested everything we’ve made back into the distillery and also into improving our whiskies.

That’s the world of whiskey I’m afraid, that’s what’s required to make it work long-term.’ He lists off a ream of recent innovations at Cooley, from building new warehouse facilities to installing new distillation columns, a pot still and a new e1.5 million computer system. And then of course there’s what he calls ‘Teeling’s Folly’, his decision to build a working 1814 distillery at Kilbeggan at a cost of e6.5 million.

‘I’ll never regret it,’ he points out, ‘we are now the only Irish whiskey maker in the last 200 years to offer the full range of traditional Irish whiskey.’

Indeed, having such capital to invest is testament to how far Cooley has travelled since the 1990s, a decade that saw the distillery run out of capital and, to save the business, demanded all of John’s ingenuity’.

John points out that he once accepted a buy-out offer from Irish Distillers, ‘it was a pretty good deal, but I knew the Competition Authority wouldn’t let it pass, there was no way. But I’d no money and I needed the time. Accepting the deal allowed me to raise further finance.’

The problem with whiskey, he points out, ‘is that for a decade you’ve nothing to show for the money and time invested, you’ve no product to sell. You have no option but to wait and pray you got it right. We didn’t have a product for 11 years and there was no hope of any sort of investor payback for at least 15 years. My saving grace came from my other interests where I work with high risk investors, and even at that it was a close call.’

He tells a story of one Irish bank that ‘found’ him while in Namibia, ‘how they found me I’ve never been able to discover, but they got through to me and I had to fly home or face ruin’.

The reason Cooley exists today, says John, ‘is largely down to the support we received from Heaven Hill in the US’, one of Cooley’s first customers who bought enough future stock to save the company. The loss of Cooley would have affected John, but it wouldn’t have destroyed him. ‘It would just have been the world of business. When you boil it all down to basics, business is about chasing people for money and keeping afloat however you can.’

While admitting that he’s ‘no great whiskey drinker’, John says his ‘attitude’ to whiskey has always been quite simple: ‘You take a tonne of grain, boil it, crush it, distil it and after a little bit of tinkering you end up with about 1,000 bottles of whiskey – for sheer simplicity that’s a great business to be involved in.’

He enjoys being a lifelong employer. ‘Many of us have grown old together’, he says, and even though Cooley has ‘grown-up’, for John Teeling and his partners in Louth, Cooley managing

‘the reasons we’re out of stock on some of our best selling whiskies right now is simple, we had no money in the Nineties to put down stock.

Whisky is a difficult thing to forecast, you have to plan and invest today for over 10 years in the future.’

director, David Hynes, and master blender Noel Sweeney, ‘Cooley will always be our work in progress’.

When it comes to modern Ireland, John says ‘one thing is for sure, it isn’t a boring time to be in business’.

He explains, ‘in business there’s only ever one real certainty, things will not be as you think. Given the current market, that is even truer. How can you even envisage a five year plan right now, never mind a 15 year plan for whiskey?’

Yet planning is the basis of operating a successful distillation business.

John explains: ‘The reasons we’re out of stock on some of our best selling whiskies right now is simple: we had no money in the Nineties to put down stock. Whisky is a difficult thing to forecast, you have to plan and invest today for over 10 years in the future.

‘With Jameson recording huge double digit growth right now in the US, I just don’t understand how they’ve planned for that level of demand.’

At the same time, however, he’s a big fan of Jameson, for the brand opened the door for Irish whiskey globally. ‘Jameson has made life easier for us, there’s no doubt of that.’

John is happy as chairman of Cooley today. Led by his son, Jack Teeling, Cooley, he says, is moving in a new direction. ‘The next generation is taking over and they want to build brands for the longterm, we’re in a new era of intense marketing. It’s an expensive process, so I’m happy to sit back and let them take over. My role now is to deal with non-routine matters, such as talking to you.’ Although, he confides, ‘tomorrow I’m leaving for Africa and I have a number of other interests on the boil right now.’

After a life in business then what has he learned? ‘Don’t be afraid, go further afield than your competitors, forms strong joint ventures that allow you to access new markets and think globally.’

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 15

TRENDS

THE Palace Nightclub Dazzles With Style One of the most recognised on trade premises in the Midlands, the Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore, Co Offaly, is dazzling locals and finding a whole new clientele base with the addition of a luxury new nightclub design, aptly named The Palace.

‘

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n Set over two levels, Tullamore’s newest licensed addition, The

Palace, delivers an eye-catching late night venue that lives up to its namesake and has revitalised the local nightclub market.

The intention of the nighclub’s designers, John Duffy Design Group and John Duffy Architecture, was ‘from the moment customers enter The Palace we wanted to excite their senses and arouse their curiosity about what else lay within’. This sense of mystery and delight of discovery is achieved through the latest nightclub design techniques.

The wall rising up the right hand side of the stairs from the ground floor entrance is finished with mirror effect digital wallpaper which gives the customer a distorted view as they ascend the stairs towards the pay desk – a softly sweeping desk with perforated geometric panels backlit by an ethereal glow of colour changing light.

The lobby itself features a sweeping curved wall, behind which can be found the cloakroom, and is finished in striking colourful patterned wallpaper that is retro chic in styling.

Passing through the dark timber doors, you enter the actual venue and are greeted by a series of raised areas, which mark the customer’s journey through the club.

Each level is home to a unique design feature. A long bar dominates the raised area to the right hand side, a deeply rich timber bar with offset panels highlighted by concealed LED lighting. To the back of the unit is a digital print which rises up the back bar wall and sweeps across the ceiling, contained within a decorative gold frame.

The DJ box has been lifted and highlighted as a feature in itself, finished with a perforated geometric patterned panel, echoing that of the pay desk, and backlit with colour changing LED lighting. A diamond effect mirrored panel acts as a backdrop to define the DJs position with a window punctuates the structure above their head at the upper level.

The other bar is a decadent and far more elegant affair, with a sweeping front finished in rich mosaic tiles atop which sits a backlit onyx counter top. The back bar is a series of mirrors boxes in which

The link between the terrace and the mirrored bar features a series of suspended coloured fins that form a skeletal-like tunnel through which customers pass. bottles are displayed and also contains mirror balls, which reflect sparks of light in a dazzling myriad of directions.

Moving up the open stairs to the second floor, customers enter a lobby.

Through one set of doors can be found an external terrace which features sandstone pavers, planting and fixed timber benches which back onto the picturesque scene of Tullamore River. A low glazed baluster affords views to the main street and on the opposite side of the terrace is the angled window which runs the length of the terrace and affords a tantalising vista of the club’s interior.

There are two bars on this level, both finished in a striking white to accentuate the colour changing lights within the space.

At the lower level of the upper floor is a long white bar with bevelled tinted mirrors serving as a back bar.

The walls throughout the second floor are finished with a palette of rich black and gold wallpaper featuring inset LED spots, textured relief panels offset from the walls with halo lighting that make the panels appear to levitate, and a paint scheme that captures the colours and patterns of the rich carpets throughout.

The link between the terrace and the mirrored bar features a series of suspended coloured fins that form a skeletal-like tunnel through which customers pass. On one side you have a series of low two-seater sofas with views through the glass balusters to the dance floor below, and on the opposite are a series of mirrored panels with a shelving for drinks.

Architects And designers oF the PAlAce tullAmore

AwArd winning Architecture & interior design

John Duffy Design Group, 23-24 The Crescent, Monkstown, Co.Dublin t 353 1 2844455 F 353 1 2807075 e info@johnduffydesign.ie w jddg.ie

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 17

COCKTAILS

Cocktail Competition Round-Up Bartenders have been shaking, muddling, straining and serving their most elaborate creations in recent weeks with a period of high activity in the world of mixology. Nigel Tynan details the biggest recent events on the Irish cocktail circuit, the winners, and their recipes. n Innovation and imagination is alive and well in the Irish bar trade and recent weeks have seen a wave of cocktail competitions take place. Why, bartenders have been so busy impressing judges both here and abroad that you’d almost think we were back in 2007.

Cork’s The Long Island Bar has established itself as among the country’s leading cocktail destinations and bar manager, Shane Quigley, never fails to impress.

So it comes as little surprise then that Shane emerged victorious at the 2010 Finlandia Vodka Cup Irish National Final earlier this month.

Shane out-mixed five other top bartenders from bars in Dublin, Cork and Galway to take first place, pocket the e1,000 in prize money and claim the opportunity to represent Ireland at the Finlandia Vodka Cup Global Final in Lapland in February 2011. Featuring bartenders from over 30 countries, this is one of the world’s leading international cocktail contests and 2011 will see it entering its 13th year. Unlike many competitions it is blind judged so drinks are judged solely on appearance, taste and aroma. Last year’s Irish winner, Javier Bravo also from Long Island Bar, Cork, came fifth overall in the global final and was the outright winner of the Quick Mix category. Shane is no doubt hoping to better Javier’s record and maintain Ireland’s impressive reputation at this event.

