Venue Insight Magazine - July/August 2016

VENUE

INSIGHT

A P L AT F O R M F O R T H E H O S P I TA L I T Y I N D U S T RY JULY/AUGUST 2016

Expert Insights

NEWS FROM THE ALMR

Formula-based selfassessment will be critical to delivering business rates reform

Many of the conversations I had with ALMR members in the run-up to the referendum revolved around the sense of uncertainty they were feeling. With a general lack of concrete information, retailers were concerned about instability in the event of a vote to leave the European Union.

Now the vote is over and done with, that sense of uncertainty has not disappeared. If anything, we find ourselves even more in the dark than we were a couple of weeks ago. The resignation of the Prime Minister and leadership turmoil in the labour Party do not

lend themselves to short-term economic stability. There are still numerous questions to be answered over the coming weeks and months, but retailers should certainly not panic. We are still looking at a two year period in which to negotiate the details of the withdrawal. Rest assured the ALMR will be in constant dialogue with the Government to push for reform and a reduction in burdens as well as continued access to valuable staff members from across the EU to enable to us to continue being a fantastic employer.

The temptation may be to react with alarm, but hospitality businesses are still in a good position. Our late-night venues are recognised as some of the world’s most pioneering and exciting while the UK’s pubs are arguably one of our most

Kate Nicholls ALMR Chief Executive

famous assets in terms of visitor appeal.

Of course there is a degree of uncertainty but we have heard positive things from the Chancellor and the Bank of England indicating that they are keen to support UK businesses and back its economy. With uncertainty surrounding how the UK moves forward, there may be an opportunity for us to carve out a better deal relating to property and wage costs and to provide an otherwise inaccessible level of support for the sector.

These are uncertain times but we must move forward together with a united front to ensure stability and confidence to protect our businesses and safeguard investment and growth.

The ALMR has applauded the Government’s proposals to bring forward more frequent three yearly evaluations to promote a more responsive, accurate and transparent system. The ALMR has also supported the introduction of self-assessment and continued its push for root and branch reform for business rates in its submission to the Government’s consultation on rates revaluations.

The ALMR has consistently lobbied for meaningful reform of business rates and has pushed for three yearly revaluations and a move towards self-assessment.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The Government’s proposals for self-assessment and a formulabased approach should provide hospitality businesses with some degree of clarity and a chance to make a saving. These are, along with wider root and branch reform, proposals that the ALMR has been pushing for solidly for a number of years.

There is a chance that amendments may be needed to the way in which property is valued, as well as its frequency, and the ALMR’s submission has put forward proposals to deliver this.

“A more streamlined system can ensure that valuations are set correctly in the first instance, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming appeals and freeing up cash for retailers.

The shift to a three year cycle, allowing for more frequent revaluations, will also reduce time between valuation and billing.”

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Contents Hello

and welcome to the July/August issue of Venue Insight Magazine, the must have publication for the UK hospitality industry.

This issue briefly looks at one of the global hot topics. Yes you guessed it; Brexit.

We hear how it will affect the trade from our friends at the ALMR and welcome the opinions of some hospitality and events industry experts via Losberger.

Editor David Sullivan editor@venue-insight.com 01634 568927

We had an awesome time at Imbibe Live in early July. It was great to see so many people in the industry with passion, drive and a genuine love for the sector we are all a part of.

Publication Manager Dan Scudder dan@venue-insight.com 01634 568928

The ever popular RTD brand VK runs us through the launch of their ‘DOÜVK’ campaign which is a new way to define audience, VK is focusing on targeting a particular mindset…Anyone who loves living life with minimal responsibilities. People who seek experiences that embody their sense of freedom, experiences they can celebrate and share in the digital world.

Account manager Jon McIntosh jon@venue-insight.com 01634 568928

Clever marketing and cutting edge social media is key to staying current in a cluttered marketplace. We talk to Vicky Boulton of Fuel Marketing, Helen Lowe of Europa International and the guys at Think PR who provide some invaluable tips and advice on such matters.

Design Karl Speller design@venue-insight.com 01634 568927

Oscar Dodd and the team at Bimber Distillery tell us what makes them so special.

Based on their recent successes no-one would argue.

Enjoy the read!

David Sullivan - Editor

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publisher Robert Robinson Crystal Design & Media Ltd 01634 568925

Features

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6. Losberger

How BREXIT could affect the events industry?

12. VK reveals ‘DOÜVK’ campaign 14. Q&A with Europa International

Marketing Manager -Helen Lowe

18. Drink Better. Drink Bimber.

22. Business Matters - Giambrone 24. Social Media: Q&A sessions 37. Gin & Cider Feature

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44. Visit Guidford

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46. BFI - London 48. Shape Shifting Venues

Crystal Design & Media Ltd and the publication Venue Insight Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material or the accuracy of information received.

All material will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication under copyright and within the editors rights to edit and offer comment.

All editorial contributions are to be sent to: editor@venue-insight.com

Friends of Venue Insight:

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How Brexit Could Affect The Events Industry?

Losberger - the global design specialists for temporary and semi-permanent structures discuss the ‘Brexit’ with Venue Insight Magazine.

On the 23rd June, citizens of the UK had the opportunity to vote whether to stay within the European Union, or to leave.

It was a hugely close vote, with 51.9% voting to leave the EU. With months of build up before the final vote and result, politicians and online resources have stated how leaving the European Union could be costly for our economy, education system and overall well-being of our society.

Others have claimed that leaving the EU will be better in the long run for the UK, allowing us to call the shots, by making our own rules and decisions.

Here at Losberger, we’ve spent many years providing modular buildings and event tents for the industry, and although we have our own views on the referendum result, we wanted to find out more about what other events professionals have to say.

Will leaving the EU be beneficial or detrimental for the events industry?

Let’s see what the experts had to say...

Jordan Schwartz - Pathable “In the short run, there will be some benefits for the UK events industry as a result of the Brexit vote: the weak pound makes planning an international event in the UK more affordable for those travelling in. Longer-term, of course, the projected recession both in the UK and potentially spreading outward will hurt events, as corporations and travellers will have to more careful about their spending. But more importantly, the Brexit vote marks a move to isolationism and insularity.

This is fundamentally at odds with the spirit of the event industry, which has, at its core, a desire to create relationships and build bonds, not to break them.”

Claire Gapper - Brand Brewery “With a new political landscape ahead of us there is still a tremendous amount of questions unanswered. For a business, especially in our industry, the ability to know the risks is key, therefore we are sailing unchartered waters currently without a captain.

Brexit will have an impact on how our clients and we work - whether in a good or bad way, only time can tell. For the immediate future we have to lead by example for our staff and clients - showing strength and a level head to deal with whatever happens over the coming days, months and years.”

Adam Parry - Event Industry News

William Thomson - Gallus Events

“Personally I would have preferred to stay IN, better the devil you know. However that being said I’m am positive about the opportunities that being independent could offer the events industry.

“I had some instant feedback only a few hours after the decision One of my clients was considering running an event in London however after the result, they have decided to run the event in Barcelona. This is the first tangible impact of the decision that I can report. I of course can not speak for the industry as a whole but this clearly demonstrates that the decision will impact our sector as it will every other.

Looking to the midterm I can see a Government removing many of the regulations that support low paid workers in the UK. Our industry is run by hundreds of thousands of low paid workers and I can see their position worsening.”

One thing is for certain, over the next couple of years during the transition there will be an impact, highs and lows. My initial thoughts are that the first two things to be impacted will be travel costs and staffing costs for events.”

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Adam Parry

jordan schwartz

claire gapper

william kevin liz thomson van der straeten brookes

kirk thomas

Adrian segar

Michael Doane

Michael Heipel

Kevin Van der Straeten - EventPlannerTV

Adrian Segar - Conferences that Work

“I’m not really happy to see the UK leave, but I have a deep respect for democracy and the decision to choose for the exit scenario. I had the opportunity to speak with a few corporate planners on the continent over the last few days. Most of them agreed on the fact that the Brexit will influence there spend on the UK event market.

We are still in a very early stage, but it’s my opinion that the Brexit will lead to losses for the UK event industry. If they are as big as the first emotional reactions are, I doubt. But there will be. Especially London based venues should be aware of this and might benefit from campaigns targeted at the continent.”

“As an ex-Brit, I’m sad that Britain has decided to not to stay in the EU. A small example of the ramifications: I am planning an event in England that’s organized by colleagues in the Netherlands.

Liz Brookes - Grapevine Event Management

Michael Doane - Cadmium CD

“It is important that the industry does not take a back seat to wait and see what will transpire over the next two years, as our ‘divorce’ from the EU is finalised. Rather, we need to remind ourselves of what we do so well and focus on communicating all that makes the UK event industry the envy of the world.

“I don’t know and no one can know. Until now, most countries have been moving away from nationalism and toward globalization. This is an unprecedented move.

With the focus very much on the UK right now, this is an opportunity to strengthen our relationships with national and international partners, showcase the great and the good of the UK events industry and drive home the message the Britain is very much open for business.”

The disruption created by Brexit will, I believe, make our work significantly more difficult. Everyone in the events industry is aware of the complexity of organizing international events, and Brexit will only increase the challenges.”

What I do know is that the vote has been cast and Britain has decided to claim independence from the EU. What lies ahead is uncertain but I’m in the camp that thinks if we take my grandmother’s advice, we’ll be just fine.

Things will work out. They always do.”

Kirk Thomas - Event Huddle

Michael Heipel - Click Consult

“The people have spoken and the United Kingdom will leave the political union that is the EU, a momentous occasion in our history for sure.

“The EU was forged by emotional people that wanted to overcome this. You can say Europe was built on emotion.

As an event planner, you feel part of an international community.

We event profs have a lot in common, no matter if you’re from Asia, UK, Germany, Spain, USA. We think alike. Seeing Europe drift apart makes my heart bleed.

Already we are hearing the industry rally behind a flag of unity and creative excellence, calling on better training, wages and working conditions for our youth & workers; to not rely on EU expats for cheap labour (putting profits above people).

We now need to ensure that Britain & indeed its events industry outside the EU uses its freedom to welcome people to work, study and do business here from around the World.”

The process of European unification and the resulting peace in Europe is one of the biggest achievements of our time.

The freedom to work wherever you like, freedom to travel without restrictions fuels the entire economy, but in particular the MICE sector.”

www.losberger.co.ukjuly/august 2016

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Public House News

Brits buy over 100 million water bottles per week A brand new YouGov study commissioned by GROHE has found that half of Britain’s adult population buys bottled water on a weekly basis - totting up a pile of over 100 million water bottles per week!* A YouGov study commissioned by GROHE has revealed that 50% of adults in Britain are buying bottled water on a weekly basis – revealing a bourgeoning need for eco-friendly alternatives.

Aside from the cost to our pockets, there is a huge cost to the planet, on land and in the sea and air. A study by the University of Georgia has calculated that around 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans per year.

This this has since shown up in the stomachs of whales, fish and other marine life.

According to a report by the Ellen McArthur Foundation, there will be more plastic waste in the sea than fish by 2050. On land, effects include disruption to food chains and eco systems, and in air, the release of hazardous chemicals which can cause respiratory problems.

According to the YouGov survey, the number of bottles of water bought in an average week varies, with the most ‘eco-conscious’ limiting themselves to one to two (25%), while nearly one in ten of us buy at least one bottle every day** (9%). A staggering 6% of Brits are buying 10 or more bottles per week, equating to overall 100 million bottles per week overall!*

Message to the new PM Commenting on the news that Theresa May has been elected leader of the Conservative Party as Prime Minister, ALMR CEO Kate Nicholls said:

“With Theresa May now confirmed as the next UK Prime Minister, the Government must act decisively to secure our long-term economic stability, business and consumer confidence. The reaction of the markets today shows how valuable certainty and stability is for investors and the same is true for business, particularly in hospitality which is a key engine of

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Bottled water consumption also remains high in restaurants, with more than one in five visitors choosing to pay for bottled water over choosing tap (21%), according to the survey.

So, why does the nation opt to buy bottled water instead of drinking from the tap? Are we not yet clued up to the environmental effects?

A separate study by YouGov commissioned by the Consumer Council for Water, found the top reasons– when asked to select their top three – why those who opt to drink still bottled water at home in England and Wales over tap, included a dislike of the smell and taste of the tap water (43%), followed by fear of what other substances the water contains (30%).

Amongst those who usually drink tap water at home, but not necessarily in other places, the top answer when asked to select their top three, was a lack of easy access (28%) followed again by fears about the safety of the water (19%).***

Above: Plastic water bottle waste (Image copyright Alterfalter/Shutterstock.com)

Sustainability starts at home For those who regularly buy bottled water or are worried about substances in tap water, investing in a GROHE Blue filtered water tap provides a solution both economically and environmentally. The tap has been designed to provide still, sparkling and semi-sparkling filtered delicious-tasting water on demand.

