Venue Insight Magazine - May/June 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 MAY/JUNE 2016

Rooftop Venues London

Summer Cocktails

HRGO Recruitment

www.venue-insight.com

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Contents Hello

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

As the warmer weather approaches it brings us a reminder that Summer is just around the corner. So to start the season off with a bang, we bring you a bold and bright issue to reflect the joy of long hazy nights, subtle sounds and all round good times.

We take a visually stunning and in depth look at some of London’s rooftop venues including where to find them.

Europa International discuss the term ‘rider’ and with it, the random demands of working in the entertainment industry.

Staffing specialists HRGO Recruitment ask the question ‘Is your event staffing simply the best?’

Hooch launch their first ever digital only campaign - to find out more jump to page 32.

If you have any industry news including product or business launches, please email them to editor@venue-insight.com for consideration in future issues.

Enjoy the read!

10. Bars

S ummer C ocktails

sales manager Jon McIntosh jon@venue-insight.com 01634 568928 Design Karl Speller design@venue-insight.com 01634 568927

Features

FULL CONTENTS

20. Clubs

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7. We Are FSVTL

6. Public House

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

publisher Robert Robinson Crystal Design & Media Ltd 01634 568925

David Sullivan - Editor

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

10. London Rooftop Venues

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14. Furniture Trends Europa International

14

‘Once upon a series of time

24. Drink

consuming rider requests’

44. Food

16. Bar Equipment

46. Tech

28. Kent Cider Company 32. Hooch -

32

New Digital Campaign

34. Summer Cocktails

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32. Recruitment Feature HRGO Recruitment

‘Is Your Event Staffing Simply The Best?’

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:

Front Cover image supplied by Belt & Braces (PR Team) Rooftop Film Club, (see page 11)

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Expert Insights

NEWS FROM THE ALMR

Apprenticeship NIC abolition will encourage growth, says ALMR

During an engaging session at the ALMR’s recent Spring Conference, we discussed some of the problems that licensed hospitality venues face recruiting the best staff. It is an open secret that some businesses have struggled to recruit highly trained chefs and can face problems attracting the best new recruits.

Commenting on the Government’s response to the pubs code consultation, ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said:

The problem is not helped by the fact that some operators have concerns that the forthcoming EU referendum will cloud the issue. Recruitment can be something of a stumbling block for pubs, bars and nightclubs which is a shame when you consider the great range of opportunities we can offer.

Part of the ALMR’s work to promote job in the sector will be to identify those staff members who have made the journey from the bar or the kitchen to the boardroom. We are looking for individuals who exemplify the diversity of the sector and opportunities it presents. If you or one of your team fits the bill then please contact the ALMR to help us promote the exciting career options we offer and encourage more people outside the sector to take notice of our great work.

We know that our industry offers transferable skills and provides crucial opportunities for young people looking to take their first steps on a long and rewarding career. One of the tasks we face is making sure that we get that message out and ensure that local and national authorities are aware of everything we currently provide and

“The uncertainty surrounding the details of the code has had a major impact on investment and planning across the sector. Businesses need stability and certainty in order to function effectively and this lack of security and concern over the particulars of the code has not made life easier for licensees. The publication of the code finally brings a much needed sense of clarity that should give licensees the stability they need to move forward.

all that we can offer employees.

Perhaps our biggest problem is the unfortunate perception that licensed hospitality offers only stop-gap employment. We are perceived as being an option only for those in need of temporary work or summer jobs or to fill to transitory void for school leavers. While we do offer valuable temporary work for those looking to earn some money, we also provide training and opportunities for our staff to begin a journey that can lead them from the bar to the boardroom.

Young people beginning work serving drinks in a nightclub can find themselves managing teams and venues within a relatively short period of time. From there the sector offers a plethora of options across an industry that incorporates aspects of businesses as diverse as marketing and finance, to HR and event management.

The ALMR’s primary focus now will be ensuring that operators understand the new requirements, know what to expect from their pub company and are aware of what is expected of them.

We will be working to provide guidance to ensure that licensees are equipped to enter into commercial agreements and that problems are avoided before they have a chance to develop.

We will be working closely with the BII to develop a detailed Q&A about the code and providing seminars for lessees to help them understand their obligations and plan accordingly.”

Apprenticeship NIC abolition will encourage growth, says ALMR The abolition of National Insurance contributions for apprentices aged under 25 will provide a boost for businesses, according to the ALMR. The measure was announced at the 2014 Autumn Statement and came into effect last week.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said:

“This is a positive move from the Government and should go some way to helping businesses

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invest in their staff and boost apprenticeship take up.

Scrapping NICs for apprentices under the age of 25 will reduce financial burdens for employers and allow them to push that money back into training and further employment.

There is certainly more the Government can do if they want to further encourage apprenticeships and reach their

goal of 3 million. The ALMR has been pushing for measures to encourage apprenticeships including additional funding and bonuses for those businesses that take on an apprentice.

A similar scrapping of NICs which extends to all employees, not just apprentices, under the age of 25 would provide an even greater boost for employers and allow them to continue growing both their businesses and their local economies.”

Why choose mySolution to provide your solution?

Every business has different needs and requirements.