Moving to Dublin, last month also saw bartenders gather in The Exchange Bar at the Westin Hotel, Dublin 2, to compete in the first heat of Diageo’s 2011 World Class Bartender of the Year competition. Eleven bars were chosen to compete in the whiskey heat, with Diageo’s Bushmills Malts and Johnnie Walker Classic Malts providing rich ingredients to choose from. This was the first of three heats taking place in the coming months.

Raf Agapito, from Dublin’s No Name Bar at Kelly’s Hotel, emerged victorious with his Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt cocktail, named ‘The Grey Titan’, securing his place in the Irish final in June 2011.

Raf’s wonderfully complex creation impressed a

18 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

judging panel that included Johnnie Walker’s global brand ambassador, Gregor Cattanach and Bushmills’ distilling manager, Darryl McNally.

Moving further afield, the 59th International Bartenders Association Congress and World Cocktail Competition, in classic and flair style bartending, took place in Singapore during November and Ireland was strongly represented by two of our best, bartenders Martin Mead and Christopher Hennessy.

In the classic event, winner of the Irish National Cocktail Competition, as sponsored by Edward Dillon, Martin Meade, from the Schoolhouse Hotel in Dublin’s Ballsbridge, battled against 50 competitors with his simply titled creation, ‘Pearfection’.

At the same time Christopher Hennessey, from Biddy Early’s Bar in Kilkenny, provided an exhilarating exhibition of flair tending while producing his cocktail, ‘Raspberry Ripple’.

Something a little different now with the world’s first Natural Yogurt Liqueur Cocktail Competition, which also took place at the No Name Bar, at Kelly’s Hotel, Fade Street, Dublin 2. Organised by the Bartenders Association of Ireland (BAI) and sponsored by Barry and Fitzwilliam, supplier of Bols, the competition required innovative thinking and an original recipe that included Bols Natural Yogurt Liqueur. Szabi Sandor, from the Village at Lyons, Celbridge, Co Kildare, submitted the winning cocktail, named ‘Dutch Companion’, winning a visit to the Bols Bartending Academy in Amsterdam.

Finally, the sixth DIT Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard Cocktail Challenge saw 85 mixologists compete in what is now Ireland’s largest cocktail challenge.

Prizes were awarded for best short drink cocktail and best long drink, based on Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard premium spirits and liqueurs range, and points were awarded for appearance, aroma, taste and the commercial appeal. The winning drinks were created by Claire Gaffney, Gavin Donohue and Caitlin NiCholmain.

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Raf Agapito

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Shane Quigley

Award Winning Cocktails Shane Quigley’s Grass Roots Muddle

Winner: 2010 Finlandia Vodka Cup Irish National Final 7-8 mint leaves Wasabi (pea sized quantity) Finlandia Vodka (shot and a half) Gomme (half shot) Lime (half shot, freshly squeezed) Shake all the ingredients with ice and fine strain, spray mint bitters on top.

Shane Quigley’s Where’s My Dickie?

Winner: 2010 Finlandia Vodka Cup Irish National Final 3 Strawberries Monin Lavendar (one shot) Lavendar gomme (dash) Finlandia Vodka (2 shots) Lemon (one shot, freshly squeezed) Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain, top with sparking rosé.

Szabi Sandor Chris Hennessy

Martin Mead’s Pearfection

Winner: Best Short Drink Cocktail, DIT Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard Cocktail Challenge

5cl Bombay Sapphire Gin 2cl Giffard Pear Liqueur 1cl Caraibos Apple Juice 1.5cl fresh lemon juice, 3 coriander leaves 3 chunks of fresh pear

4cl Absolut Vanilla, 2.5cl ginger and lemongrass cordial 2.5cl passion fruit liqueur 5cl apple juice, ½ stick of lemon grass.

Shake with ice and strain into a Martini glass, garnish with a pear fan and citrus zest.

Christopher Hennessy’s Raspberry Ripple

Competitor: International Bartenders Association World Cocktail Competition 3cl Bacardi Superior 1cl Mozart Amade Choc Orange 1cl Finest Call Raspberry Puree 3cl Caraibos Pomegrante Juice 1cl Monin Passionfruit 1cl fresh lime juice Half a vanilla pod Shake ingredients with ice and strain, garnish with an apple fan and a raspberry.

Szabi Sandor’s Dutch Companion

Raf Agapito’s The Grey Titan

Winner: Natural Yogurt Liqueur Cocktail Competition

50ml Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt 20ml peach infused fortified wine 2.5ml aromatic bitters 5ml Earl Grey syrup

3cl Mount Gay Rum 3cl Bols Natural Yoghurt Liqueur 3cl carrot juice 2cl lime juice, 2cl agave nectar 1cl Guinness

Stir all ingredients until chilled and then strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass.

Garnish with a twist of grapefruit zest.

Add all ingredients to an Old Fashioned glass, with ice, and garnish with carrot and Dutch cheese.

Winner: Whiskey Heat, Diageo 2011 World Class Bartender

20 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

Claire Gaffney’s Full of Passion

Competitor: International Bartenders Association World Cocktail Competition

Muddle the lemongrass and add the ingredients to a shaker with ice, shake briskly, pour over ice into a Tumbler.

Garnish with fresh green apple and a little crushed ice.

Gavin Donohoe’s Absolut Fruits Winner: Best Long Drink, DIT Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard Cocktail Challenge 5cl Absolut PearVodka 2cl De Kuyper Apricot Brandy 7cl apple juice Shake all the ingredients with ice. Pour into a Hurricane glass with crushed ice. Garnish with apricot slice and wedge of red apple.

Caitlin NiCholmain’s Crimbo

Winner: Best Technique Cockail, DIT Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard Cocktail Challenge 3cl Absolut Vodka 9cl ginger ale 6cl pear & spice puree (prepare by using three fresh pears, brown sugar, squeeze of lemon juice, four cloves and pinch of cinnamon) Shake all the ingredients with ice briskly.

Pour into a chilled five star wine glass and garnish with a slice of fresh pear, studded by whole cloves.

NEWS

22 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

NEWS

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 23

NEWS

24 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

OFF LICENCE

Ruth Deveney

Dundrum’s Lady of Beer

Ruth Deveney’s family opened their first retail operation in 1909 and their first off licence store in the 1960s – placing them among the forerunners of the independent off trade. So it’s little wonder then that Ruth says the off trade is in her blood. NIGEL TYNAN travels to one of Dublin’s busiest suburbs to visit Deveney’s of Dundrum where he discovers a thriving independent store and one of the country’s leading destinations for interesting, quirky and, above all, flavoursome bottled beers. n Ruth Deveney is busy. Christmas is around the corner and she has orders for her ‘Beer Box’ to process, a festive initiative and one of Ruth’s many ideas that sees Deveney’s ship a box of 12 seasonal and non-seasonal beers, plus a special beer glass and snack, to anywhere in the country for e50. Ruth reveals that she has sent over 300 such boxes in the last few weeks and new orders are mounting daily.

Since joining the business fulltime to work with her father, Tom, seven years ago, Ruth has witnessed many changes take hold of her family’s business. But despite the gloom of modern Ireland, and an independent off trade that is under severe operating pressure from loss leading multiples, Ruth remains optimistic, in love with her profession and, moreover, full of ideas for the future.

‘Here at Deveney’s we’re a specialist purveyor of alcohol, we strive to be the very best at what we do. We offer our customers the best range of products

possible, we deliver top grade customer service, offer friendly advice and even a word of greeting. When it comes to shopping locally, that’s what’s important to customers – remember, people nowadays choose to shop locally, it’s not the most convenient choice, but they do it because they want to be treated in a certain way.’

Indeed, the proof or Ruth’s words is in the footfall and Deveney’s is a busy shop.

However despite the numbers coming through the front door, Ruth seems to know every customer by name, there’s a friendly level of banter between customers and Tom that comes from a lifetime of interaction.

‘That’s part of what differentiates the independent off trade,’ she points out, ‘it’s important for us to interact with our customers, it’s part of the local shopping experience – there’s a warmth here that you just won’t get in a supermarket.’

That issue, of course, of supermarkets versus the independent trade has come to

dominate the off licence sector in recent years as the practice of below cost selling of alcohol has seen multiples dramatically increases their share of alcohol sales.

As a member of the Executive Council of the National Off Licence Association (NOffLA), Ruth says there’s little doubt supermarkets represent a major challenge for the future. While she believes that independents can compete against cheaply priced mainstream brands by offering ‘a better and more substantial choice than the standard range of big name brands that dominate supermarkets’, she explains that some of the biggest challenges are not solely price based.

‘One of the biggest concerns we, as an independent trade, have with supermarkets comes from the reluctance of female shoppers to enter an off licence.