The GROHE Blue removes all impurities, including lead, from the water through a filtration system and adds magnesium for even greater health benefits. Designed to fit in discreetly with your kitchen, the Blue’s filter tank sits out of sight in your kitchen cupboard.

Investing in a filtered tap like the GROHE Blue will not only give you great tasting water, but it is also a positive step in the right direction to reducing plastic consumption.

ALMR CEO Kate Nicholls

economic growth and employment.

We now need a clear road map to lock in competitiveness and allow companies to reliably plan ahead for the future – particularly around recruitment.

The new Prime Minister will set the tone for the UK’s approach to the EU negotiations and we are pleased that she has sent a clear signal that nothing will be rushed and no steps will be taken until we know what is needed from them.

She must ensure that the needs of sectors like hospitality and small businesses are taken into account

– simple access to the single market, the ability to hire the right people and driving down the costs and burdens of regulation.

Above all else, we call on Theresa May as one of her first acts as the new Prime Minister, to guarantee non-UK EU nationals, many thousands of whom work in our pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants, to be granted the right to remain in the UK both before, during and after the negotiations. We need a clear Brexit employment strategy.”

Brakspear celebrates summer in Henley Henley brewer and pub operator Brakspear is celebrating summertime in the town with the return of two popular initiatives inspired by its riverside location: the Brakspear boater hat and the annual Club to Pub Swim.

The Brakspear boater is a gift with purchase of six pints of seasonal ale Hooray Henley, which is being launched just in time for the famous Henley Royal Regatta. The smart straw boater has previously become the summer headwear of choice for Henley residents, and Brakspear expects many of them to be sporting this year’s model while enjoying a refreshing pint or two in a pub garden.

The Club to Pub Swim returns for a third year on 23 July with an anticipated field of 700 swimmers - a leap up from the 300 who participated last year, reflecting the event’s growing popularity.

Competitors who complete the 1.5k course up and then down the Thames will be rewarded with an after-party at the finishing point, the Angel on the Bridge, and a bottle of Two Bells, the beer brewed at Brakspear’s Bell Street Brewery in Henley to commemorate the event.

“Both the boater hat and the Club to Pub Swim have become fixtures of summertime in Henley in just a few years. A refreshing beer, a river swim on a balmy July evening and a boater hat are all symbols of what our charming Thamesside town has to offer.

With our centuries-old heritage in Henley, we’re delighted to be helping residents, visitors and of course our licensees, to take pleasure in these aspects of the town.

for a bit more sunshine during July, Henley folk have proved themselves to be resilient to all weathers, so we don’t expect a bit of rain to deter them from enjoying a swim or a pint of Hooray Henley.”

Tom Davies, Brakspear Chief Executive.

Below: Swimmers near the Angel on the Bridge, finishing point for the Henley Club to Pub Swim.

While we’re of course hoping

july/august 2016

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Imbibe Live Review

Imbibe Live 2016 roundup - by GAËLLE LAFOREST, imbibe

After two days full to the brim with tastings and talks, Imbibe Live 2016 is already over – and what a good one it was. Here are some more of our highlights from the show.

Imbibe Live’s Beer & Cider Hub was busy throughout the two days, with the National Association of Cider Makers’ Gabe Cook relating the fast-moving recent history of cider, before diving into a pair of Sheppy’s single variety ciders. ‘Some might find this one a bit challenging, but I guarantee I’ll find a cider for everyone by the end.’

World-renowned cider maker Tom Oliver continued the apples and pears theme, sharing some of his own award-winning ciders, including one of our favourites, his At the Hop, the UK’s first hopped cider. In deciding what ciders to stock, offer something different, he said. ‘Find a niche.’

Meanwhile founder of Pivovar and such beer hotspots as the Euston Tap and Sheffield Tap Jamie Hawksworth took time out from the Czech Beer Garden to show how the Czech Republic offered so much more than simply pilsner. ‘If there was the Velvet Revolution 25 years ago, it’s now the brewing revolution,’ he said. Jug upon jug of fresh beer arrived, illustrating the flavour and complexity emerging as brewers marry modern techniques with centuries of traditional experience.

Cider also took to the stage of The Cocktail Lounge in the form of the final of Aspall’s Shrub it Up competition, which saw White Lyan’s Zoë van der Grinten win a pair of tickets to New York for her Queen Anne’s Lassi, made with a carrot and curry leaf shrub and topped with Aspall Premier Cru. Earlier that day, elBarri’s Marc Álvarez gave the audience a whistle stop

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tour of the drinks menus at the group’s eight venues, laying out the foundations of his cocktail creation. Each drink follows the three Fs – flavour, ‘fancy’ and fast – in search of gastronomic links, extra value for the customer, and rapid service. Drinks he presented included the Pastor Margarita, with flavours of meaty richness, salsa verde and pineapple, presented in a fibreglass taco vessel.

Centre Stage was host to many of the show’s biggest competitions, which consistently drew crowds. On day one, West Berkshire Brewery’s Wheaty McWheatface won the Imbibe Live Wheat Beer Challenge, before Craig Harper won the Very Important Personality cocktail competition – despite having been brought on board at the very last minute to replace Lyndon Higginson. Finally, day one ended with the Bartenders v Sommeliers trophy falling back into the hands of cocktail shakers, after two years of somm wins.

On day two, Imbibe Live’s £5,000 challenge returned, with sommeliers putting their knowledge to the test in front of their peers. Hakkasan’s Olivier Gasselin was the sharpest of them all, winning himself cash money as well as a Coravin device, and a decanter, carafe and glasses from Nude.

To close the show, Birmingham put its bar scene firmly on the UK map by winning our Shakes & The City competition, thanks to a Martinez twist.

GAËLLE LAFOREST - Author Gaëlle joined the Imbibe team in 2014 on the day before Imbibe Live, which taught her she could survive pretty much anything. She grew up surrounded by wine in her native French lands, but has grown quite partial to beer, peated whisky and all things agave since crossing the Channel.

She also loves food which her tweets make quite obvious.

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Drink Feature

VK REVEALS ‘DOÜVK’ CAMPAIGN All comments are provided by Christian Sarginson, Senior Brand Manager at Global Brands

2016 has been an incredible year for VK as it currently sits at the top spot for best-performing traditional RTD in night clubs, growing +5.1%*, cementing its place as the number one choice for students**.

In a new way to define audience, VK is focusing on targeting a particular mindset… Anyone who loves living life with minimal responsibilities. People who seek experiences that embody their sense of freedom, experiences they can celebrate and share in the digital world.

In September 2016, VK will reveal a new identity and digital campaign in the Freshers period. The new visual identity represents excitement, inclusivity, freedom, togetherness, fun and resonates well with both current and potential consumers.

As part of the new identity, VK will be introducing digitally focused campaign, DOÜVK, to launch in key customer student nights in September at over 30 universities with UV themed events. As the No.1 student RTD**, VK’s goal is to provide every student with incredible memories by delivering the ultimate UV(K) experience. These are the must-attend events of the social calendar, with features like UV paint powder,

40ft giant inflatables, LED foam sticks, VK’s famous bucket serves and much more.

Throughout the campaign, VK will interact with its audience via their preferred social platform. Whether it’s a high energy video from an NUS UV event or a competition to win merchandise, VK knows it is important to keep in tune with consumers.

“As a company, Global Brands understands that the fear of missing out is a bigger issue than ever before with millennials.

Constant, consistent innovation is imperative for brands in the new age as they each fight for space across social channels.”

The new packaging has been created to stand out on shelf and the design takes inspiration from LED lights of a nightclub.

The fresh concept lends itself perfectly to VK’s new style of activation, in which the RTD provides an unrivalled party experience.

The refreshed 10 bottle mixed pack has a different flavour split to reflect consumer demand, with 2 Blue, Tropical Fruits, Orange and Passion Fruit and Black Cherry alongside 1 Apple and 1 Strawberry and Lime.

Sources:

P02 *(CGA MAT

e share %) 2016 volum

Over the next year, VK has a packed events and social calendar. In May 2017, VK turns the big 2-0! After launching with just VK Blue in 1997, the popular RTD has come on leaps and bounds. From May 2017, there will be several events to start the summer and celebrate this huge birthday in style!

Throughout the rest of the summer, VK will continue to support one of its biggest audiences, LGBT. By sponsoring, supporting and providing great experiences at Pride events across the country.

Alongside that, VK will again provide the best Freshers events at over 30 universities across the UK, with huge activation for students to get stuck into.

“With such a variety of consumer types, we understand that each VK lover is unique. Our aim is to personalise and tailor our brand support to provide the best experience for each individual.

Whether that be throwing huge NUS parties, sponsoring LGBT events, taking our bus to every city in the UK for a street party…

We want to show we can be the brand for everyone.”

acker 2015) ent Drink Tr **(NUS Stud

re, 2015) ~(Iconosqua

Marketing Feature

Q&A with the genius mind of Helen Lowe, Events & Marketing Manager at Europa International...

Having joined the industry more than a quarter of a century ago it’s fair to say that Helen – who now oversees the events and marketing activity at the quirky, fun furniture hire company that is Europa International – knows a thing or two about ‘what’s what’.

Believing wholeheartedly that marketing is the catalyst to driving awareness of a brand, she takes her role in ensuring that her business is visibly different to its competitors very seriously – often reinventing the wheel in a bid to shake off any signs of repetition or complacency.

And with Europa International now more than 55-years-old, constantly finding something different to do is no mean feat!

However, by drawing on her extensive knowledge of the industry and past clientside experience this is something Helen does with panache; building awareness of the business through online and print marketing, event attendance and business development.

Her first task having joined the company more than a decade ago was to deliver a total rebrand; establishing Europa International – which operates across the UK and Europe - as the family-run, warm and friendly business everyone knows and loves today.

Helen’s enthusiasm to explore innovative marketing methods, and for creating a more engaging customer experience, is undeniable; and she remains committed to sharing her unique take on how to successfully build a strong independent brand in a highly competitive environment with anyone interested to hear more.

Is there much poetic license when marketing your events or do you stick to a formulated business strategy?...

Has taking a creative gamble ever proved risky business?...

As a business we care about three things, and three things only: delivering outstanding customer service, providing access to great products, and making sure everyone we work with ends each day with a smile on their face.

It’s a pretty simple strategy, so we don’t see the need to be all dictatorial and formulaic.

We far prefer it when the individuals within the team let their own personalities shine through.

I suppose with that in mind it’s probably pretty easy to understand why taking the odd creative gamble has never proved risky for us. It’s a fundamental part of who we are, and although we pride ourselves on being professional and reliable we wouldn’t be us if we didn’t have fun along the way.

One marketing tool we’ve found particularly successful over recent years is our calendar which we produce every couple of years.

Most people at this point are probably thinking ‘BORING’; but true to Europa form it’s a bit, well, wacky.

The most recent one that we published was circus themed – think tightropes, clowns, fireeaters and, umm,straightjackets.

Who knew the team had such a diverse set of skills?

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For anything like this the best possible feedback is that the audience wants more, and we’re regularly asked by contacts and clients alike why we don’t do one every year instead of every 24months.

(The answer, for the record, is nerves!).

TALK TO

THE EXPERTS

Is there much of a balance between marketing strategy and PR?...

This is one of those hot topics isn’t it?

For marketeers the murky world of PR is just that… murky. For PR experts the diversity of a marketeers role is a bit vast and hard to define.

In my experience though, if both divisions work together the results can be pretty epic.

I suppose I’ve always considered it my role to pull together the ‘big picture’ strategy which considers all potential avenues – from our website, to direct mail, to advertising, to event attendance, to social media, to stakeholder mapping, to networking.

My PR helpers are then given the mandate to help deliver the right messages to the right people at the right time – making sure our communication is consistent across all channels, and that we always have that little bit of Europa shining through.

It’s not one or the other, in my opinion.

Both are dependent on the other to deliver the very best outcome for the business.

What drives you and what inspires your decision-making?...

Every single week I take time out to look at what’s going on the industry in order to make darn sure I am always doing something different.

Many of our competitors do a fantastic job at marketing, but we’re all about allowing our personalities shine through so doing something fun, creative and ‘out of the box’ is really what keeps me motivated.

If I ever find myself not amused by the latest Europa marketing stunt I think it’s probably time to hang up my gloves.

What attributes makes for a good Marketing Manager?...

Determination, deference and a desire to succeed.

I am a big believer that if a marketing manager is acting with integrity and in the best interest of the bosses, the business, and its employees, then they are pretty darn good at what they do.

You have to be prepared to take the odd risk along the way, too. How on earth do you know if it’s going to work if you don’t give it a go?

In the words of Albert Einstein…

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Are there any good marketing tools you would recommend for a small business who might be just starting out?...

One word… WEBSITE! It’s the first impression most people will have of your business, and if it’s a little lackluster, out of kilt with your brand values or, worse, ‘coming soon’, you’ve missed a trick.

You know the saying ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’? Well, your website is the window to your business, and getting it right is the difference between make or break for many small companies.

Keep it clean, easy to navigate and to the point.