Over 70% of all wine is bought by female shoppers, but if you look at our sales here in Deveney’s only 9% of my clientele is female. Supermarkets are seen by women

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 25

OFF LICENCE

Beer advocate, Ruth Deveney, you can read her blog at deveneysbeer.blogspot.com

Above: Deveney’s stocks up to 350 different bottled beers

as an easier option to buy alcohol, women don’t feel self conscious in a supermarket whereas they do in an off licence. I’m here to sell alcohol to my customers, yet in nearly every case a female shopper in my store will make an excuse for buying a bottle, “I’m buying this as a present”, or “this isn’t for me”. Men, on the other hand, make no excuses; they feel very comfortable buying alcohol.’

The reason, says Ruth, is that off licences tend to be very male orientated in their layout, in how products are advertised and displayed – crates of beer in the middle of the floor doesn’t appeal to a woman – and even in how products are labelled. ‘Engaging with female drinkers is a huge challenge; it’s something that we at NOffLA are working on.’

Lover of Beer

August 2010 saw beer lovers from across the country head to Dublin to attend ‘Deveney’s Lughnasa Beer Festival’. It was Ruth’s second time to hold the event and this year saw attendance swell from 250 people in 2009 to 1,000. In established festival form, each person at the event bought specially printed Deveney’s Porter Notes and there were 400 beers available for tasting at E1.50 for a 140ml measure. It was, she says, ‘an amazing success.’

Plans are already under way for 2011 and Ruth intends to once again build on last year’s figure, but how did this come about?

‘About four years ago we toyed with the idea of starting a wine club, but even back then they were becoming commonplace. However it was also at this time that I noticed how our

26 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

In store: Ruth and her father, Tom Deveney

bottled beer fridge space was quietly starting to swell, I started to investigate and discovered just how diverse beer can be, so I started to write a blog to document my learning.’

Indeed, if you’re a beer lover that blog is well worth visiting – deveneysbeer. blogspot.com.

Instantly Ruth realised that she had hit upon the niche she had been looking for. ‘I started getting over 200 hits a day, there was an incredible appetite for more information about beer and we really embraced bottled beer at Deveney’s.’

Today Deveney’s offers a choice of between 300 and 350 bottled beers at any one time including tempting seasonal brews, such as Gouden Carolus Christmas, a 10.5% ABV Belgian brew, priced at E5.99 for a 500ml bottle, that pours the colour of dark amber with a thin white head. In her blog Ruth points out that, ‘the nose is what I look for in a Christmas beer. I do have a gripe with some of the Christmas ales on the market currently, apparently

having a Santa beard or an elf’s foot on the label qualifies as a Christmas beer. This exudes seasonality, the nose smells like pink bubblegum and clove with aniseed and banana. The palate is aniseed with sweet fruit and some wood/ pine flavours. This is a relatively sweet beer. Not Samichlaus sweet but definitely warrants a piece of Cashel Blue.’

And if you’re still not fully convinced, consider the fact that bottled beer accounts for 40% of total sales at Deveney’s while only 3% of sales comes from the commercial canned lager market.

Looking to the future, Ruth is confident that the independent trade will continue. ‘You have to overcome the gloom and feel positive and give your customers a sense of positivity. Don’t be afraid to try new things. At Deveney’s we’re working on a host of new activities for 2011. I think forward planning is very important.’

And any chance of a hint of what we can expect?

‘Not at all, you’ll just have to wait and see.’

OFF LICENCE

How To Avoid The Post Christmas Sales Slump

Christmas is the most important sales period for the off trade, it is a veritable bonanza for the wine trade and, so the reckoning goes, brings in two thirds of total annual wine turnover with Christmas week resulting in a three to four fold increase in wine sales alone. Good news for December, but not so good come January when the equally traditional post New Year’s slump kicks in. Kevin Ecock examines whether anything can be done to help bolster wine sales at the start of 2011. n We are drinking more wine than ever in Ireland and by preference we are drinking more at home than elsewhere. Surely the off trade can take advantage of this trend and begin to look forward to better January and February sales and an end to the traditional, and terrible, slump that occurs every year during this time?

One of the country’s largest supermarkets, Dunnes Stores, seems to think so.

Dunnes Stores view January as beginning on 29 December and sources reveal they have challenged themselves to achieve better than ever wine sales before the comfort of St Valentine’s Day arrives.

Sales targets are driving an entirely new promotional calendar that will deliver the likes of their Pena de Prata Dao from Portugal and the South African Bellingham Shiraz Cabernet at only e6.99. They will also be running price incentives that include 20% back promotions and loyalty card customers with be targeted with unique offers.

Effectively it’s business as usual and their operational style does not appear to recognise the inevitability of a sales slump. On the contrary they recognise that a sales dip is on its way and are preparing to do something about it.

But can smaller off licences operators afford to adopt a similar strategy?

‘It’s a very a hard time for us to compete,’ says Brian O’Sullivan of the

Next Door Off Licence chain. ‘We work hard on our loyalty card customer promotions but find that as that card is mainly supported by our female customers its effect in January is limited.’

One Next Door operator who has successfully overcome this is the chain’s Sundrive Store in Dublin, who ‘maximise female sales by having Ladies Day promotions every Thursday’.

Maureen O’Hara of Searsons Wine Merchants, Monkstown, Co Dublin, tells us that the wine trade will need to use its imagination to engage consumers at the start of 2011. Earlier this year Maureen launched Premier Wine Training, a new educational initiative that offers a broad range of courses to consumers and the trade, from basic wine appreciation courses to internationally-recognised WSET qualifications. Her suggestions for independents include more focused in-store events, such as tasting nights or free wine talks; the creation of a Christmas 2011 Savings Club (it can never start too soon); try engaging with female wine drinkers by highlighting lower calorie brands, such as German Rieslings, and learn to use this more sedate time to invest in communicating with consumers via social media sites (Facebook, Twitter). Maureen also advises off licence operators to develop ‘at home party concepts’, which she says, can drive significant sales.

If Searsons Wine Merchants, or other

retailers, adopt even a few of these ideas then off licences may be fun places to visit during January.

The start of 2011 will see multiples continue to roll out impossible to beat promotional prices. Superquinn’s wine buyer, Richard Moriarty, tells us that in January they will run their ‘first price promotion on the Superquinn Classic Collection range of wines’. Expect the full range of over 30 wines available on a multi-buy promotion of any three bottles for e20. The Classic range has received major critical support from across the wine media since its launch in 2009 and pricing like this will prove highly attractive and is likely to generate headlines. In addition Superquinn will offer a choice of budget wines with a similar multi-buy promotion of any three for e15.

Finally, Superquinn intends to push its own wine club in January and February as a viable way of engaging with its wine customers.

Wine clubs may not be a new idea, but Kieran Towey of Cheers at The Silver Granite explains they have real value.

Come March, he will be bringing his wine club to visit the Torres vineyards and winery in Northern Spain. ‘We have had a good run in to January with the wine club, it’s a talking point and we’re keeping the conversation going all the way to when we fly out in March.’

By ‘keeping the conversation going’ Kieran is ensuring that his customers

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 27

OFF LICENCE

wine quiz and treasure hunt from your Facebook page, with daily hints through your Twitter site, bolstered by in-depth product Why not run a

knowledge on your blog? All of this can be tied into your web page and nothing can be answered except

regular calling into your off licence. by

return as often in the quieter months as the festive.

Facebook is mentioned by Searsons Wine Merchants as vital for the off trade and it features highly on the agenda for many other independent stores, including Curious Wines in Cork, the Harvest Off Licences in Galway and Claudio Wines in NewtownmountKennedy. Indeed a Twitter presence and a blog page have been identified as being helpful drivers to maintaining fresh footfall.

The off licence sector has changed fundamentally in recent years and today’s interaction with customers must be sophisticated. Good pricing, good choice, familiar labels and satisfaction are high on every customers agenda and it is only by delivering these desires that independent traders achieve some degree of control when times are slack.

Supermarkets next year will once again be aggressive in their pricing and media advertising. Already they indicate this will be their strategy for January and February and beyond.

Independents must therefore look collectively for inspiration. Alexandra Young of Oddbins tells us that, to compete, they will be running a bin sale. While this might not sound hugely innovative at first glance, when you consider that these discounted brands will be exclusive wines then it becomes apparent that Oddbins can make a unique noise all of their own.

Finding some way of catching the attention of your existing customers and engaging with new customers should now be your priority. Why not run a wine quiz and treasure hunt from your Facebook page, with daily hints through your Twitter site, bolstered by in-depth product knowledge on your blog?

All of this can be tied into your web page and nothing can be answered except by regular calling into your off licence.

How about January and February tasting nights of different flights of wines? Take five Chablis or five Chiantis and allow the customer to make up their own mind which is preferred. It is almost guaranteed that most will buy a bottle.

How about running a wine apprentice competition?

Contestants would have to complete weekly tasks such as ‘design a label’ or ‘blend a wine’. Why not ask customers to guess the score of Six Nation matches for spot prizes, entry possible with every bottle purchased.

As the old adage goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained – and you can be sure supermarkets will be venturing in all sorts of directions come January. Without doubt, you must too.

28 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

PUB GROUP

John Brady

Pub Group The John Brady Pub Group consists of well-known establishments in South Dublin that have become highly respected pubs in their communities thanks to a reputation for quality fare, comfortable surroundings and, of course, friendly service. Nigel Tynan meets the man behind these successful outlets, JOHN BRADY, an unassuming publican with an eye for well-placed pubs and a reputation in the trade as being an astute businessman. n It’s pre-Christmas, white outside with snow, and Bakers Corner at Kill O’ The Grange, South Dublin, where this meeting is taking place, is one of the most Christmassy destinations in town. It is here that John Brady sits this morning, going over his appointments and reviewing his busy events calendar for each of his pubs over the Christmas period, amid a flurry of staff activity as preparations begin for what he says will be ‘another busy day’.

‘It’s a good time to be a publican,’ he confides, ‘but then again, for me the pub business has always been a good business. My view of the trade is rather straightforward, if you have a good sized pub in a good location, and by that I mean have chimney pots all around, then you will have a successful pub.’

This business philosophy, he explains, has always been a deciding factor in where he has chosen to purchase his pubs. ‘Dublin city centre is all very well, but where are the chimney pots? Where are the regulars?’

Indeed, you can’t help but think many city centre publicans are currently wondering the same thing.

‘Local trade, regular customers, these are vital to us [publicans] now. The ethos of the trade has always been look after your regulars from the cradle to the grave – that means offering people a true level of service, good products and a clean pub staffed by friendly staff – people who are career professionals in the industry.’

John splits his pub offering into three equally important criteria: drink, food and entertainment.

‘Customers are no longer interested in

‘

John Brady

going to a pub [drink], then a restaurant [food], then the theatre [entertainment], and then back to the pub. Society is too value focused, the publican’s approach must be to offer customers each of these three things, at the right price.

A successful future centres around becoming a one-stop social destination, once people enter your pub they shouldn’t want to, or need, to leave.’

It’s an approach that he says ‘can’t be perfected over night, but with a little trial and error you can get it right. Of course, it requires investment on the publican’s behalf, investment in good quality food, properly trained staff and quality live acts.’

John says he sees himself as a combination of businessman meets publican. He can work up to 15 hours a day, spending time in each of his premises, but he still enjoys pulling pints and having the craic with customers whenever possible.

‘I think to properly understand the pub business you have to spend time behind the counter, you must chat to your customers.’

Moving Forward

While sharing his time between his separate ventures is important, John points out that ‘you need great managers 8

The ethos of the trade has always been look after your regulars from the cradle to the grave – that means offering people a true level of service, good products and a clean pub staffed by friendly staff – people who are career professionals in the industry.

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 29

NEWSGROUP PUB to run successful pubs, now more than ever.’ He highlights Rory O’Flanagan, manager of Bakers Corner; Robbie Doyle, manger of Brady’s of Shankill; Bobbie McGee, manager of The Vevay Inn, and Tom McHugh, manager of The Igo Inn. ‘I work closely with each of them; we plan upcoming events together and chart consumer trends, what’s working for us, what’s not, where we need to improve.

‘Planning is crucial, we plan on a weekly basis and review how we’re performing.

In the pub trade right now you have to understand the importance of entertainment and events, we tune into everything, from rugby to GAA, from music gigs to the seasonal calendar.’

Each year John runs a summer and preChristmas festival at Brady’s of Shankill.

‘We started in 1998 with a summer festival to mark the start of the Tour de France at Shankhill and it has since grown each year. We’ve also added a Christmas event.’

Indeed, this year’s ‘Christmas Festival At Brady’s of Shankhill’ included a brass band, Santa Claus, an adult choir singing carols, a fire eater, stilt walker, face painting, complimentary food, mulled wine, retail stands and a Christmas raffle. The summer festival is of even greater size.

These are expensive events to host, but John points out that, ‘it comes back to you tenfold. It’s my way of showing our customers that we genuinely appreciate them and we want to give something back.’ 8

Above and left: Brady’s of Shankhill, Co Dublin

John Brady Pub Group • Brady’s of Shankill, Co Dublin • Bakers Corner, Kill O’ The Grange, Co Dublin • The Igo Inn, Ballybrack, Dublin 18 • The Vevay Inn, Bray, Co Wicklow

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30 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

Bakers Corner, Kill O’The Grange, Co Dublin

John Brady poses as Arthur Guinness, 2009

Bakers Corner, Kill O’The Grange, Co Dublin

Indeed, the John Brady Group is no strangers to industry accolades, both The Vevay Inn and Bakers Corner have been shortlisted finalists at the Licensing World Bar Awards and Brady’s of Shankhill was crowned the winner, in 2009, of the ‘Guinness Unplugged’ competition, which asked bars around the country to capture their Arthur’s Day celebration in a bid to win an exclusive Guinness night with a top music act.

John and his team at Brady’s pulled out all the stops, with staff dressing in period 17th Century costumes, while the bar itself was transported to the past with the addition of specially created décor and furniture – even the food on offer had an Arthur Guinness theme as customers were treated to a ‘pig on a spit’ feast.

To add theatre to the night, John arrived in full Arthur Guinness regalia on a horse and carriage to mark the occasion.

‘It was a great night,’ says John, and he compliments the ‘huge effort that was put in by all my staff, it was a talking point for customers for weeks afterwards.’

John points out that his pub group employs 170 people.

‘Very often the public fails to realise how important publicans are to local employment. For me it’s a great feeling to be able to run a business that can employ this many people – for me it’s what business is all about.’

Miller Genuine Draft is cold filtered. The result is a great tasting, refreshing and easy-drinking beer that is perfect for all occasions. And because of this, you can expect increased draught lager sales in your bar. By stocking Miller Genuine Draft you will be offering your customers a genuinely different draught lager experience.

For more details, or to order Miller Genuine Draft, contact Richmond Marketing on (01) 623 3222.

Growing Importance

Good food, at a reasonable price, is crucial to John’s operation. ‘We started food in Bakers Corner in 1987, at the time it was practically unheard of for a pub to serve hot food.

But it was the right decision and we’ve followed suit with all our pubs and have built a solid trade and reputation for quality food that stands to us. If we didn’t have that trade we wouldn’t have a reason to open during the day,’ he says.

When it comes to food however, John says that pricing is difficult: ‘You have to get it right and your customers have to feel they’ve received good value. That means two good steak dinners and a couple of pints for under e50.’

A major fan of offering good quality wine in pubs – served by the bottle – John says that ‘quarter bottles really have 8

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had their day. If you’re serious about food then you must be serious in your approach to wine. My advice is to form a good relationship with a wine supplier – by the bottle you can provide a better variety of wines and customers much prefer it.

It’s a no-brainer in my book.’

Off Licence Addition

With an adjoining off licence at both Bakers Corner and Brady’s of Shankill, John says he is ‘a fan’ of the off licence business. ‘It’s a good add-on business for publicans that delivers cashflow, but for it to work you need to have passing footfall.’

However John is not a fan of the Government’s attitude to off trade alcohol sales.

‘I’m an off licence operator as well, so I can say this. How alcohol is sold, off trade, in this country is not right. Large quantities of cheap alcohol are simply too readily available.’

John is highly critical of the Government’s ‘tolerance’ of Brady’s of Shankhill, Co Dublin

‘Best wishes to The John Brady Group’

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‘

PUB GROUP

John Brady Pub Group Timeline

‘

The public fails to realise how important publicans are to local employment, for me it’s a great feeling to be able to run a business that can employ this many people – for me it’s what business is all about.

1968: Originally from Knockfadda, near Roundwood

Village, Co Wicklow, John began his career in the pub trade in 1968 when he joined The Avoca Pub in Blackrock, Co Dublin.

From there he moved to Aston’s in Clonskeagh, where he worked for six years, including the final three years as manager.

The Igo Inn, Ballybrack, Dublin 18

1978: Exiting the trade for a period, John decided on a

change of direction and became a sales rep for Sláinte Mineral Water. Travelling the country, he says this period gave him ‘a real insight’ into the operation of pubs around the country.

1981: After deciding to return to the trade and that pub

ownership was the way forward, John teamed up with his brother, Tom Brady, who had already bought a pub in Roundwood Village, to buy The Igo Inn in Ballybrack in October 1981. Together John and Tom gave the premises a complete make-over and set about developing a strong local business.

1983: In September 1983, the brothers expanded with

the purchase of the nearby The Ramblers Rest in Ballybrack. Tom sold his Roundwood Village premises to concentrate fulltime on The Ramblers Rest..