Monitoring the online presence of your competitors is also a pretty cost effective way to bolster your own efforts. I’m not suggesting copying (far from it); but it can be a useful exercise when looking for inspiration, drawing on best practice and determining how to move your brand forward.

Twitter, media coverage and their websites are a good starting point.

What does the rest of 2016 hold for you and Europa International?...

The rest of the year, you ask? Where the bloomin’ heck has the first half gone?

Firstly, we’re all set for a full-on summer of high-end hospitality events, impressive conferences and intimate seminars. The autumn season sees us set about servicing the usual political events and conferences around the country, and before we know it we’ll be hanging holly, humming songs about reindeers and preparing for parties galore.

Joking aside, we’re always incredibly grateful to all of our clients for wanting to make us a part of their team so here’s to 2016 part two.

We can’t wait!

Contact details: Helen Lowe, Events & Marketing Manager, Europa International helen.lowe@europainternational.com www.europainternational.com/via Twitter: @Europa_Int

july/AUGUST 2016

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SHB Feature

SHB vehicles You’re organising an event and have everything under control.

You’ve ordered the wine, (quite a lot of wine) all the produce has been ordered and is ready and waiting to go whenever you are, the furniture is organised but there’s a niggling feeling in the back of your mind, what have you forgotten?

The transport, you need to organise the transport ASAP! How are you going to get the wine and produce to the event without it getting too warm or wilting? You’re probably going to need a refrigerated vehicle but you’re not even sure what type and if you need a special licence, can anyone drive one, can you alter the settings and how? What about the furniture, how’s that going to get there?

It’s all too much, you’re starting to panic but then you remember SHB Hire Ltd has the most diverse fleet in the UK and you give them a call.

A friendly Hire Controller answers your call and puts your mind at ease; they understand that you don’t know

everything about vehicles and especially the specialist temperature controlled vehicles (this is what they’re called as you can have chilled, frozen and dual options).

You’re asked questions about what you’ll be using the temperature controlled vehicle for, roughly how much produce and wine you have to put inside, how long it’s needed and where plus a few more questions to gather as much information as possible. All these questions are to make sure you get the correct vehicle for your needs. The Hire Controller makes sure all your questions and queries are answered such as do you need a special licence? No. Can anyone drive one?

Yes, if it’s over a certain size you will have to have that element on your licence though. Can the settings be altered?

Yes and they’ll give you free familiarisation training on delivery so you feel confident with your hire purchase. You’ve also gone through vehicle options for getting the furniture to the event. You’ve been asked about the size and roughly how much is needed to go in the vehicle. The Hire Controller explains that SHB has CDVs, LCVs, standard and long wheel based, dropsides with and without taillifts that could be suitable for transporting the

Above: Nissan NV200.

Right: Range Rover Discovery.

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furniture but a standard LCV would be the ideal vehicle for your specific needs.

While you’re on the phone, you realise that your car isn’t ideal for the terrain of the event (plus you’ve worked hard this year, you should arrive in style) so you ask about hiring an executive 4x4.

You’ve heard the rumours about SHB being the best company to hire a 4x4 from so are confident they have something special.

They don’t disappoint, you have been offered a Range Rover Discovery!

Within a couple of hours the vehicle has been chosen, the length of hire agreed and the delivery and collection is all confirmed.

That was easier than you thought and you can get back to organising the final touches for the event and relax with a glass of wine.

www.shb.co.uk

AIDAN BOWIE CROWNED DIAGEO RESERVE WORLD CLASS GB BARTENDER OF THE YEAR 2016 On the 10th June 2016 at Rosewood London, Aidan Bowie was crowned Diageo Reserve’s GB World Class Bartender of the Year 2016.

The first challenge, The Art of Umami, tasked bartenders to create and present judges with a long and short serve that showcased and highlighted the largely unexplored flavour of the hotly debated fifth basic taste.

A three day final event spanned venues including Fanhams Hall, Diageo’s Global Innovation R&D Centre, London’s Blixen and Rosewood London, where 11 of the UK’s most talented bartenders battled it out for the esteemed title and to secure a place at the global final event, to be held in Miami in September.

Day Two at Diageo’s Global Innovation R&D Centre The second day of the competition was spent at Diageo’s Global Innovation R&D Centre.

Each bartender was supported by a team of Diageo scientists and flavour specialists to develop their own bitters, using state of the art equipment, before bottling and branding their product. Bartenders then worked to design a signature cocktail and paired the bitters with a brand from the Diageo Reserve luxury spirits portfolio.

The final round of the year-long competition was themed ‘Into the Unknown’ and saw bartenders challenged to experiment with a number of ingredients and flavours, before being tasked with creating their own bitters. The final 11 were asked to craft their unique liquid, establish a brand and a signature serve.

The GB final was split into challenges and was judged throughout by the Diageo Reserve team of Brand Ambassadors, flavour chemists and industry experts, including Alex Kratena and last year’s winner, Ali Reynolds.

Day One at Fanhams Hall The first day at Fanhams Hall provided competitors with an overview of the theme and what to expect from the days to come, followed by an inspiration session hosted

by Penny Willson, Principal Liquid Scientist and Stephen Hart Principal Flavourist at IFF. The session was designed to spark curiosity and creativity and introduced competitors to a selection of unknown ingredients which formed the basis of their signature cocktail.

Left: Aidan Bowie, Diageo Reserve’s GB World Class Bartender of the Year 2016.

Day Three at Blixen and Rosewood London Following an overnight stay at London’s Mondrian Hotel, bartenders started at London’s Blixen where they undertook a three-part Deconstruct – Reconstruct task with a focus on classic cocktails.

The bartenders were then tasked over a two hour period, to source their own vessel and garnish with a budget of £100. The final 11 then moved to Rosewood London and prepared to unveil their final bitters alongside their signature cocktail. The finale event was opened to guests, including 30 consumers who formed a public vote, which was added to the judges’ final scores – a first in the UK competition’s history.

Above: The 11 finalists. proud to have him now represent Great Britain at the global final in September.”

Aidan Bowie added: “I am so proud to have earned my place at the World Class global final. This year’s competition has been beyond tough in terms of the challenges but also the level of skill and talent I have witnessed amongst the other competitors. I am very pleased and honoured to go through to the next stage of Diageo Reserve World Class.”

Nick Temperley, Head of Diageo Reserve GB, commented: “We have witnessed world class bartending throughout this year’s competition and my congratulations and thanks go out to all of the competitors who make the Diageo Reserve World Class competition what it is today. The UK is a leader in drinks innovation and quality and we will be supporting Aidan Bowie in the run up to the global final competition later this year.”

Aidan Bowie was revealed as the winner after an outstanding three days of successes, and was credited by the judges for his true knowledge and understanding of flavour, coupled with innovative and forward thinking ideas.

Dandelyan, where Aidan Bowie has worked since its opening in October 2014 will now be awarded with a one-off £10,000 marketing fund to create its own World Class drink to celebrate Aidan Bowie’s success.

Head of Diageo Reserve World Class GB, Dan Dove commented: “Aidan Bowie’s World Class journey has been remarkable.

Throughout both the semi-final event and this week’s final, he has consistently impressed the judging team with broad thinking, incredible knowledge base, and pioneering ideas. World Class Bitters Series #4 is an exceptional product and the signature serve, Vetiver Woodland Martini brought the flavour make up to life perfectly alongside his choice of Tanqueray No. TEN.

The final 11 competitors included: Liam Broom (Callooh Callay), Tim Laferla (City Social), Sean Fennelly (Milk & Honey), Kyle Wilkinson (Beaufort Bar), Scott Gavin (Rosewood London), Lorenzo Antinori (Dandelyan), Aidan Bowie (Dandelyan), Dominic Whisson (The American Bar at The Savoy) James Bowker (The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel & Cocktail Lounge), Jerome Allaguillemette (Sexy Fish) and Gordon Purnell (Panda & Sons).

“Aidan Bowie epitomises a Diageo Reserve World Class bartender and we are extremely

The global Diageo World Class competition final will be held in Miami in September 2016.

Drink Feature

Drink Better.

To win a trophy at the International Spirits Challenge is a proud moment for any distiller, producer or brand. To win two trophies for two very different spirits is an incredible achievement, and that’s

Following their success at The ISC awards, Venue Insight caught up with Brand Manager Oscar Dodd to see what makes Bimber so special.

Challenging everything you thought you knew about neutral spirits, our Oak Aged Vodka combines the toasted influence of old Woodford Reserve Bourbon casks with the spices more commonly used to enhance rum. This infuses the delicate character of our base spirit with rich, fruity aromas and warming spice.

The appreciation of hundreds of industry professionals who tasted it at Imbibe Live - and the ISC award - suggest we have one of the most exciting and versatile new spirits on the market.

Distilled, bottled and labelled at our site in Park Royal, home to some of the UK’s industry giants, we use only natural ingredients and traditional methods to craft a range of spirits unlike any distillery in the country.

Our brand takes its name from the Polish for moonshine, in honour of our founder’s heritage, and befitting our refined take on the traditional fruit infusions and barrel aged spirits historically associated with eastern Europe. Gin is de rigueur in 2016, and ours is a stand-out contribution to the UK’s burgeoning craft scene – striking the perfect balance between bright juniper; orange and lemon citrus freshness, nutty coriander seed, fragrant angelica root, and warm cinnamon.

The finish is dry, earthy finish, with hints of cassia & liquorice. It has remarkable persistence, which delivers the individual character of our ten botanicals in waves that lap across your palate.

This, however, is just the beginning.

Doris & Astraeus, our alembic copper stills, are currently kept very busy distilling one of the first Single Malt Whiskies to have been made in London for a century. Sourcing the finest quality malted barley from Warminster Maltings (perhaps the only active traditional

maltsters in the UK) we are able to trace our malt back to the field in which it was grown. From grain to glass, we can show the provenance of our prized barley, which we mash, ferment and double- distil in the Scottish style: first in the 1000 litre Doris, then in the 600 litre Astraeus.

From May this year we have been laying our whisky in four different cask types; these are ex-Port, ex-Bourbon, ex-Pedro Ximenez Sherry and Virgin American Oak. Bottling will start in 2019.

We have a couple more unique offerings in the pipeline, which will be announced soon. For now, we are focussing on our trophy winning pair, with our fruit infused vodkas a secondary range (they particularly appeal to wine drinkers, with their austere tannic structure, pure fruit character and lip-smacking acidity).

Currently targeting independent bars and retailers, every day our business grows with new partners and fans of our spirits.

Support is available for our on and

Drink bimber. exactly what happened last week when Bimber’s Oak Aged Vodka and London Dry Gin each took trophies in their respective categories.

off-trade partners, from 10 litre barrels for ageing cocktails to window displays for retailers, so get in touch to see how Bimber can enhance your selection of spirits.

Contact Oscar Dodd, Brand Manager, for more information and pricing: oscar.dodd@bimber.co.uk

Bimber Oak Aged Vodka uses a wheat base aged in Bourbon barrels (currently ex-Woodford Reserve) and infused with cinnamon, vanilla and cloves.

Bottled at 42%abv. Try it in a Manhattan, Old Fashioned, or simply serve with ginger beer and fresh lime.

Bimber London Dry Gin uses the same base, infused with Juniper Berry, Coriander Seed, Angelica Root, Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Cinnamon Bark, Liquorice Root, Cassia Bark, Orris Root & Nutmeg before distillation in Astraeus. Bottled at 42%abv. We love it in a Dry Martini or Negroni, but it is equally at home in a G&T (or B&T, as we say) Bimber’s range of fruit infused vodka is bottled at 40%abv and currently includes Blackcurrant, Blackberry, Cherry, and Summer Fruits [Raspberry, Strawberry, Blueberry, Redcurrant, Blackcurrant & Blackberry] RRP: £33-£38 per 70cl bottle bimberdistillery.co.uk

Club News

the social festival

After many months of curating our most exciting line-up, we are proud to announce that The Social Festival 2016’s full line-up is here and it’s set to provide an incredible soundtrack to what will be a perfect end to the Summer.

Friday 9th September

Friday will see the highly anticipated return of house music pioneers Sasha and John Digweed, who will headline the event with a UK festival exclusive B2B set!

Another debutant at this year’s event will be German superstar Paul Kalkbrenner, who will be showing us what he can do in The Barn Arena.

Joining these incredible artists are Used & Abused boss Loco Dice, Edible head honcho Everything, Andrew Weatherall, Paranoid London Live, Nastia, Guy Gerber and many more.

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9-10th september, kent country showground

Saturday 10th September

We start with a techno legend that needs no introduction. Carl Cox will be returning to The Social Festival for the first time since 2014, where he will be teaming up yet again with Social boss and friend Nic Fanciulli.

We also welcome King Solomun back to The Social, who will be playing B2B with close friends and Diynamic residents Adriatique.

New comers Pan-Pot, Joseph Capriati, Agoria, Bicep and Mind Against will also be performing this year, along with Patrick Topping, Richy Ahmed, Hot Since 82, Dubfire, George Fitzgerald plus much more!