1986: John and Tom expanded further with the below cost selling. ‘Legislature should be enacted to ensure a minimum price,’ he says. ‘Modern young people have lost the respect that previous generations had for alcohol – they see it as a cheap commodity – and that mindset leads to abuse. Ireland has always had a controlled on trade based drinking environment that kept alcohol out of the home.’

Looking Ahead

John Brady is confident that the future of his pubs, and of the trade, is strong in Ireland. He advises publicans not to look at the market, but to ‘get on with business as usual’.

Having been through a number of recessions, he points out that, ‘the value of pubs will return, every time there is a recession we think it’s the end. But it’s not, life goes on. Today we have far more options when it comes to engaging with our customers than ever before. Use Facebook, spend a little on your customers to thank them, organise special nights, we run everything from Brazil nights to Mexican, French and Italian, and we match beer, food and wine.

The business is still there, so get busy.’

And with that, John Brady needs to go. He has more pubs to visit, events to plan, customers to meet – busy indeed.

purchase of Bakers Corner in Kill O’The Grange, Co Dublin, for £750,000 – a record price for a pub at that time. The venue received a complete refurbishment, with the addition of a large function room upstairs that can cater to 150 guests..

1989: With John increasingly interested in building on the traditional pub business, Bakers Corner opened a restaurant upstairs, named ‘Wheelers’, and an adjoining off licence..

1993: Time for yet another addition, this time the Brady

brothers purchased a well-known premises in Shankhill, Old Shanganagh Hotel. The venue needed considerable work however and was completely knocked and rebuilt to include larger cellars, a reworked bar and lounge, an adjoining restaurant and an off licence – today it is known as Brady’s of Shankill.

1994: The Brady brothers decided to sell The Ramblers Rest and Tom took over the running of Brady’s of Shankhill.

1999: Tom Brady retired from the trade and John, now the sole owner of the group, bought The Vevay Inn, Bray, Co Wicklow, and completely renovated the building in favour of a new purpose built venue..

Continued success to

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LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 33

EVENT

Pub Food Main Attraction At

CATEX

n CATEX 2011, taking place from 8-10

February, is set to be a must attend business solutions event for publicans across Ireland next year.

This will be the first time that CATEX will be endorsed by the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) and the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) a move that reflects the heightened importance of catering, proper kitchen equipment and food knowledge in the modern on trade.

The organisers of CATEX have been working hand-in-hand with both the VFI and the LVA to develop pub orientated features and business initiatives and ensure the right collection of exhibitors, relevant to the on trade, are in attendance.

One key area of interest to all publicans, bar manager and kitchen staff will be the newly created Pub Kitchen.

Designed from the ground up, the Pub Kitchen, which is supported by Musgrave MarketPlace and Musgrave Foodservices, will offer publicans a think tank of on trade focused catering solutions, centring on key topics such as how to successfully introduce pub food, how to improve food service, menu creation, how to build your customer figures, how to control your food costs and grow profits, and what training initiatives are a must for staff.

‘Incorporating food has been identified as a key area for growth within the pub sector and at CATEX, the Pub Kitchen will help publicans demystify the process of introducing food. There’ll be three distinct solutions that will be applicable to bars of various sizes and requirements,’ states CATEX. Why is food important to publicans?

Cork publican, Dan Dennehy

from Bob’s Bar in Kanturk, Co Cork, comments: ‘In late 2008, we decided that something needed to be done to get people through the door mid-week.

Initially, incorporating food was quite intimidating but after working out how we could maximise the bar’s space and potential, I took the plunge.

‘We now employ five people in the kitchen and, through food, have widened our customer base vastly. We even cater for christenings, funerals and Christmas parties, which are excellent revenue streams. In addition, our kitchen makes quality meals for the local supermarkets, which generates further business for us.

‘For publicans considering food, my advice would be to do your homework.

At CATEX, there’ll be expertise and practical advice on legislation, fit outs, and equipment free of charge, so I would advise you to take up this opportunity.’

Richard Guilfoyle from The Playwright in Kilkenny agrees and says that publicans can learn from events such as CATEX. ‘With the downturn our daytime bar business simply disappeared overnight. So, I decided to introduce a simple soup and sandwich offering to test the water. That was two years ago

and we’ve never looked back.

‘We now use Merrychef Ovens and offer a wide variety of meals all day long. I have cross trained out staff to make sure they’re constantly utilised and they’re glad to be kept busy.

Due to our location, we’ve even been able to introduce ‘al fresco’ eating during the summer months. Even in winter, our lunch trade continues to be brisk. This, I believe, is due to our proposition – uncomplicated, quality food at value prices.

‘For publicans who don’t believe there’s any margin in the food business, I say get your offering right and it can result in excellent business. We’ve diversified and it can be done, even with just a little effort, as there’s suppliers and equipment out there to make it very simple.’

Supporting CATEX, Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI), says ‘we’re calling on our 4,500 members to grasp the opportunity to find solutions and business opportunities at CATEX 2011.

This year, CATEX has been working in tandem with us to ensure the show is specifically tailored to meet the needs of the licensed trade and the Pub Kitchen feature will simply demonstrate how this can be done.’

CATEX will also allow publicans to meet some of Ireland’s most recognised food companies, from Pallas Foods to Derrynaflan Foods and many more, and promises a wealth of quality products to choose from as well as demonstrations by some of Ireland’s top chefs. Co-sponsors of the show, Calor Gas, meanwhile, will be focusing on reducing cooking costs and lowering carbon emissions for the on trade.

‘CATEX has been working in tandem with us to ensure the show is specifically tailored to meet the needs of the licensed trade and the Pub Kitchen feature will distil the information to simply demonstrate how this can be done.’

Padraig Cribben, chief executive, VFI 34 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

:

EVENT

Mixing it Up 5 The finals of the National Cocktail Championships 2011 will take place at CATEX as 40 of Ireland’s most talented mixologists battle it out to win the title of Irish National Cocktail Champion, which comes with the opportunity to represent Ireland at the World Cocktail Competition in Warsaw.

Andy O’Hara, commercial director of Edward Dillon & Co, who are sponsoring the National Cocktail Championships, says, ‘we are delighted to be working with the Bartenders Association of Ireland (BAI). The awards are an excellent platform to showcase the rising talent and varied range of skills that being a modern professional bartender entails. Finding the freshest new bartending talents is one of the main priorities at the show.’

The competition is open to all members of the BAI and entry details are available at www.bartender.ie.

Pub Chef Competition

From its origins as a regional culinary competition, Chef Ireland has grown significantly and the 2011 competition has been recognised as a ‘continental’ competition by the World Association of Chefs Societies.

Reflecting the growing importance and quality of food in pubs, the Panel of Chefs has introduced the Gastro Pub category to the Chef Ireland.

Entry forms for the competition are available at www.catex.ie Krystal Nightclub, Dublin 2

Coffee Innovations 5 CATEX is all about discovering the latest assets that can help grow your business. The Kenco Coffee Company will be demonstrating how publicans can improve the quality of the coffee they serve and also their profit margin.

On display will be the Tassimo Professional coffee machine from Kenco, their latest machine that can deliver cappuccinos, lattes, coffees, teas and hot drinks for publicans and small businesses, catering for around 100-150 cups per week.

If you’re looking to pick up some top coffee making tips then CATEX is for you as the Irish Chapter of the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe will be hosting two events, the National Barista Championship and the Irish Cupping Championship, which will see 40 plus competitors in attendance, who will be required to produce four espressos, four cappuccinos and four signature drinks in only 15 minutes.

First prize in the Irish Cupping Championship is a trip to represent Ireland in Maastricht next June at the World Cupping Championships. Meanwhile the winner of the Irish Barista Championship will receive an all expenses paid trip to Colombia to compete at the World Barista Championships in June 2011.

Design & Fit-out 3 The dedicated Design and Fitout area will showcase the very latest in pub design, products and systems. Some of Ireland’s leading suppliers in design will be exhibiting, including Drummond Furniture who will be showcasing a wide range of products and solutions perfect for updating restaurants, bars and cafés.

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 35

Wine

Bordeaux 2008 Far From The Lost Vintage The 2008 Bordeaux vintage was supposed to be, well, pretty appalling to be honest. All the signs of disaster were in place, a dismal summer of too little sun and too much rain, signs of rot, pre-harvest media reports in France heralded a coming disaster of wine barely fit for a peasants table. This in turn led to an early snubbing by some of the planet’s biggest wine traders who were quick to whisper – and spread gossip – of a bad if not terrible vintage. It came as a spectacular surprise then when American lawyer turned wine sage, Robert Parker, announced that 2008 was, in fact, better than expected and dared to compare it to that year of legend, 2005. Last month, to further surprise, the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux announced that, in terms of investment opportunity, 2008 looks to be a better bet than 2009, largely due to the lack of takeup of its primeur release during the depths of the economic recession in 2009. NIGEL TYNAN reconsiders Bordeaux’s lost vintage. n Robert Parker shocked the wine industry in 2009 these words: ‘It did not take me long to realise that the 2008 vintage was dramatically better than I had expected. It had all the qualities that make an excellent and in some cases, a great vintage so special: exceptionally dark opaque colors, gorgeously ripe fruit, stunning purity almost across the board, great freshness (because it was a cool year), slightly higher acids than normal and remarkable density as well as concentration.’