Friday Line-Up

Andrew Weatherall, Eats Everything, Enzo Siragusa, Guy Gerber, John Digweed, Kaz James, Loco Dice, Marco Faraone, Nastia, Nic Fanciulli, Paranoid London Live, Paul Kalkbrenner, Tom Trago, Sasha

Saturday Line-Up

Adriatique, Agoria, Andhim, Bicep, Carl Cox, Dj Zinc, Dubfire, Ellen Allien, George Fitzgerald, Gerd Janson, Goldie, High Contrast, Hot Since 82, Icicle, Jasper James, Joey Daniels, Jon Rundell, Joseph Capriati, Laurent Garnier, LTJ Bukem, Mark Fanciulli, Mind Against, Monkey Safari, Nic Fanciulli, Pan-Pot, Patrick Topping, Richy Ahmed, Roni Size Live, Sailor & I, Solomun

As The Social expands, we are excited to announce a new arena and new genre to the festival, that will see the likes of Roni Size & Krust present Full Cycle with MC Dynamite, High Contrast & Goldie holding down the Bamboo Village on the Saturday.

The Social also sees the introduction of a very unique and boutique camping area, allowing fans from around the world to experience the weekend to the fullest.

www.thesocialfestival.com

Temporary Catering Facilities During Refurbishment We regularly provide our services to clients when they are undergoing a kitchen refurbishment or carrying out other building works that necessitate the closure of existing catering facilities.

We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery Mobile Kitchens Ltd and installation on site, plus full technical specialises in the hire of support throughout the hire period.

temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

The elements that make up our temporary kitchen and restaurant facilities can be provided as individual units in their own right – Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Ware-washing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms, Restaurant Units, etc - or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex. Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer term hires.

We have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project.

www.countrybenches.co.uk Octagonal Bench 8 Seat Sizes L x W Table 31/2ft x 31/2ft Seat 31/2ft x 1ft Overall 6ft x 6ft

Special Price £184.99

Supreme Benches Sizes L x W 4 Seat 31/2ft x 41/2ft £74.99 4L 4ft x 41/2ft £79.99 6 Seat 41/2ft x 41/2ft £84.99 6L 5ft x 41/2ft £89.99 8 Seat 51/2ft x 41/2ft £94.99 8L 6ft x 41/2ft £99.99

Free Delivery on 4 or more benches Delivered and assembled by us within 7 days See website for other types of benches

For further information or to arrange a site visit, please email:

sales@mk-hire.co.uk or call us on: 0345 or visit our website:

812 0800

www.mk-hire.co.uk

Special Offer July & August Buy 5 get 1 FREE

Call us on

01480 400346 or 07446 101657 All prices exclude VAT

july/august 2016

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Business Feature

making your business goals a reality modern solutions for modern business Why should you choose Giambrone London?

1 Maximise your time to grow your business.

Spend less effort managing business procedures and more time attracting new business.

2 You will know you are doing things the right way.

Take the mistakes and stress out of setting up and running a new business.

3 A complete business solution for now and the future.

Giambrone London have all the

services you require to make

your business a success.

Modern solutions for modern business.

Giambrone is a multi-service consultancy delivering corporate services to international entrepreneurs, individuals and companies with business interests in the UK. Situated in the heart of the city, adjacent to St Paul’s Cathedral, we are placed perfectly to tend your UK based business requirements and interests in a professional, confidential and efficient manner.

Business management consultancy From the name you can trust, Giambrone London provides a range of International consultancy and business management options for modern start ups and established businesses.

Solutions for business start-ups Take advantage of our business start-up package. Our modern and novel approach is like having a virtual business partner with an office of staff working to make your business a success.

Corporate solutions for companies Giambrone’s new business solutions are adaptable, through Giambrone London you are able to stay ahead of developments, remain flexible and develop your business economically.

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A name you can trust Giambrone London has been helping clients manage their business interests, finances and assets for over 10 years, in this time we have found international entrepreneurs, businessmen and individuals looking to make business in the UK require bespoke solutions that go beyond conventional solutions. With this in mind Giambrone London has developed a diverse range of quality business solutions and consultancy services delivered with efficiency and the one-to-one professionalism you would expect..

Starting a new business through Giambrone London Company Incorporation Giambrone London can incorporate your company within 48 hours.

The type of business you will set up will depend on what your commercial aims are as this will affect the status of legality and tax.

Do it all online today - Set up within 48hrs.

Registered office & postal services Every company needs an official address registered with Companies House.

Location is a key factor and it can make or break many businesses. Central London is an excellent location and it can help you to increase your reputation considerably.

When you register your business through Giambrone London you get a central London business address. This will immediately give your new business the appearance of success, longevity and professionalism potential clients expect. As a company registered in London you will immediately have access to a consumer base of over 12million, as well as 50% of all UK graduates, 5 International airports and low corporation tax. Many top firms have their offices in London,

being in London will give you the opportunity to do business with the best.

Opening of bank accounts Your new UK Company will need its own bank accounts to operate.

Giambrone London has connections with all the leading banking institutions in the UK and can offer a wide range of different accounts tailored to your specific business requirements. The information you will need available when starting your business bank account will include; company activities, projected turnover, transactions details, directors and beneficial owners and principal controllers, including the personal addresses and dates moved in. You will also be required to provide the company registration number or a certificate of incorporation if a foreign company.

To verify your Identification and address a recent bank statement or utility bill for all beneficial owners, directors and people who areprinciple controllers of the business will be required. With a bank account for a new business, you will be required to provide the latest three months personal bank statements of the person who owns the business. If your business wants to borrow money from the bank you will also need to provide audited accounts.

Business Plans Giambrone can work with your company to ensure you have the correct plan to achieve the goals that you have set.

Working on your business plan through Giambrone London and our financial consultants will give your business more chance of succeeding.

Securing Finance It is notoriously difficult for new business start-ups to acquire financing.

Giambrone London can use its connections with the leading banking institutions throughout the UK to assist in securing the finance needed.

BUSINESS MATTERS Company Searches Giambrone provides detailed B2B reports on companies within your market.

Getting informed information about companies in your market is important, these companies may be your competitors or they may be companies you intend to do business with in the future.

Learn about your market.

Copyright Servicess After investing a lot of time and money in establishing your brand and position within a market you need to protect your business communications from being copied and devalued. Intellectual property rights are seen as an intangible type of property that can be protected in the form of copyrights, trademarks, patents and design rights.

As well as providing copyright services Giambrone London and partners can also start legal proceedings to enforce copyright infringement if it occurs.

Marketing Services Finding out what your potential customers are looking for and providing this to them is essential to success. Marketing your business using the right marketing mix will give you the best chance of success.

Analysing data to establish market viability will save you money.

Giambrone London and partners provide these services.

IT & Support Efficient IT workflow and security are fundamental in running a successful business.

An effective and reliable IT infrastructure (including internet, intranet and phone systems) built with the security of sensitive information in mind (including credit card detail and addresses) is paramount. Giambrone London can provide you with this peace of mind and protection.

Software Management Having the right software and workflows can increase the productivity of your company. With Giambrone London and partners we will set you up with all the tools you need to make running your business as easy as possible.

Visas for International start-ups Employment Visas and immigration Giambrone can help you with Visa applications for yourself or employees.

The type of visa required will depend on the relationship you or your employees will have with the new business start up. As a general rule it is important to arrange visas before the company is set up or before trading commences, especially if you or your employees are non-EU citizens.

How long a visa will take to be accepted and its duration varies depending on the type of Vias applied for, the most common are; Tier 1, Tier 2 Entrepreneur visa, Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer and Prospective Entrepreneur visa.

Giambrone and partners have a wide ranging experience helping clients obtain the right type of visa for their business needs.

Services tailored to your requirements New business set-up • Company incorporation • Registered office & postal services • Opening of bank accounts • Business plans • Securing finance • Company searches • Copyright services • IT & support • Software management • Virtual offices • Conference/meeting room hire Financial and legal services • Foreign currency exchange • Accounts and taxation • Legalisation services • Nominee and fiduciary services • Legal advice • Services for the individual • Wills and wills storage • Translations • Land registry searches • Real estate intermediary • Property management • Drafting/reviewing leases • Debt collection • more Marketing solutions • User experience • Branding • SEO and content marketing • Web design • Content production • Stationary production contact@giambrone.com +44 (0)203 102 7415

www.giambrone.co.uk

july/august 2016

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#

Social Media Feature

#social media: q&a

with vicky boulton - Fuel marketing

What advice can you offer to those with little or no social media who are looking to build an audience?...

Vicky Boulton has spent nearly 25 years in the marketing industry. In 2011 she set up Fuel, an award-winning and professional marketing consultancy that is dedicated to helping businesses who don’t have a dedicated marketing team, any time or an interest in marketing, but need help to ensure that their business and profitability grows.

Social media is about building relationships through sustained conversations and interactions online.

Once you understand what platforms your potential audience use or are on, you need to focus your efforts on those and then share a mixture of business and personal content over time.

What social media platforms can you recommend and how much time should be invested in social media?...

I would recommend half an hour per platform per day. As it’s all about engagement, you can’t just post something and leave it at that!

You need to like, share and comment on other people’s posts too.

Remember certain platforms can work better for you depending on whether you are selling products (Instagram) or services (Twitter), and if you are in business you should definitely be on LinkedIn too.

#bait

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Is video marketing an important part of social media strategy?...

Video is essential for all marketing. To put its value in context, if you upload a video to Facebook, your reach will be 100 times more than if you just upload a picture.

How do you build an authentic voice against competition?...

Consistency, regularity and personalisation are essential. You need to inject some of your personality, as well as build credibility.

When it comes to establishing authenticity, 20% of your communications should be about your business, comments on industry news or articles and links to your website etc. and 80% should be personal, where you can share your opinion and thoughts on issues and/or piggle back popular topics that are trending.

How do you keep engagement levels high?...

If you have a real passion for what you do and some demonstrable knowledge or expertise, these will ensure that people keep tuning in to find out more. Ensure that your tone of voice, branding and messaging are similar to your other marketing channels and that you are adopting a conversational style of language, as this will help to generate better engagement levels.

How can you best measure the impact of social media?...

Most platforms have their own tools, insights and analytics. But you don’t just want to measure number of likes, impressions and new followers! What you should also be reporting on are, number of shares, comments and the lists you have been added to, as these are better indicators of true social media success.

Are there any pitfalls to social media that can be avoided?

My 3 top tips: 1. Make sure you allocate enough time to social media. Don’t start off enthusiastically and then let your momentum fade over time.

2. Remember who your audience are and what knowledge they have. Don’t be too technical or use baffling jargon.

3. Less is most definitely more.

Focus on a maximum of 2-3 platforms and work them regularly and consistently.

Contact details: Vicky Boulton - Fuel Marketing 07766 566690 vicky@fuelmarketing.co.uk www.fuelmarketing.co.uk Twitter: @VickyMBoulton http://uk.linkedin.com/in/vickyboulton:

The high & lowe of Social Media Helen Lowe, Events & Marketing Manager at Europa International Shares her thoughts on Social Media.

Social Media, what impact has this had on your career over the years?...

Oh it’s definitely made an impact, all of the various platforms and social media tools now available are forever evolving, so it’s vital that we all keep up to date and up to speed with things.

When I first started out 25- years-ago, the internet wasn’t even a ‘thing’ that was used on mass, and yet now there are actual words like ‘Twitterarty’ doing the rounds. Who would have thought it?

What’s more, with over 2.2bn people using various online networks globally more fool anyone, or any business, that shrugs off the likes of social media as a fad.

Is it a true misconception that social media is free? And how much time should a small hospitality business put into their social media?...

The reality is that nothing is free in life!

Social media accounts need setting up and populating = time = cost. A sparsely populated twitter feed is arguably worse than no twitter feed, so once a commitment has been made businesses need to ride it out.

The tone of voice needs defining and the relevant staff need training to ensure consistency = time = cost. We’ve all heard horror stories about poor grammar, off brand messages and inappropriate tweets featuring political opinions being posted haven’t we? #fail Customer queries, complaints and comments need acknowledging and responding to = time.

We live in a 24/7 world, and people expect a pretty quick response when they post. Not to mention that if it is a complaint the company in question will no doubt want the conversation offline ASAP before people jump on the bandwagon.

Another way to look at how much time you need to spend is to determine from the start what your objectives are when using social media. Is it to drive sales, to keep existing customers informed, or to engage with

partners/suppliers etc…

From there, commit to an SLA (service level agreement..i.e 1 x post per day) and agree how much time the allocated person will spend.

Typically for a small business checking and posting once or twice a day may well be enough until the ROI is fully understood.

In light of the above, how does Europa International connect/interact with their brand followers online and via social media?...

Of course we use the internet for a myriad of things in this day and age - keeping our customers up to speed with all of our latest products, ensuring anyone interested in our team and our history can find all the info online, and using e-mail and online publicity to help keep the Europa brand front of mind for all concerned. When it comes to social media and being ‘engaging’, however, our twitter handle and our “Fun page” on the website are both really important reflections of who we are.

Like most companies in this industry we don’t have a marketing team of 200, so we have to be realistic about just how much we can do; but by keeping the tone light and friendly we find that both outlets are the ideal way to remind people on an ongoing basis that we’re fun, down to earth, approachable and, most importantly, contactable as and when we’re needed!

Contact details: Helen Lowe, Events & Marketing Manager, Europa International helen.lowe@europainternational.com www.europainternational.com/via Twitter: @Europa_Int

#

Social Media Feature

#social media: q&a

with Nick maxfield - think studio

It depends on the type of business, which implicitly depends on your target audience.

Think is a creative marketing studio and brand accelerator with offices in Kent and London.

Bringing a strength of creativity and resources to the management of any project, they excel and truly come into their own in the they way they think.

Nick Maxfield of Think Studio, shares with Venue Insight his thoughts and secrets to social media.

What advice can you offer to those with little or no social media who are looking to build an audience?...

Start by paying careful attention to understanding the audience you are trying to reach, their motivations and what they tend to engage with!

It will take time and patience!

Don’t invade all the social media channels available out there. Consider the purpose of each platform and carefully choose the platforms that will help reach your audience (the audience you need to fully understand).

Consistency! Make your brand image consistent with all your social media accounts.

Invest in developing content to give people a reason to find your brand and engage with it.

What social media platforms can you recommend and how much time should be invested in social media?...

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For B2C organisations it is important to have an online presence on Facebook (which is the social landscape dominator), Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

For B2B organisations, LinkedIn and G+ are a must!

Is video marketing an important part of social media strategy?...

Definitely! The popularity of microvideos and gifs has shown a 60% more engagement than the static images.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Google, and Twitter are constantly integrating video capabilities to increase the opportunities of social engagement.

Top Tip: keep it short though!

How do you build an authentic voice against competition?...

You are not the only one, it is a challenge for many brands! However, transparency is the word.

Also, it’s important to identify what value you can provide your audience that no one else is already providing.

Do: align your brand style, tone and the key messages to create an authentic voice on social media.

Do: Follow your purpose and brand mission to create authenticity.

Don’t: try too hard to be or sound cool.

How do you keep engagement levels high?...

Engage. Engage. Engage.

Invest in developing relevant content that

gives your followers a reason to engage and regularly post it on social media.

Also, let them know what you are up to and listen to their feedback, but DON’T fail to respond and resolve any customer feedback!

How can you best measure the impact of social media?...

It’s important to take advantage of social media metrics like: page visits, page views, number of followers, likes, blog post visitors, click-throughs, etc.

Are there any pitfalls to social media that can be avoided?

Yes - Failing to reply and solve to customer feedback on social media.

A faux pas on social media can lead to reputational damage.

Brands should think carefully about the topics they post on social media.

Also, expect offensive comments!

Top Tip: deleting your post will only worsen the situation! Once on the internet, it will be there forever!

Contact details: Nick Maxfield - Think Studio Kent: 01227 808040 London: 02034 321787 www.think.studio

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Drink News

Amathus Invests in Sales & Marketing Excellence to Hit its Next Milestone of 100m by 2019 Harry Georgiou, Founder-CEO of Amathus Drinks Plc, continues to strengthen his new executive team with the appointment of not one, but two Sales & Marketing Directors with Fraser McGuire and Simon Bradbury.

with ambitious growth plans and relish the opportunity to build on our strong core business. There are new regions we want to move into and with our excellent portfolio of exclusive wines, spirits and beers we can offer a real quality alternative.”

Comments Harry: “Since our acquisition of Bablake Wines last year, we’ve now got a national footprint but we’re still very specialist and I felt we needed two heavy hitters to bring the Amathus brand to a national customer base.”

Explaining his plans, he continued: “This puts us on course towards our next milestone of £100m in sales by 2019.

Fraser’s well respected in the on-trade and brings huge energy. Simon brings a great record and a fantastic knowledge of the off-trade. It’s a dream team for me and I’m delighted they’ve come on board.”

Fraser McGuire is a 20-year industry veteran and held senior positions with Enotria and Whyte & Mackay. He said, “I’m really thrilled to be joining Amathus at this time and driven by Harry’s vision Amathus has established itself as a leading player within the Premium Ontrade in the UK. Amathus is a family owned, forward thinking, decisive & nimble company, which I believe will help give us the edge within an industry where the landscape will continue to evolve through wholesaler consolidation.”

Simon Bradbury has spent more than 25 years in the Drinks Industry most recently holding senior positions with Enotria and Codorniu Ravenous. He said “I am joining Amathus at a hugely exciting time

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Commenting on the consolidation in the sector throughout the last 12 months, Harry said: “The Bablake Wines acquisition enhances our reach. We want to take our brands to a national customer base.

I don’t wake up thinking about being

the biggest. But I do get excited about developing undiscovered niche categories in spirits such as Mezcal, Aquavit and Pisco in the UK. And in recent years we have earned respect in developing new and emerging wine regions as diverse as the Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan with its Koshu, to Greece’s trending varieties such as Assyrtico.

The appointments follow David Smith in the Finance seat a year ago, as part of Amathus’ drive to its next milestone of £100m revenues.

The Georgiou family grew Amathus from start-up to £40m revenues to earn an uncontested position in the front ranks of the specialist on-trade. Headquartered in Park Royal, it has warehouses in Coventry and Bristol and a substantial delivery fleet capable of supporting small independents to servicing wholesale customers. It also has 4 distinctive wine and spirits boutiques aimed at knowledgeable drinkers and the trade.

In 2015, it acquired Bablake Wines for cash. Group revenues now exceed £60m.

DRAMBUIE PARTNERS WITH CHAMELEON COLD-BREW NEW ‘BLEND 33’ HOT CHOCOLATE FROM COFFEE TO LAUNCH A SERIES OF BESPOKE COFFEE COCKTAILS DRURY DRAMBUIE x CHAMELEON’s signature Java Royale cocktail released through Cocktail Courier.

Drambuie, the original whisky liqueur owned

by William Grant & Sons, Ltd., announces the launch of the DRAMBUIE x CHAMELEON bespoke cocktails, a collaboration with Austin-based Chameleon Cold-Brew Coffee.

Featuring a menu of cocktails created

by Drambuie Brand Ambassador Vance Henderson, the partnership merges the quality of consciously crafted beverages, unique flavor profiles and the spirit’s more than 270-year history, and versatile uses in contemporary cocktail culture. The collaboration’s signature Java Royale cocktail is now available in a ready-to-make kit from Cocktail Courier through September.

“Drambuie and Chameleon Cold-Brew are perfect complements to each other,” said Vance Henderson. “The smooth taste of Drambuie - heather honey, herbs and spices, and just a touch of sweetness pair exceptionally well with the rich and bold flavors of the cold-brew coffee making for delicious and creative cocktails. The DRAMBUIE x CHAMELEON line-up is ideal for summer whether enjoyed for brunch, as a happy hour pick-me-up or an after dinner drink.”

DRAMBUIE x CHAMELEON’s libations vary in style and taste, appealing to coffee lovers and discerning cocktail enthusiasts alike.

The signature Java Royale cocktail is a palate pleasing combination of Drambuie, Green Chartreuse and Chameleon Vanilla Coffee Concentrate with a candied ginger garnish, while other Cocktail Café recipes include the Sand & Smoke made with Chameleon Mexican Coffee and the Great Pretender with Chameleon Vanilla Coffee Concentrate and Peach Brandy. Select recipes included below.

“At Chameleon Cold Brew we are always looking for new ways to innovate and delight our fans. This partnership with Drambuie allows us to explore a new arena for our coffee, to excite our existing customer base as well as reach a new audience. Plus, the cocktails all taste so good,” added Chris Campbell, president and CEO of Chameleon Cold-Brew.

For more information, please visit:

www.Drambuie.com

For additional information on Chameleon Cold-Brew, please visit:

www.ChameleonColdBrew.com Cocktails include: DRAMBUIE x CHAMELEON Java Royale 1 part Drambuie .50 part Green Chartreuse 3 parts Chameleon Vanilla Coffee Concentrate Combine with ice in a rocks glass, stir until well chilled, serve Garnish with a skewered piece of candied ginger DRAMBUIE x CHAMELEON Sand and Smoke 1 part Drambuie 1 part Pineapple Juice 3 Fresh Basil Leaves 2 parts Chameleon Mexican Coffee Concentrate .50 part Mezcal Combine with Ice, Shake, Double-Strain, Serve over fresh ice Splash Club Soda Garnish with Fresh Basil DRAMBUIE x CHAMELEON Highland Sour 1 part Drambuie .50 part Blended Scotch or Mezcal .50 part Cynar .25 part Lemon Juice 1 part Chameleon Mexican Coffee Concentrate 1/2 teaspoon preserves Orange or Strawberry .75 part or 1 egg white Combine with Ice, Shake, Double-Strain, Serve Up Garnish with Dash of Angostura Bitters DRAMBUIE x CHAMELEON Spark & Stormy 1 part Drambuie .50 part Sailor Jerry Rum 1 part Cream or (Milk base of Choice) 3 parts Chameleon Mexican Coffee Concentrate Combine with Ice (minus cream), Shake, Strain, Over new ice Float cream over cocktail Garnish with Cinnamon-Dusted Orange Slice DRAMBUIE x CHAMELEON Great Pretender 1 part Drambuie .50 part Peach Brandy .50 part Sweet Vermouth 2 parts Chameleon Vanilla Coffee Concentrate Combine with Ice, Shake, Double-Strain, Serve Up Garnish with Brandied Cherry

Blend 33 is an all-new hot chocolate from tea and coffee specialists, The Drury Tea & Coffee Company. The launch follows several years of research

by Drury into the perfect hot chocolate blend.

BLEND 33 This new hot chocolate derives its name from the high percentage of cocoa solids in the blend – 33%.

Once confined to the depths of winter, these days hot chocolate is very much a year round drink. It is made in the traditional way by adding hot milk and the result is a rich, satisfying alternative to tea or coffee.

Add a cinnamon stick for flavour or a marshmallow garnish as a real treat.

Says Drury Director, Marco Olmi:

“For some time we have been looking for a hot chocolate that completely meets our requirements and at last we believe we have found it.

We have tested it against our existing blend and customers overwhelmingly prefer it.”

Blend 33 is packed in 4 x 2-kilo tubs with a list price of £53.20. There are 80 servings per tub giving a cup cost (excluding milk) of 16p.

Drink News

CHEAT THE REAPER: BREWDOG LAUNCHES ORGAN DONATION DRIVE ALONGSIDE NEW BEER ‘BORN TO DIE’ Irreverent Scottish craft brewery, BrewDog, today launches Born To Die 18.08.16 – a beer destined to be enjoyed before a predetermined ‘death by’ date.

In a celebration of life, however brief, the number one craft brewery in the UK is throwing its weight behind the drive for organ donation sign ups by giving away donor cards with each bottle.

Born to Die is a terminally hoppy IPA, deliberately brewed to be consumed within a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it timeframe.

Designed to illustrate the destruction of delicate hop oils over time, the beer will only be sold for a limited lifespan of 35 days. ​ Born To Die is at its best the second you pick it up, and each bottle of the brew bought in a bar will be served with a donor card and a clear message: if we’re all born to die, at least we’ll leave our legacy.

The donor cards will be housed in Born To Die beermats for Hop Heads to pop out and fill in with their personal details as they enjoy BrewDog’s newest concoction and contemplate the brevity of life. The mats will be served with all online orders of the beer, and in all UK BrewDog bars.

Carrying a donor card is an easy way to show doctors and loved ones a person’s intentions to gift vital organs to those in need of them.

The cards also include the URL of the UK’s organ donor registry, putting donation a click away from thousands of beer enthusiasts up and down the country.

Tossing usual rules aside, the craft beer company hopes to boost donor numbers at a particular time of demand. Over 6,000 patients* are currently on the waiting list to receive a new organ, with three people dying each day due to not finding a suitable donor.

BrewDog’s crusade aims to make becoming a donor quick and easy, recruiting new donors with a simple reminder of the transience of life.

James Watt, Co-Founder of BrewDog commented:

“At BrewDog we invest in two things; beer and people and with this latest launch we’re asking our army of beer geeks to do the same.

Buy a beer and save a life.

The UK’s organ donor register is severely low and we’re hoping our latest Born To Die launch will nudge more people to help others after they’ve shuffled off this mortal coil.

Thousands of people drink our beer every day, and now they can pop a card out of their beer mat and pledge their death to a good cause.”

An 8.5% double IPA loaded with bitter orange, lime zest, grapefruit, pine dust, freshly cut grass and biscuity malt, Born to Die rocks an insane hop schedule with mountains of US hops including Cascade, Simcoe, Amarillo & Citra, amounting to 100 IBUs. These hops deliver an explosion of flavour and aroma, but such characteristics will only survive for a bittersweet limited lifespan.