And just like that, Parker had spoken and had left wine buyers in the New and Old World reeling in shock.

Bordeaux 2008 was back in demand.

But Parker had more to say, admonishing irresponsible bloggers for their failure to spot 2008’s potential.

‘When you look at all the facts (not the rumor-mongering from irresponsible bloggers), it seems clear that after the vinifications were done in late October and early November, something excellent had been produced. The wine producers all knew it, but Bordeaux is always the first to be accused of over-hyping their wines, and the global economic crisis had begun in earnest by November, 2008.’

So how did the quality of the 2008 vintage turn out to be excellent, with a number of superb wines that are close to, if not equal to the prodigious 2005 or 2000 vintages?

In typical Parker fashion, the reason could only be analytical.

36 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

2008, wrote Parker, ‘provided an historically long hang-time for the grapes. There is an old saying in wine-dom that a vigneron needs 100 days between the flowering and the

The long, historic hang-time, the cooler as well as drier than normal growing conditions during the critical months of June, July, August, and September, the perfect dry, warm July and late September and October, as well as very small yields, all resulted in a vintage of at least excellent quality.

harvest in order to produce wines with good ripeness and character.

In 2008, the flowering for the more precocious terroirs on the right bank occurred in late May, and finished in the Médoc in early June. The harvest did not occur until mid-October for most top estates, and many did not finish until the end of October. The shortest hang-time for any estate

was approximately 130-135 days, and the longest approached an unprecedented 150-160 days. That long hang-time has led to a steady, long maturation that has provided far more nuance and flavor intensity than anyone expected.’

Parkers second reason lay with the climate, which was cooler yet sunnier than normal. ‘By and large, the temperatures during the critical growing months of May through October were equal to those in 1996.

Also, the total hours of sunshine were much higher than in a normal year. Examining the weather more closely reveals that May was very wet, creating some issues with flowering, which reduced the crop size significantly for the right bank Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Damp, cool weather conditions in early June provided similar difficulties with the later flowering Cabernet Sauvignon in the Médoc. By the time the flowering was completed, it was obvious throughout Bordeaux that for all grape varietals, each vine had fewer bunches. It was clearly going to be a small crop. June, July, August, and September were slightly cooler than normal, which seemed potentially dangerous at the time because of the fear of rot if hot, humid weather occurred. As it turned out, an unexpected period of Indian summerlike weather (warm, but not hot, days and cool nights) gave the remaining grapes the opportunity to mature more evenly. Furthermore, the harvest was sunnier than normal.’

In Association with...

Truth be told, reports of a wet summer were vastly over emphasised and August in particular was not nearly as wet as was later reported. Parker states that overcast conditions created ‘a far more gloomy image of what was happening in the vineyards than actual realities.

The first 12 days of September were considered to be poor weather, but the actual amount of precipitation was less than one inch, a relatively insignificant amount.

‘These factors – the long, historic hang-time, the cooler as well as drier than normal growing conditions during the critical months of June, July, August,

and September, the perfect dry, warm July and late September and October, as well as very small yields, all resulted in a vintage of at least excellent quality.

In some cases, there are wines as profound as 2005. In short, the vintage is vastly superior to 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003 (with some exceptions in that unusual vintage), 2002, 2001, and 1999.’

Parker awarded his top scores to Lafite Rothschild (98-100), Ausone (96-100), Petrus (98-100) and Trotanoy (96-100). Also doing well are Pavie (9698+), Pontet-Canet (96-98+), Ducru Beaucaillou (96-98), Troplong Mondot (95-97) and Le Dome (95-97). He also

New Zealand Themes For Wine Fair 2011 The 2011 New Zealand annual trade tasting will take place on 17 January at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8.

Members of the trade are invited to taste a comprehensive range of New Zealand wines, including new vintages from 2010 and 2009. The tasting will run from 12 noon to 6pm. A consumer tasting will follow at 6.30-8.30pm.

Despite difficult economic conditions, exports to Ireland of New Zealand wines are currently rising with latest figures revealing a 14% increase in October – spurred on by Irish consumers’ continued love affair with New Zealand’s ‘signature’ grape variety, Sauvignon Blanc.

The 2010 vintage, which was smaller than 2009, is already being highlighted as producing wines of intensity and exceptional character.

The 2011 New Zealand

tasting event will feature producer and local distributor tables, and also the addition of three ‘themed’ self-pour tables showcasing new and interesting developments in New Zealand. These are ‘New Zealand Syrah – The one to watch’, ‘New Zealand Pinot Noir – Demonstrating real regional diversity’ and ‘New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – Taste the regional diversity within the subregions of Marlborough and other NZ regions’.

David Cox, European director for New Zealand Winegrowers comments, ‘Ireland is still seen as a vibrant market by our wineries and their presence at this trade and consumer tasting demonstrates their commitment to invest and continue to build a premium brand positioning here’. He added ‘the actions that we have taken to get the shortterm over-supply problem back into balance will result

in the premium image being resumed and we are confident that trade visitors from all sectors of the onand off-trade will find real “gems” that will help them satisfy the growing demand from consumers for a broader New Zealand range.’

Participating wineries for the 2011 annual tasting so far include: Akarua; Allan Scott Family Winemakers; Ata Rangi; Bibby Wines; Brancott Estate; Cloudy Bay; Craggy Range; Delta Wines; Elephant Hill; Framington Wines; Forrest Wines; Giesen Wines; Greywacke; Hunters Wines NZ; Lawson’s Dry Hills; Mount Beautiful (Teece Family Vineyards); Nautilius Estate; Oyster Bay; Omaka Springs Estate; Saint Clair Estate Wines; Seifried Estate; Spy Valley Wines; Te Kairanga Wines; Tinpot Hut; Tohu Wines; Villa Maria; Waipara Hills; Winegrowers of Ara; Wild Earth; Wither Hills and Yealands.

gave Montrose a very high 95-97.

So, where does that leave you, well if you’re thinking of dabbling a little in investment remember that Bordeaux makes up 90% of the wine investor market. As always, wine is a risky business, never invest in it if you can’t afford to loose. Bordeaux 2008 vintage is now looming on the horizon.

The wines have all been bottled are maturing before they will leave Bordeaux in 2011. It is only when those bottles start to be opened, en masse, that we will truly know the result, but I for one am looking forward to that day.

EU Delays Wine Label Decision Wine-makers selling in the European Union have been granted a delay in having to detail the presence of casein and ovalbumin in their wines.

Casein and ovalbumin are milk and eggbased fining agents which are used to remove impurities.

The European Commission has acquiesced to a request from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) that wine producers be exempt from highlighting the presence of the two manufacturing aids. The EU Council of Ministers ruled, however, that it would only suspend the labeling rules, while the European Food Safety Authority examines the issue.

EU law says their use should be noted on labels because of concerns that traces may cause allergic reactions. But, these fears have been challenged by the wine industry, with the OIV claiming that, when used properly, they are ‘not likely to trigger adverse reactions in milk or egg allergic individuals’.

The On Trade Specialists

25 The Mall, Beacon Court, Dublin 18 Ph: +353 1 2937977 Email: info@dalcassianwines.com

www.dalcassianwines.com

Enjoy Alcohol Sensibly.

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 37

FOOD FOCUS

In Season & Perfect Winter Pub Recipes

With little sign of extreme winter conditions abating any time soon, Georgina Campbell, provides three in-season winter recipes that are perfectly suited to ever bar menu.

Oysters on the Half Shell

Kilcolgan is synonymous with native oysters, and the famed ‘Galway Bay Oysters’, supplied by Kelly Galway Oysters (www.kellyoysters.com) go to leading hotels and restaurants in Ireland and abroad, including chefs such as Rick Stein, and you can also buy them online from October to April in smaller quantities – anything from 25 oysters – and at very good value too.

This is a classic and simple recipe for oysters, as served at Morans Oyster Cottage, Kilcolgan, Co Galway. (serves 2-4) 24 Galway oysters, in the shell 4 lemon wedges Method: Use a blunt-ended oyster knife to shuck the oysters: Insert the end of the knife between the shells near the hinge and work it until you cut through the muscle which holds the shells together.

Catch the oyster liquid in a bowl.

When the oysters are all shucked, discard the flat shells and divide the oysters, in the deep halves, between four plates lined with crushed ice and fresh seaweed.

Strain the reserved liquid back over the oysters and serve with the lemon wedges, freshly baked brown soda bread and butter – and, if you like, a glass of stout.

Muckross Venison Casserole

This wonderful wintry combination of gamey venison chunks from Muckross Park, with wedges of conference pears, is cooked in a rich red wine, thyme and juniper gravy. It is quick and easy to prepare and makes a hearty dish for these colder months; the German influence reflects the many families of German descent living in the Killarney area – hence the popularity of the renowned German Butcher at Fossa. (serves 4) 38 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

60ml/4 tbsp oil 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 900g/2lb venison, in chunks Seasoned flour 300ml /1/2 pint red wine 150ml /1/4 pint game or beef stock 10 juniper berries 3 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped 2 conference pears Salt, freshly ground black pepper Method: Heat 2 tablespoons/30ml of the oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic gently until soft but not browned.

Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a casserole. Dip the venison chunks in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the venison in batches to brown.

Transfer to the casserole, pour over the wine and stock and bring up to just below boiling point, when bubbles rise. (Do not boil). Add the juniper berries and thyme.

Simmer gently for 11/2 hours or until the venison is tender. Add the pears, peeled, cored and cut into wedges, and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with spatzle (German pasta) or ribbon pasta, or potato purée.

FOOD FOCUS

Campbell’s Coddle Said to be Dean Swift’s favourite meal, this traditional dish is every bit as comforting as it sounds. It combines two foods known since the earliest days of Irish literature – bacon and sausages – and, like all very simple dishes, success depends on the quality of the ingredients, so use the very best sausages you can find and good drycured bacon.

The traditional version is a simple stew; this modern variation (‘Campbell’s Coddle’) is made with the same ingredients but has a crispy topping. (serves 6-8) 450g /1lb good quality pork sausages 325g/12oz streaky rashers, preferably dry-cured 6 large potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced 2 medium onions, peeled and sliced 4-6 carrots (about 450g /1 lb), scraped and sliced 1/2 pint/300ml stock or water, or as required 4-6 tbsp freshly chopped parsley 1 rounded tablespoon mild wholegrain mustard (optional) Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper Method: Preheat a moderate oven, 350ºF, 180ºC, Gas Mark 4.

Lay the sausages in a single layer in a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Put them into the oven to brown a little and release some of their fat.

Put the thickly sliced potatoes into a saucepan, barely cover with cold water, bring up to the boil and par-boil for 5-10 minutes; drain well. (This stage can be omitted if time in the oven is not at a premium.) Trim any bits of bone or gristle out of the rashers, but don’t bother to remove rinds; set aside.

Remove the sausages from the oven, lift out with a slotted spoon and drain off all accumulated fat.

Arrange the sliced onions and carrots in the base of

the baking dish, scatter with chopped parsley and seasoning then add the stock or water. Arrange the sausages on top of the vegetables, then the potatoes, and scatter with more parsley and seasoning.

Finally, add the rashers, spread out to cover the layer of potatoes as neatly as possible.

Cook in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the rashers and potatoes crispy and brown.

Alternatively, cook at a lower temperature, adding extra liquid as required, for as much longer as is convenient. Serve with a green vegetable such as spring cabbage, lightly cooked in as little water as possible.

Pubs Top Good Food Winners 2010 Pubs featured highly among the winners of the fourth Good Food Ireland Awards, which took place earlier this month in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel.

Pub members of the Good Food Ireland organisation were honoured for their commitment to supporting Irish food and for being the ‘best of their types’.

Guest of honour for the evening was TD Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mary Hanafin, who presented over 16 awards to members along with founder of Good Food Ireland, Margaret Jeffares, and chairman, Redmond O’Donoghue.

The winner of the ‘Best Overall Member Award’ was The Old Convent, Clogheen, Co Tipperary, which is owned by Dermot and Christine Gannon. Managing director of Good Food Ireland, Margaret Jeffares, says the objective of the awards ‘is to promote the philosophy of Good Food Ireland members in offering a high quality food experience by being the “best of their type” and in their commitment to supporting Irish farmers, fishermen and food producers. The awards are based on consumer nominations over the last 12-month period and an independent judging panel of six quality assurance representatives.’

Below is a list of categories and winners: Best New Member Award: The Silver Restaurant, Newbridge Silver, Co Kildare Best Next Generation Award: McGrath’s Butchers of Lismore Co Waterford Best Use of Sustainable Fish: Caviston’s Seafood Restaurant & Food Emporium Best Producer Award: M & D Bakery, Waterford City Best Farmers Market Award: Mahon Point, Cork Host of the Year: Louise Clark of Nude Food, Dungarvan, Waterford Best Innovation and Enterprise Award: James Whelan Butchers, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Top Regional Member Shannon Region: Larkin’s Bar & Restaurant, Nenagh, Co Tipperary Top Regional Member East & Midlands: Fallon’s of Killcullen, Killcullen, Co Kildare Top Regional Member North: Brown’s Restaurant and Champagne Lounge, Waterside, Co Derry Top Regional Member West: Café Rua & Rua, Castlebar, Co Mayo Top Regional Member North West: The Oarsman, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co Leitrim Top Regional Member South East: The Old

Convent, Clogheen, Co Tipperary Top Regional Member South West: Gorman’s Clifftop House & Restaurant, Dingle Co. Kerry Top Regional Member Dublin: Chapter One, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

(l-r) Redmond O’Donoghue, chairman of Good Food Ireland, Mary Hanafin, TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, presenting the ‘Good Food Ireland Best Overall Member Award’ to Christine and Dermot Gannon, owners of The Old Convent, and Richard Broderick of sponsor Neff.

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 39

TRAINING

Fire Safety

Strategy

Now that we have reached the busiest time of the year and our attentions are firmly focused on our customer’s enjoyment we must also be careful to pay particular care and attention to their personal safety. Without doubt, fire is one of those terrifying treats to the safety of your customer and staff and an issue that demands our utmost attention and diligence at all times. The policy of all licensed premises with respect to fire safety is to prevent fires/emergency situations occurring and to evacuate all persons to a place of safety as quickly as possible in the event of a problem.

Fire Safety Strategy

n A fire safety strategy for licensed premises

Author and winner of numerous national and international industry awards, a former education chairman of the International Bartenders Association (IBA), James Murphy has managed in the bar and beverage industry for over 20 years. He holds a Masters Degree in Hospitality Management and currently lectures full-time in the Bar Management Department at the Dublin Institute of Technology, faculty of tourism and food, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin. For further information on fire safety you can contact James at email: james.p.murphy@dit.ie

is made up of three essential elements: Passive fire safety measures: These are physical features that are built-in to the structure of your building, these include escape routes and exits, fire resistance building materials, especially important in kitchens and easy access at all times around the building.

Active fire safety measures: Systems that activate automatically or are required to be activated in the event of fire. Measures include fire detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting and fire fighting equipment. Fire safety management within a building must include a full appraisal of the active and passive fire safety measures within the building. Any discovered deficiencies in fire safety measures should be noted and a programme of remedial works to upgrade the building to an acceptable standard should be put in place.

Management fire safety measures: Relating to the day-to-day management of fire safety in a building there is a legal responsibility on publicans and persons having control over premises to take reasonable measures to prevent the occurrence of a fire and to protect the lives and safety of occupants in the event of fire. Management and staff must be aware of their significant role with regard to prevention of fire and of the appropriate action to be taken in the event of fire. A fire safety programme must be established and understood by all staff members in order to correctly manage fire safety and meet legal obligations.

A staff member should be designated ‘fire safety manager’ with responsibility for drawing-up, implementing and overseeing a concise fire safety programme. The fire safety manager should be of adequate status within the organisation and should have authority to effectively discharge his/

40 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

her responsibility. It should be noted at the outset that the elements of the fire safety programme are based on the assumption that active and passive fire safety measures are present within the establishment. In the absence of adequate fire safety measures more stringent management fire safety measures will be required.

Emergency Planning

Fire may still occur in spite of good fire prevention procedures. Advance planning should be carried out to minimise the cost and disruption of a fire and proper insurance cover should be in place to reduce material loss.

When dealing with any potential claim, the ability to demonstrate proper damage control plans, implemented before, during and after the fire, will be of major assistance.

Before a fire

It makes good sense to have a damage control team in place, consisting of key personnel from different departments, tasked with examining the consequences of possible incidents and asked to formulate a planned response to any fire incident.

A response team should also be established to carry out damage limitation work during and immediately after a fire.

A list of outside agencies whose services could be required in the event of fire should be compiled, maintained and be readily available to all staff.

The building itself should be examined and modified where necessary to mitigate the effects of a fire. Assuming active and passive fire precaution measures have been put in place, issues such as ventilation and drainage should be considered. All vulnerable stock should be stored clear of the floor in racking or on pallets.

TRAINING

A staff member should be designated

‘fire safety

manager’ with responsibility for drawing-up,

implementing and overseeing a concise fire safety programme.