Launching today, this edition of Born To Die will expire on 18th August 2016, giving beer punks just 35 short days to enjoy this ticking taste bomb, and to put their name to a donor card.

James Watt continued:

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“Our Born To Die series has enjoyed an incredible reaction and we’re psyched to finally launch the next in this unique project. After recent pressure on the UK to switch to an optout system what with numbers of donors so low, we felt like this batch of beer could be a great way to mobilise our army of beer fans to ramp up the numbers on the list.

All good things come to an end, including this beer, and its drinker.”

With the craft beer scene booming, and 300 new craft breweries popping up across Britain in 2015 alone, BrewDog is leading the charge to overthrow the bland industrially produced beer churned out by big faceless companies, with the help of a 46,000 strong army of Equity Punks, and more than 370 Cicerone-trained staff.

The brewery currently has 44 bars and bottle shops, exports to 55 countries, and was recently named as the UK’s 10th fastest growing private business in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100.

Its innovative business model Equity For Punks has also taken more money through crowdfunding than any other business on record.

More information on BrewDog can be found at:

www.brewdog.com

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Drink News

HEINEKEN announces global partnership with Formula One Management HEINEKEN and Formula One Management (FOM) have reached an agreement for Heineken® to become a Global Partner of Formula 1® (F1®).

This significant partnership will start this year at the newly renamed FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO HEINEKEN D’ITALIA 2016, in Monza, and run for a multi-year term.

From the 2017 F1® season onwards, Heineken® will be the F1® Event Title Partner of three Formula 1® Grands Prix (GP). It will also have a significant presence at several additional F1® Events chosen by Heineken® and Formula One Management.

Heineken® will be the exclusive Global Beer Partner of Formula 1® and will also have substantial pouring, activation and access rights across the majority of F1® Events in the FIA Formula One World Championship™. Heineken® will not be visible on any F1® cars.

Heineken® will create fully integrated global F1® ‘Open your World’ manifesto and “If You Drive, Never Drink” campaigns. Activations will include F1® circuit branding, TV commercials, digital activations, live fan experiences and events, dedicated PR initiatives, and packaging/point-of-sale activations.

David Coulthard and Sir Jackie Stewart will be ambassadors for the respective campaigns.

Gianluca Di Tondo, Senior Director Global Heineken® Brand at HEINEKEN, said; “Formula One is bigger than a race. It is a global event. F1 represents a unique opportunity for Heineken to engage with existing and potential consumers in important growth markets.

F1 delivers in three specific areas; strong commercial opportunities; expansion of our responsible drinking platform in new and innovative ways; and enabling skill transfers between F1 and our employees.”

He added: “This partnership complements our existing global platforms, enabling us to reach F1’s huge spectator numbers and 400 million unique television viewers every year. The hallmark of our long and successful relationships with UEFA Champions League, Rugby World Cup and the James Bond franchise is our passion to

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excite our consumers. We will be bringing this passion to Formula One.”

“Heineken is a premium international brand with a super reputation for first class marketing.

I am very pleased to welcome them to the Formula One family and look forward to the scale and quality of their activation at and away from F1 Events. We are both in the innovation and enjoyment business and I hope that this is the start of a long and special relationship. When I have a beer, I have always been happy with a Heineken.”

Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of the Formula One Group Central to the partnership will be a clearly articulated and compelling ‘responsibility’ message. The Formula 1® global platform will provide Heineken® with even greater opportunities, globally and locally, to drive positive change.

Consumers will be left in no doubt that Heineken® and Formula 1® are both clear; “If You Drive, Never Drink.”

The new campaign will build on HEINEKEN’s long standing commitment to use its flagship brand to convey the responsibility message. Heineken® invests 10% of the brand’s global media spend on dedicated responsible consumption campaigns such as Moderate Drinkers Wanted and Dance More Drink Slow. The message is also delivered through sponsorship platforms such as UEFA Champions League and Rugby World Cup where one third of all pitch side advertising is dedicated to the message. As well as at hundreds of music festivals and shows around the world.

The messaging also appeared on more than 8 billion bottles and cans in 2015.

Bernie Ecclestone added; “Some time ago I started a ‘Think Before You Drive’ campaign at F1 Events. I am pleased that this important initiative now has such strong and committed support from Heineken, through its “If You Drive, Never Drink” campaign. We will now evolve and reinforce these messages in a way that reflects the Heineken personality and values.”

ENRICHING FAN EXPERIENCE THROUGH

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS 20 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP

18 YEAR PARTNERSHIP COVERING 7 FILMS

TROPHY TOUR BRINGING THE ENERGY OF THE TOURNAMENT TO FANS IN AFRICA, LATIN AMERICA, ASIA & USA

SPECTRE ACTIVATED IN 90 MARKETS

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ACTIVATED IN 100+ MARKETS, 76% SHARE OF VOICE: (2015-2016 SPONSOR AWARENESS)

PARTNERSHIP DATING BACK TO RUGBY WORLD CUP 1995

INTEGRATED INNOVATIVE CAMPAIGN #ITSYOURCALL 16 MILLION IMPRESSIONS, 471K ENGAGEMENTS

REACHING 400 MILLION UNIQUE TV VIEWERS EVERY YEAR

OVER 1 MILLION CONSUMERS AT 15 HEINEKEN LIVE SITES

EXPANSION OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY PLATFORM

HEINEKEN & FORMULA 1 ®

®

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR HEINEKEN ®

REACHING 400 MILLION UNIQUE TV VIEWERS EVERY YEAR

EXPANSION OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY PLATFORM

SKILLS TRANSFER ADAPT LEARNINGS IN SAFETY, EFFICIENCY AND CO2 REDUCTION

WHAT WE SHARE

PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE AND PROGRESSIVENESS

CREATING ENJOYABLE AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS

BEING IN CONTROL AND PUTTING SAFETY FIRST

OUR STRATEGY OPEN F1® WORLD TO FANS AND CASUAL WATCHERS, GIVING UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO PLACES, PEOPLE AND CONTENT.

THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP HEINEKEN ® EXCLUSIVE GLOBAL BEER PARTNER OF FORMULA 1®

PARTNERSHIP STARTS AT FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO HEINEKEN D’ITALIA 2016

FROM 2017: F1 EVENT TITLE PARTNER OF 3 GPs

SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE AT SEVERAL ADDITIONAL F1 EVENTS

POURING, ACTIVATION AND ACCESS RIGHTS

“IF YOU DRIVE, NEVER DRINK” CIRCUIT BRANDING

AMBASSADORS DAVID COULTHARD & SIR JACKIE STEWART

®

®

NEW FORMAT FOR BACARDÍ LEGACY AS ENTRIES OPEN FOR 2017 COMPETITION BACARDÍ, the world’s most awarded rum, has made a raft of exciting changes to the BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition as the worldrenowned competition returns for its ninth edition in 2017.

Entries are now live for the 2017 competition and for the first time in BACARDÍ Legacy’s history, UK bartenders can use the iconic rum brand’s eight-year-old expression, BACARDÍ Ocho, in their cocktail creations, as well as the brand’s flagship BACARDÍ Carta Blanca and BACARDÍ Carta Oro expressions.

Launched in 2008, the BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition is now firmly established amongst the trade as one of the most prestigious competitions to win, following the success of previous Legacy winners. Renowned for its supportive, familial approach, stage one will see recruitment inspiration seminars taking place across the UK throughout July and early August. These will give bartenders a better understanding of what the judges will be looking for from the bartenders and their cocktail creations. Entries from bartenders in the UK are open until 8th September.

Regional heats will then be held across five cities in September with five regional winners selected to compete against each other at the BACARDÍ Legacy Northern European final, which sees all regions across Northern Europe come together in London on the 8th of November.

most promising from each country allows each brand ambassador to give their full support to their competitor in the run-up to the Grand Final, and given the personal and supportive nature of the competition, this is incredibly important to us. Iain Griffiths did an amazing job representing the UK in the 2016 competition and I can’t wait to find out what talent is out there this year – let’s do it UK!” To enter the competition, bartenders in the UK must register their interest and submit their Legacy cocktail recipe and its inspiration by email to Metinee Kongsrivilai, mkongsrivilai@Bacardi.com.

The BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition is a global search to find a cocktail that can become a true BACARDÍ classic; a cocktail that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with famous cocktails, such as the Daiquiri or Mojito. Since its launch in 2008, BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition has given rise to innovative creations from talented bartenders from some of the top bars in the world; it has also created a network of bartenders who share a bond formed by taking part in this unique competition and who have seen their careers go from strength-to-strength following their participation in Legacy.

2016 winner, Gn Chan from New York’s Angel Share, won with a cocktail inspired by the Piña

Colada with a modern twist, entitled ‘Venceremos’. France’s Franck Dedieu took home the coveted title in 2015 with a cocktail inspired by the Latin culture that he shares with the Bacardí family. Since his win, Franck has served ‘Le Latin’ at industry gatherings such as Tales of the Cocktail and Bar Convent Berlin, raising his profile in the trade significantly.

For further information about the the BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition, visit: www.bacardilegacy.com or check the BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ BacardiLegacyGlobalCocktailCompetition

Below: Gn Chan - 2016 winner from New York’s Angel Share.

From the five regional UK finalists ONE winner will emerge, who will automatically go through the Global final. They will then embark on a five-month promotional campaign to promote their drink ahead of the Global Final, which will take place in Berlin in Spring.

Metinee Kongsrivilai, BACARDÍ Brand Ambassador in the UK, comments: “BACARDÍ has been at the heart of cocktail culture since the very beginning; rum classics such as the Mojito and Daiquiri that grace bars all over the world today simply wouldn’t have been created if it wasn’t for Don Facundo Bacardi Masso creating his revolutionary rum, BACARDÍ Carta Blanca, back in 1862. Just as Don Facundo’s creation has inspired past generations of bartenders, we want to continue his legacy and inspire today’s bartenders to challenge themselves and create a legacy of their own.

We’re thrilled with the changes we’ve made to the competition for 2017 - having just one

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Drink News

Birra Moretti brings an authentic taste of Italy to UK restaurateurs with Le Regionali range Leading Italian lager, Birra Moretti, is introducing two new beers to its range, specifically for the Italian restaurant market.

The two ‘Le Regionali’ beers, ‘Birra Moretti Alla Toscana’ and ‘Birra Moretti Alla Siciliana’ – meaning Birra Moretti in the Tuscan and Sicilian style – pay tribute to the typical flavours and aromas found in Tuscany and Sicily.

Produced in Italy, under the careful care of Birra Moretti’s professional brewmasters, both beers can be enjoyed on their own or as an accompaniment to the rich variety of Italian dishes.

David Lette, Premium Brands Director, said,

“Consumers are seeking more exciting and premium food and drink matches, so this is a great opportunity for Italian restaurateurs to provide authentic, Italian-brewed beers.”

Birra Moretti Alla Toscana - ABV: 5.5% Maremma Barley from Tuscany is the key ingredient to produce this well-rounded and full-bodied beer with a real depth of flavour and will work well with pasta, legumes and cereals dishes.

Birra Moretti Alla Siciliana - ABV: 5.8% Zagara Blossom from lemon and orange trees is used in the brewing process, the result of which is a smooth and intense beer, with a fine, persistent and compact head and slight bitter notes enhanced by citrus and floral notes. This is ideal as an accompaniment to raw or grilled seafood.

Birra Moretti Le Regionali are part of the Birra Moretti Speciality Range.

They are available in 500ml bottles to UK restaurateurs through the Italian wholesale channel.

CAMRA’s new ‘Beer Anthology’ book takes a journey through time Let the words of classic and modern writers take you on a pub crawl through the history and pleasures of beer in a new book, Beer Anthology, edited

by Roger Protz and published on 28 July by the Campaign for Real Ale. This irresistible collection of quotes about beer, pubs and drinking embraces the words of classic writers such as William Blake, AE Housman and Thomas Hardy together with contemporary beer commentators, including Melissa Cole and Breandán Kearney.

The book is a treat to dip into for anyone interested in how our national drink and drinking habits have been reflected across a wide range of sources.

Even Queen Victoria is quoted to say: “Give my people plenty of beer, good

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beer and cheap beer, and you will have no revolution among them.”

CAMRA’s Beer Anthology takes you on a journey through the history of beer, reveals how travellers during or at the end of a long journey were refreshed and explores the history of porter and pale ale and how they evolved.

Among these themes, the book captures the great age of the coach, where many writers, with Dickens and Dr Johnson to the fore, journeyed extensively by horsedrawn conveyance and vividly described the pleasures of their accommodation in roadside inns, often in bleak terrain.

Such legendary literary figures are joined in the book by today’s small army of writers. Rather than commenting on beer in passing, these are dedicated full time to evaluating, researching, analysing, promoting and championing beer.

Beer goes back many centuries.

A Sumerian poet in circa 3000BC, showed that beer was an integral part of daily life in the Old World of North Africa and the Middle East.