During a fire

Work to prevent extension of fire/ water damage should begin as early as possible. When the Fire Service are in attendance this work will be carried out at the discretion of the officer in charge.

Work will primarily be aimed at preventing consequential water damage. Machinery and stock should be covered with plastic sheeting as soon as possible and dams placed across doorways or at other areas will prevent water from flowing into unaffected areas. Drains that have become blocked with fire debris should be cleared.

After a fire

The level of work required after the fire will depend on the extent of damage and the following should be considered.

Temporary repairs to roofs and windows should be carried out to make the building weather tight.

Debris should be checked for any recoverable items and then cleared away. Water should be pumped from basements, pits and lift wells.

Machinery and equipment involved in a fire will deteriorate quickly even if they have not been directly wetted. Machinery should be cleaned, dried and coated with oil as early as possible. Contaminated electronic equipment should be inspected and cleaned as early as possible. Information is available on the cleaning of such equipment and some specialised firms may undertake this cleaning.

Regular Fire Safety Inspections

Regular inspections are required to ensure the continued functioning of the active and passive fire safety measures in a building and to detect dangerous practices. The following should be monitored by regular inspection and recorded in the Fire

and General Register Book (sample layout included).

Stairways and Exit Doors: Stairways and final exit doors must never be obstructed, and all exit doors must be capable of being opened easily and immediately from the inside while the building is occupied Fire Resisting Doors: Fire doors are provided in a building in order to contain smoke and fire gases. Fire doors must be kept closed when not in use.

Rubbish and Combustible Waste: Rubbish and combustible waste, including paper, cardboard, plastics and chemicals, should not be allowed to accumulate in any area. Where large quantities of combustible waste are produced it should be removed to an outdoor storage area or waste skip located away from the building.

Outdoor storage of combustible materials should be well clear of the building and other outdoor facilities, such as transformers, bulk flammable liquid tanks. The material should be stored in well defined stacks with clear isles between them. The stacks should be located so as not to obstruct access for fire fighting.

Where there is outdoor storage it is important to consider the security of the site against intruders.

Indoor storage of combustible materials should preferably be in designated storage areas. Storage should be arranged with clear isles between stacks at least one metre wide. Goods should be stacked clear of light fittings, heating pipes and appliances, and fire fighting equipment. Flammable liquids, gas cylinders, aerosols and materials liable to spontaneous combustion should be segregated from other storage. Detailed guidance is available on the storage of such materials.

Machinery and equipment should be checked regularly for signs of wear, damage or overheating. Faulty equipment should be removed from use until repaired.

Fire Safety Record Keeping

All pubs are required to keep a ‘Fire & General Register’, which should be kept up-to-date by the Building Manager/FSO. The Fire Register should be kept on the premises at all times and be available for inspection by a Local Authority Fire Officer. The fire safety manager who is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the overall fire safety programme should keep a ‘Fire Safety Register’ as a complete record of all fire safety matters on the premises. The following information should be recorded in the register: The name of the fire safety manager, and those nominated to deputise for him/her; the details of specific fire duties that have been assigned to staff; the details of instruction and training given to staff, and by whom; the date of each fire and evacuation drill and results of exercises held; the type, number and location of fire protection equipment in the premises, including water supplies, hydrants etc.; the date of each inspection of the building itself, its fittings and services and the actions taken to remedy any defects found; details of all fire incidents and false alarms that occur and the actions taken as a result.

The register will serve as a record and also as a checklist for the fire safety manager to ensure that checks and training which are required are being carried out on an ongoing basis. This book can be purchased from your official fire safety equipment suppliers.

Finally, all employees and management are obliged under the law to work safely and to cooperate fully to ensure that there are no dangers to themselves or others from their acts or omissions while carrying ou their duties and responsibilities in the licensed trade industry. They must also ensure to not misuse or allow any abuse of any fire equipment appliances or means of escape from licensed premises.

LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 41

ANY GIVEN DAY

It’s been 10 years this month since the Guinness Storehouse first opened its doors and since then over eight million people have visited what has become Ireland’s number one paying tourist attraction. Indeed, despite the recession visitor numbers have been steady and this year there was a 25% increase in Irish people visiting. Managing director of the Guinness Storehouse, Paul Carty, considers the venues success and what the future holds for this vital component of Irish tourism and Diageo’s global presence.

Celebrating 10 Successful Years

PAULCARTY

Managing director of Guinness Storehouse

n So then, it’s 10 years this month? Yes, Guinness Storehouse officially opened on 2nd December 2000. Former President Bill Clinton was among our first visitors and this began an exciting journey for the home of Guinness. n And how many visitors have experienced the Storehouse to date? Among the 8.3 million people to visit Guinness Storehouse over the past decade are some of the most recognisable celebrities in the world of show business such as Chris Rock, Will Ferrell, Susan Sarandon, Dermot O’Leary, Adam Sandler, Pink, Paul Rudd and Sean Penn.

In 2008, we welcomed one million visitors for the first time in a calendar year and we were delighted to achieve this once again in 2009. We have also been lucky enough to welcome a number of famous faces but really they just want to experience Guinness Storehouse just like everybody else. n Where do these people come from? Although the greatest numbers have come from the UK and USA, we have welcomed visitors from over 25 countries and over the past year we have been excited to see a large increase in the number of Irish visitors. Italian visitors represent our greatest number from continental Europe. n Did Guinness ever believe the Storehouse would enjoy such phenomenal success?

We had a target of 1 million visitors per annum in our original business plan but we felt that this would be a stretching number.

We are now at this for the past 3 years and in fact if we did not have this global downturn we would be on a trajectory of 1.2 million. n What attracts visitors to the Storehouse? Guinness is sold in over 150 countries and has become an iconic brand for consumers across the world. In their eyes, Guinness is already so much more than just a beer. Guinness Storehouse gives them the chance to understand why the brand is so magical – enabling them to drill down beneath the pint they drink and understand the ingredients, the way it is brewed, the history and how the company has become such an interwoven part of Ireland and Irish culture; and of course the advertising. Since Guinness Storehouse stretches across seven different floors, there is so much to see for all visitors. Certainly the highlight for many of our visitors is Gravity Bar, which offers spectacular panoramic views over Dublin and the highest point in Dublin to relax and let 250 years of Guinness heritage settle into their heart and soul.

42 LICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010

n How visitor focused are you? We undertake visitor research throughout the year. We try to get an understanding of ways in which we can improve the experience, and then continue to reinvest in both the practical aspects – such as lifts and access points – as well as the experiences themselves. Next year will see a e2 million investment in our Guinness food offering with improved catering facilities and, with our show kitchen, the ability for our diners to see the magic ingredient, Guinness, being added to some of Ireland’s best loved dishes. n What moments stand out for you in 10 years? Three moments stand out for me personally: Winning the global TEA (Themed Entertainment Award) in 2001 and having it presented in Los Angeles at an ‘Oscars’ style event, we were all very proud of what we had created at Guinness Storehouse. Then there was St Patrick’s Day 2007, which was just incredible, we welcomed 7000 visitors and the Storehouse was bursting with entertainment, including marching bands from around the world and TV and radio stations from different countries broadcasting simultaneously. Of course Arthur’s Day 2009 was also very special. Being the epicentre of such a global event helped show the home of Guinness to new international audiences. n The Storehouse of today is a very different creation though, right? It is much more entertaining as a result of visitor feedback. Our visitors, from all countries, love to ask our staff questions and be tutored by an expert in pouring the perfect pint of Guinness. The history and heritage of the building, the brand and the company are also more accessible now, such as the interactive genealogy pods that enable visitors to see records dating back to the 1880s and find their ancestors who worked at the Guinness brewery. n And the Storehouse of tomorrow? We will be even more engaging, our plans include increased interaction with our staff so that our visitors can pick up those fascinating nuggets of information that they can recount in dinner conversations when they get home. We are also working closely with our Guinness colleagues around the world as they take the brand to new markets and new customers – all to ensure that they tell the story of the home of Guinness where this remarkable 250 year story started and where the legend still lives.

Licensing World Trade Directory & Buyers Guide 2011 Licensing World, est. 1942, is the No. 1 Trade Magazine in the hospitality industry and an invaluable source of information for all involved in the licensed trade. With over 3,000 monthly subscribers the magazine is distributed to key operators nationwide and is an effective and focused platform for marketing your products and services to the owners and managers of pubs, clubs and off licenses in Ireland.

We are now taking bookings for our Annual Trade Directory 2011 This is the bible – our Trade Directory Issue.

It’s an invaluable source of information for all involved in the licensed trade and consequentially it is used as a reference guide over the course of the year, giving it a 12 month shelf life.

To feature your company’s products & services in our

2011 Trade Directory contact John Corcoran directly on 01 7642713 or j.corcoran@jemma.ie

NOW THE…

NO.1 LAGER BOTTLE IN THE ON TRADE*

*SOURCE: AC NIELSEN YTD MAY 2010

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