“I feel wonderful, drinking beer in a blissful mood with joy in my heart and a happy liver.”

Indeed, this book can help to uplift your mood and to stimulate your love of a good pint - even if it isn’t after one of Dickens’ long horse-drawn coach journeys.

Beer Anthology is available at a range of bookshops including on-line, and also via www.camra.org.uk/shop, RRP £9.99.

Left: Blooming Orchid.

Right: Blossom Tini.

TANQUERAY NO. TEN CELEBRATES SUMMER WITH A SERIES OF TERRACE ACTIVATIONS Diageo Reserve’s super premium gin brand, Tanqueray No. TEN has partnered with a series of London venues and drinks terraces to continue to further drive the popularity of gin throughout the summer months.

The summer terrace experiences include a gin terrace at Swingers in London, the crazy golf themed cocktail bar and food outlet’s first permanent site.

Open now, the gin bar will exclusively serve a range of Tanqueray No. TEN cocktails as well as the classic Tanqueray No. TEN and Tonic with its signature grapefruit wedge.

Coq d’Argent and Gaucho restaurants are also involved and have worked with Tanqueray Brand Ambassador Tim Homewood on bespoke terrace cocktail menus which will be available throughout the summer months. Bar Manager, Federico Geniale at Searcys’ Summer Sky Riviera has also developed a limited

edition cocktail menu which will be available for guests at the summer popup from 25th July to 2nd September.

Tim Homewood commented:

“Consumer interest in gin is at an all-time high and I am incredibly proud to be working with such fantastic accounts to celebrate the classic summer spirit. As we recently celebrated World Gin Day (12 June) and World Martini Day (19 June) it’s the perfect time to launch our terrace experience.

It’s incredibly important that we support the trade, to engage with and educate consumers about gin to help them discover more of this wonderful category. I am really excited to see all of these activations come to life and hopefully welcome new drinkers to Tanqueray No. TEN and the category as a whole.”

Nick Temperley, Head of Diageo Reserve GB added:

“The gin renaissance has been a remarkable movement and recruited many new people into the category. In the ontrade, Tanqueray No. TEN has seen positive growth of 31.7% and 30.5% YOY by volume and value respectively.

At Diageo Reserve, we are committed to the growth of our world class brands and to supporting the trade.

We’re confident that the Tanqueray No. TEN partnerships will provide yet another way that consumers can enjoy great gin drinks in wonderful surroundings. This summer will once again, I’m sure, be the summer of gin.”

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Glasgow Gin Bar Wins Brockmans’ World Gin Day contest A bar in Glasgow has been named winner of the Brockmans World Gin Day 2016 ‘Brocktails’ competition. Gin lovers voted overwhelmingly for the drink developed by Gin Bar 71 in Glasgow: the Irn Bro cocktail.

For World Gin Day on 11th June, Brockmans shortlisted five cocktails devised by bars across the world and invited gin lovers to vote for their favourite. Gin Bar 71 gained 2011 of the 4768 votes, gathered via Facebook.

Bars were invited to enter unique cocktail recipes - dubbed ‘Brocktails’ - resulting in entries from France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, the UK and the USA.

Brockmans announced 5 finalists for World gin Day on 11 June 2016 with a public vote to pick the worldwide winner.

The finalists were: Irn Bro - Gin Bar 71, Glasgow Woman at Night: La Habanera, Madrid Lord of the Gins: The Churchill, New York Black and Stormy: Rev. J. W. Simpson, London Pretty Woman - The Walrus Room, London Bob Fowkes, Co-Founder and Marketing Director of Brockmans Gin, said: “Many of the entries from all over the world were simply brilliant and the five short-listed cocktails were all exceptional. We thank them for entering and congratulate Gin Bar 71 and their cocktail Irn Bro, a truly wonderful twist on a classic.”

Brockmans worked with the mixologists at the Pleased To Meet You bar in Newcastle to create the Brocktail recipes entered. Bob Fowkes added: “We thank PTMY’s team for helping to make this contest so successful and being such a perfect host venue.”

The winning cocktail is a twist on a Negroni - involving equal measures of Brockmans Gin, Aperol and Rinquinquin garnished with a grapefruit twist and blackberry.

Brockmans Summer Punch Brockmans Gin, the superpremium 40% ABV English gin ‘like no other’, brims with botanicals and berry flavours: blueberries, blackberries and Valencian orange peel with notes of lemon, coriander and angelica.

Sometimes, and this is one of those times, an evening summer party is needed to lighten the mood, enjoy good company and celebrate the spirit of summer. Whether you are staging a party or simply hosting guests in a busy bar, punch is perfect for a crowd.

In her excellent book ‘Ten cocktails – the art of convivial drinking’, Alice Lascelles says: “Punch, as a party drink, is pretty much unsurpassed”. It’s a cocktail which has a long and honorable history, stretching back to the beginning of the 17th century.

Not all punch recipes have five ingredients, but the Brockmans Summer Punch follows this classic principle. Its simple, elegant ingredients – blackberries and raspberries - complement the notes in this gin to perfection helping to create a night like no other.

Ingredients for Brockmans Summer Punch: • 50ml Brockmans Gin • 4 Raspberries • 6 Blackberries • 25ml lemon juice • 25ml sugar syrup • Soda water Mint and extra berries to garnish.

Recipe: Add the raspberries, blackberries, lemon juice and sugar syrup into the shaker glass and muddle the ingredients together.

Add Brockmans Gin, fill the glass with ice and shake. To serve, single strain the mixture into the tumbler. Top the rest of the glass with more crushed ice. Add a couple of blackberries and a raspberry, or skewer them for a garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

www.brockmansgin.com

Strongbow launches new ‘Let’s Own It’ campaign to rally the nation behind Team GB for the 2016 Olympic Games Strongbow, the UK’s number one cider brand, has launched a multi-million pound campaign, as part of its exclusive sponsorship of Team GB ahead of Rio 2016.

With an evolved brand positioning ‘Let’s Own It,’ the integrated campaign issues a rallying cry to the nation to get together and roar on Team GB this summer. The campaign will run across a range of media channels including TV, out of home, video on demand, radio, digital and social.

The new TV ad will run from 14 July and will kick off a six week campaign across the nation with a stirring 30 second spot that highlights the tension, excitement and elation of cheering on Team GB. Out of home advertising will ignite the emotions of supporters, featuring the most captivating elements of the games; unity, tension and the thrill of being lost in the moment.

Strongbow’s British heritage and brand values of pride, unity and respect make it a perfect fit with the Team GB ethos. Whilst all eyes are on Rio, Strongbow is firmly positioning itself at the heart of the action with the fans in the UK.

This is the first campaign to run across all Strongbow variants which include Strongbow Original, Strongbow Dark Fruit and Strongbow Cloudy Apple. It is supported in-store with special Team GB packaging across the whole range as well as a chance for consumers to win limited edition Strongbow Cloudy Apple pint glasses.

Cindy Tervoort, Marketing Director at brand owners HEINEKEN said:

“We want to bring back the excitement we all felt during London 2012 and rally the nation to get behind Team GB. The pride and enthusiasm we experienced as a nation in 2012 was incredibly special, and we anticipate that our campaign will help the nation feel it once again.”

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Tech News

PENGUIN UPGRADES KENT UNI’S K-BAR WITH MARTIN AUDIO CDD Situated on the University of Kent’s Canterbury Campus, the popular K-Bar recently underwent a major design overhaul, with the addition of a juice and smoothie bar, and boasting a new state of the art AV system, designed and installed by Penguin Media Solutions.

This includes end to end Martin Audio CDD loudspeakers.

Notes Dylan Thompson, Project Manager and system specifier, “With the arrival of CDD I don’t need to look elsewhere, which is a nice position to be in.

CDD has been a revelation - it’s well priced, sounds great and I can spec it for just about anything.”

Penguin were awarded the contract by Kent Hospitality, which manages all the university’s bars and leisure facilities, having worked for them previously.

“We met Keith Williams, Head of Trading at Kent Hospitality a few years ago now, and he really liked our ideas and approach.”

The brief this time was to develop a technical infrastructure for a multipurpose facility that would trade as a sports bar by day, with a small stage for live bands and DJs coming on weekend nights.

It needed to be cost effective, multi-zonal, for flexible audio and video routing, and offer simple control for bar staff.

And with a C-Burn ‘Secret DJ’ pumping background music through the sound system during daylight hours the CDD has certainly been put through its paces.

Once again working under the project management of John Holley (JSH Project Management) the installation time was an issue as it had to be completed during the Easter recess, so meticulous planning and collaboration with the other trades was essential.

At the Stage end are a pair of CDD10 (10”) speakers, wall-mounted on Powerdrive brackets either side of the stage, and a CSX212 (2 x 12”) sub. Facing this at the opposite end of the room are a pair of CDD8 (8”), left and right and another

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CSX212 sub. “It can therefore function as a 2.1 cinema surround system or for student presentations, while if the DJ wants to work from that end the volume can be adjusted accordingly,” says Dylan.

A separate sofa/loose furniture area, away from the main action, is served by a pair of CDD8, with a further pair of CDD8 providing a warm sound at the bar.

In this four-zone design, any source can be routed to any destination via Soundweb London DSP, operating under the master control of a Crestron processor, which also handles the video routing to the seven screens. All local control is performed from an iPad with a custom user interface from Penguin.

Summing up, Dylan Thompson said, “There were a lot of different speaker brands previously all clashing with each other. By standardising on CDD, and halving the number of boxes the sound has improved massively.”

Explaining the brief Kent Hospitality’s Keith Williams, confirmed that the sound

system element needed to be capable of delivering unobtrusive yet powerful foreground and background sound reinforcement. “We required Penguin to programme the system in zones so that volume across the space could be adjusted according to use and specifics of event. The new CDD system more than met the requirement.

“The clarity of sound is stunning, and the ability to have loud music yet still allow conversation is amazing. The speakers spread sound in a consistent way as you walk through the space.

“At the same time, the speakers themselves are unobtrusive - they blend well and are discreet as requested.”

Finally, he reports that customers have commented on the vast improvement in both sound and visuals within the bar.

“We are grateful to Penguin for recommending the Martin Audio CDD series, which has more than met the brief.”

For more about Martin Audio, please visit:

www.martin-audio.com

With nearly 50 years’ experience supplying vehicles, we can offer a diverse fleet on various short, long and flexi hire options.

Options include: • CDVs LCVs and HGVs available • Chiller / freezer vans • Dual compartment • Box body • Flexi-temperature

14Operational sites giving national coverage of the UK mainland.

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Tech News

“KPs are the key players in the kitchen” says chef Duncan Miller With £10k-worth of prizes in KP of the Year 2016, more chefs shout out for their KPs John Whyte and Duncan Miller work at two of Northern Ireland’s most popular hospitality establishments, the former Head Chef at Armagh City Hotel, the latter Galgorm Resort & Spa. Both spoke in support of Winterhalter’s Kitchen Porter of the Year awards, discussing the KP’s importance not just in their restaurants, but in any commercial kitchen.

“Our hotel has a five-star rating, and it’s not just the chefs that are involved in that, it’s mainly the KPs,” says John Whyte.

“They’re the ones who are making the kitchen run smoothly. They often help the chefs, too; their day is endless.”

Promoting the role of KP may inspire those unsure about career choices to consider hospitality. After all, it involves working closely with chefs in the heart of busy kitchens, and as a result chefs often take on mentoring roles with their KPs. For John Whyte and the Armagh’s original KP, David Aliam, this was very much the case.

“When David began working here he was an ideal KP, but he was actually very good at school as well, and he was set to go to university. He went but dropped out, and came back and asked for my advice. I got

him into college, and now he’s just finished a Culinary Arts degree.

“It just shows how much a KP can actually progress.”

Duncan Miller, Head Chef at Galgorm Resort & Spa also emphasises the important relationship between KP and chef.

“A lot of people may look down on kitchen porters, but they are a key part of the inner workings of any restaurant or hotel,” says Duncan. “Always look after them, keep them close to you; you never get on the wrong side of your KP.” Like John, Duncan started his career in hospitality as a kitchen porter, as well as a waiter. His current sous chef was also a KP. “Chefs that didn’t start as KPs often don’t see how important they are,” he says.

“Any that haven’t done it, should go and do it for a while and see what’s really going on and how hard it is.”

KP of the Year was developed by Winterhalter UK to reward and recognise the hard work of KPs across the country – and there are prizes worth over £10,000 up for grabs. “It’s one of the most important roles within the brigade,” says Stephen Kinkead, Managing Director of Winterhalter. “Whilst it’s also one of the toughest, the careers of chefs like John

Above: Duncan Miller Head Chef at Galgorm Resort Spa. and Duncan show just where it can lead.”

For more information about the competition and how to enter, head to kpoftheyear.com.

The deadline for entries is 5th August 2016.

Winterhalter provides a total solution for warewashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales service, training and maintenance.

Alongside its market-leading dish and glasswashers, the company’s range includes utensil washers, advanced water treatment machines, cleaning chemicals and detergents.

For further details, call Winterhalter on: 01908 359000 info@winterhalter.co.uk www.winterhalter-scout.biz

www.winterhalter.co.uk

Locale’s new menus up ‘wow’ factor with eclectic tableware and glassware Parsley in Time helps deliver point of difference to chic Blackheath restaurant and bar Locale in Blackheath is part of the London based Locale Group and is a popular, chic restaurant and bar. A grand salvaged wooden staircase sweeps customers up to the main room with its vintage copper cocktail bar, high ceiling and signature chandeliers.

The menu focuses on speciality grilled meats and seafood, cooked in a charcoal oven, and a ‘raw bar’ serving sushi and ceviche. This is a venue packed with personality so when the restaurant decided to change its food and drink menus, it went to Parsley in Time, the company specialising in the out of the ordinary, for tableware and glassware to match its décor and style.

“We have always been a restaurant offering fresh and seasonal cuisine,” says Mark Evans, Director of the Locale Group. “Our latest food menu features sharing grilled meats, including whole leg of suckling lamb and a Tomahawk steak, as well as fresh lobster, scallops in the shell and fruits de mer platters. On the bar our mixologists create a wonderful collection of cocktails with seasonal ingredients, fruits and botanicals.”

Locale was looking for glassware and tableware that would show off its food and drink menus to their best. At the same time the products had to be on trend and

appropriate for the heritage feel of the venue.

“We have worked with Parsley in Time for many years and they have always been on hand when we have a requirement,” says Mark. “They’ve been with us as we develop different menu ideas, helping us with solutions to show off our food and drink. They offer a personal, one-to-one service where we sit and discuss ideas and solutions. Samples are no problem and allow us to play around with different ideas before we settle on something.

“We also can get different solutions for different budgets. We may go with a basic plate for regular dishes and then some signature plates for specials, to highlight them.”

Another reason for using Parsley in Time is the comprehensive range the company offers. Marketing Manager Rob Blunderfield says, “The new tableware is an eclectic mix that reflects the diversity of Locale’s menu.

For example, the Churchill Zen tableware is ideal for the Asian-inspired dishes, while Steelite’s Craft range is perfect for the shared joints of meat. We’ve also used products from Utopia and Artis.”

Previously Locale had mainly used traditional plain white crockery.

With the new menu the restaurant wanted to introduce some colour to the table.

“Through discussions and sampling of products we managed to narrow things

down to get a final offering,” says Rob. “Obviously they didn’t want to throw everything away and start from scratch, so Locale introduced new items in glass, metal and different colours of crockery which worked really well with their existing white crockery. The combination of the new menu and new tableware delivers a real ‘wow’ factor.”

Mark is delighted not only with the look but also the variety of tableware he can access. “We no longer have to compromise on presentation to make it work on the plate, since there is almost an infinite choice of sizes, shapes and styles.

It’s great.”

When it came to the drinks menu, Locale was looking for specific new glassware for the new cocktails.

Rob says, “These days there is a huge range of different glassware designs.

Bringing in a few new glasses was both a cost effective and eye catching way to showcase Locale’s expanding cocktail list.”

“The Amboise stemmed goblet is one of our favourite glasses,” says Mark.

“It’s a heavyweight with bags of style.

We also really like the Melodia Hi-Ball and Old-Fashioned glasses. But there’s no doubt about our favourite: it’s the Minners Martini vintage glassware, which is delightful and has a beautiful engraved design. A great product at a really great price.”

Feedback from both staff and customers on the new menus and the new tableware and glasses has been very positive.

Mark says, “We like clean designs that let the food and drink do the talking. We also like longevity and no-chip guarantees!

Parsley in Time totally get all of that and they help us deliver a real point of difference.”

For more information, and to shop online, visit: www.parsleyintime.co.uk For expert advice on tableware and light equipment, or to enquire about exclusive products, call: 020 8317 5080 or email: info@parsleyintime.co.uk For more on Locale restaurants visit: www.localerestaurants.com

Above: New tableware at Locale from Parsley in Time.

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Venue Insight

Teambuilding in Guildford in the heart of Surrey

Choosing to hold in an event in Guildford or the surrounding county of Surrey presents many opportunities to inspire your team with specialist team building events.

Barnett Hill, just outside Guildford, specialises in events for Team Building.

Using their own Sundial Teamscapes they can utilise all of their 26 acres of grounds and ample indoor space to host a whole range of team building events.

They have plenty of inspiring ideas to suit all needs and budgets. For example, culinary challenges, laser pigeon shooting, race nights, ice sculpting and treasure hunts.

Teamscapes has been developed over the last 25 years and specialises in experiential learning to generate positive, long-lasting

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individual and team development skills.

Teamscapes is also great fun! They help teams achieve their goals with a bespoke programme that is measurable, promising you a return on your training investment.

Many of their outdoor activities are permanently erected around the grounds of Barnett Hill and can be made available for use even at short notice. More information can be found on The Teamscapes website www.sundialteamscapes.com

Denbies Wine Estate is also perfect for team building and rewarding staff.

Situated in Dorking, Surrey surrounded by 265 acres of vineyards it is perfect for both outdoor and indoor team building events.

Denbies purpose built conference facilities are an integral part of the working winery and vineyard, providing a complete range of versatile function rooms and facilities. Denbies offers a unique setting for meetings and can be hired out for all occasions and with a choice of meeting rooms that accommodate from 6 to 500 delegates (including breakout rooms).

Outdoor and All-Weather Team building including using The Bacchus Field, located at the side of the estate building.

It is a ‘blank canvas’ of approximately 3 acres which is ideal for Corporate Away Days/Family days/Team building.

The ability to erect marquees here means you can book your event without watching the weather.

The Lawn, at the front of the main building – can accommodate up to 200 guests for a team building event, marquee cover enables your event to take place in any weather and a full catering service is available in both areas.

Team Building and Specialist Wine Events – include: Wine Tasting Challenge; Hawk and Walk; Horse & Carriage rides; Archery; Chocolate making; Cheese making; Music Workshop; Balloon Challenge; Bridge build challenge; Vineyard Treasure Hunt; Harvest Grape picking Experience (available October only).

Reservations/enquiries: events@denbiesvineyard.co.uk T: 01306 742224

www.denbies.co.uk

july/AUGUST 2016

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Venue Insight

exclusive hire: BFI IMAX

The BFI IMAX, London’s biggest film venue and one of the most-loved attractions in South Bank’s cultural district, a stone’s throw from Waterloo Station.

This imposing cinema, which sits right in the heart of South Bank, was originally designed by Bryan Avery and completed in 1999.

The venue has won several awards at the time of opening, including a Design Council Millennium Product Award in 1999 and a Civic Trust Award in 2000. It is owned by the British Film Institute and since July 2012 has been operated by Odeon Cinemas.

BFI IMAX boats the largest screen in Britain, 20m high and 26m wide. It has a seating capacity of just under 500 and a 12,000 Watt digital surround sound system. Although it is surrounded by traffic and has an underground line

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just four metres below, the architects and engineers accounted for this in their design and the entire upper structure sits on anti-vibration bearings to ensure maximum noise insulation.

BFI IMAX features a 498 - seat auditorium, as well as two spacious foyers and an advanced digital stereo system which provides crystal clear surround sound. It is a popular choice for launches, award ceremonies and

conferences.

Auditorium The BFI IMAX auditorium has 15 tiers of raked seats, including ones with wheelchair access, so everyone can clearly see the 20m x 26m screen.

As well as having the biggest screen in Britain, it’s also one of the best equipped for sound and projection technology, and you can set up temporary stages in front of the screen

to introduce your event.

Ground Floor The ground floor at BFI IMAX is a great space for a reception, with capacity for 450 guests standing or 250 seated for dinner.

In the ground floor café there’s also space for receptions of up to 150 guests or 100 seated for quizzes and Q&As, and we can partition off the space with tassel curtains so it’s semi-private.

BFI IMAX’s impressive list of clients includes Disney, Warner Bros, Hachette and London Business Forum.

First Floor The first floor foyer is a uniquely customisable area, from launch events, dinner parties to brand presentations or receptions for up to 450 people.

Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Room capacities: Private access to the venue, though the public may be in other parts of the building. All event • Stadium-style seating for up to 498, staff (but not catering), use of lightboxes, including wheelchair spaces • Ground floor auditorium – 350 capacity monitors, power supply, PA system.

• First floor foyer – 450 capacity

Special features: • Fully licensed and air-conditioned • IMAX 2D and 3D, 70mm and 35mm film projectors • Britain’s biggest cinema screen 20m x 26m

Auditorium Private access to the venue, though the public may be in other parts of the building.

All event staff (but not catering), cloakroom, power supply, PA system.

“Not only are the space and facilities at BFI IMAX fantastic, so are the staff. They were incredibly supportive when we wanted to try different things and brand the entire venue for our award ceremony.”

For any further information on BFI IMAX, contact:

Fairbridge Charity

Carita Alvis of Lee, Sales & Events Co-ordinator +44 (0) 207 766 1875 +44 (0)7831 606 675 calvisoflee@odeonuk.com

What’s included when you hire BFI IMAX? The entire venue All event staff (but not catering), use of lightboxes, monitors, power supply, PA system.

BFI IMAX is a member of South Bank Venues, the official venue collective representing all the most unique event venues in London’s South Bank.

First floor foyer

southbanklondon.com/venues

Tech News

Shape Shifting Venues Attendees are increasingly looking to be wowed by the events they attend, forcing the hospitality and entertainment sectors to push the boundaries when it comes to venue choice and guest experience.

One way organisers have done this is by creating shape-shifting venues that combine events of different genres.

One way organisers are offering their guests this enhanced experience is by combining sport and music events under the same roof, and with this comes specific challenges and safety considerations, as Symphotech’s Julian Spear explains...

With experience in event safety management, fire safety, event production, noise management and orchestral sound design, the Symphotech team helps clients deliver safe and successful events. In recent years, we’ve seen in increase in shape-shifting venues as organisers look to offer their guests something more. An example of this is The Jockey Club Live, a unique series of concerts which combine horse racing with a spectacular line-up of music, and unlike ordinary concerts, transforming a sports ground into a music venue requires different considerations when it comes to health and safety.

Multi-genre shows create different crowd dynamics with some people attending for the sport side, some for the concert only and some for both.

With people coming and going throughout the whole day, as opposed to a set start and finish time, planning needs to be done to ensure smooth entry and moreso egress throughout the event.

Close contact with the licensing authority is critical for the change of activity in determining capacities and use, for example sports grandstands may not be structurally designed to withstand a rock or pop audience bouncing up and down through their three minute favourite. Structural calculations need to take the new audience stresses into consideration. The type of music genre is also critical in defining the demographic of the audience; as different acts will need a completely different make up of

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stewarding, pit crews and medical cover, and a new fire risk assessment needs to be done.

When planning an event at outdoor venues, such as show grounds or racecourses, the weather is a big factor.

From sunshine to rain, all conditions have an impact on the audience, so crowd safety and contingency planning needs to be done for all eventualities.

Organisers who are looking to utilise their sporting venue for music events need to take into account a number of factors including traffic management plans, fire risk assessment, the change in crowd dynamics, exit and entry strategies and licensing capacity. For The Jockey Club Live events, we write a full event safety plan for the concert element of the show that dovetails in with the course plan for racing, and we carry out all the due diligence and safety checks on all contractors entering the site for the concert build. We monitor all of the construction on site including production load-ins, in-line with the CDM regulations introduced in 2015, and monitor the crowd and pit area during the show.

When the show finishes, we monitor all the production load out and stage deconstruction.

Venue managers that have the option to host multi-genre events have the

opportunity to offer guests an enhanced experience and maximise their venue.

The events industry is booming and consumers have never had more choice when it comes to choosing the perfect event for them, and we predict we’re set to see a rise in the number of mutli-genre events which appeal to audiences looking to get something unique out of their day.

In these pictures (top to bottom): The Jockey Club Live, Waltham Forest Council and below, Symphotech’s Director -Julian Spear.

Tech News

SHEER ‘BRILLIANCE’! Elegant, durable one-piece stemware from Artis The 2016 Artis catalogue includes Brilliance, an elegant new collection of one-piece stemware from Libbey.

BRILLIANCE The Brilliance collection is particularly suited to establishments where there is a need to combine style with durability, such as gastro pubs, banqueting, wine bars or busy restaurants. It is one-piece stemware, with taller, slimmer stems than is often found in one-piece glassware.

There are four different sizes in the collection – 25cl, 35cl, 43cl and 55cl and they all benefit from Libbey’s exclusive ‘Lifetime Foot & Rim’ warranty, which means that should they chip, they will be replaced without quibble.

List prices for the range are as follows: 25cl £2.78; 35cl £2.98; 43cl £3.32; and 55cl £3.58. For more information on the Brilliance range go to: www.artis-uk.com/productlist or call Artis direct on: 020 8391 5544

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