When it comes to Information Technology, we believe that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution.

Your business requirements will drive the the solution to your specific problem and define the available budget.

Therefore, mySolution make understanding your business our primary objective. Our independance from any hardware or software suppliers coupled with our broad range of experience ensures you get the most appropriate solution for your problem.

We pride ourselves on forming close relationships with our clients that enable us to not just to solve their exsiting problem, but forsee their future requirements too.

This approach allows us to ensure that you make the best decisions now when deciding your current and future IT spend.

www.mysolutionuk.com

T: 020 8123 9652

E: support@mysolutionuk.com

News

CPL Online announced as a Registered Provider with the CPD Standards Office Based in Merseyside, CPL Online – a leading software company in the hospitality sector, has been announced as an official Registered Provider with the CPD Standards Office. After meeting the criteria for CPD assessment in February 2016, the accreditation relates to three courses within CPL’s newly launched ‘Next Generation’ e-Learning series.

CPD professionals are now able to use the specific courses to request a ‘CPD Certificate of Attendance’, which can be recorded within their formal CPD requirements for their professional body, institute or employer.

The courses, which are officially accredited activities, include: ‘Fire Awareness’ ‘Food Safety’ and ‘Health and Safety’.

As a company that has achieved significant growth since its inception in 2010, the accreditation marks an important landmark

in CPL Online’s history. It represents a clear commitment to sustainable development for individuals and organisations, a vital CPD principle. The vast community of CPD Standards Office is expected to present fresh networking opportunities and open new markets for CPL Online.

David Dasher, Managing Director of CPL Online, added: “The CPD accreditation of our ‘Next Generation’ e-Learning courses is a marvellous achievement. The accreditation affirms our new products with the utmost credibility, but most importantly, it allows each professional to achieve the skills and knowledge to maintain a sustainable and competitive advantage.”

The ‘Next Generation’ e-Learning courses have unique features that aim to increase course success rates and deliver significant cost savings for businesses.

Primarily engineered and built for mobile

usage, life is made easier by accessing the ‘Next Generation’ e-Learning courses ‘on the go’. They are compatible with any platform and benefit from a range of diverse features, such as Language Translation Support, Gamification, and 2D & 3D animation.

Each course also benefits from refreshed content and a revamped interface.

By providing an enhanced user experience, it delivers e-Learning in a way which is one step ahead of the market.

Dasher also commented: “CPL Online has come a long way in such a short space of time. Since 2010, we have built an enviable team, worked with blue chip clients, and now received recognition from a prestigious global organisation.

On behalf of CPL Online, I’d like to thank the CPD Standards Office, we look forward to the CPD professionals using our innovative online platforms for future career development.”

Craft gin makers must ‘skill up’ to succeed Education and qualifications can help new wave of distillers The growth of craft distilleries around the world is fuelling a similar growth in demand for professional distilling qualifications, according to figures from the Institute of Brewing & Distilling (IBD), revealed by the IBD’s President-elect, Professor Katherine Smart, at the Gin Guild’s Ginposium 2016 held at the beginning of May. The IBD has seen candidate numbers for its distilling examinations soar over recent years.

This year, 223 candidates will sit the General Certificate in Distilling, representing an 80% increase since 2010, and 159 will take the next stage Diploma in Distilling - a 65% hike. It has also launched a new Master Distiller qualification, aimed at senior managers, which will see the first series of examinations in June 2017.

Professor Smart said, “We welcome the new wave of craft gin makers, who have attracted a wider consumer base and reinvigorated the category.

However, it’s important that these new distillers equip themselves with the right level of technical knowledge to produce a consistently high quality spirit.

“Technical training to the standard set by the IBD’s distilling qualifications will ensure that craft gin makers can distil in the confidence that their product will taste the same, batch after batch.”

The IBD qualification structure caters for everyone

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in the distilling industry from newcomers to experienced professionals, with four examinations. For most of these, individuals are able to acquire the requisite knowledge either by attending classroom based courses delivered by IBD accredited trainers, or by completing the IBD’s on-line learning programme. It is also possible to sit all modules together, or take them over a number of years, depending on the candidate’s previous knowledge and which qualification they are aiming for.

The IBD is proud of the broad appeal of its examinations, as its Chief Executive Officer Jerry Avis explains, “Our examinations are designed to be accessible to all candidates, whether they are working for a global spirits company or a small craft distillery. The earlier stages of examinations are in multiple choice format, which are still demanding but easier for candidates with English as a second language.

“To succeed in the increasingly crowded spirits market, it is crucial that distillers underpin their passion for the product with knowledge from a trusted source.”

The IBD is staging the next Worldwide Spirits Convention in 29th May - 1st June 2017. Held in Glasgow, with the theme “Local Roots; Global Reach: Delivering Distilling Expertise to the World”; further details can be found at:

www.wdsc2017.org

IBD QUALIFICATIONS FOR DISTILLING PROFESSIONALS Fundamentals of Distilling: designed for nontechnical personnel working in the distilling industry, who would benefit from background knowledge in spirits production.

General Certificate in Distilling: provides international recognition of a basic, underpinning knowledge and understanding in the principles of distilling. Candidates have to answer a core section plus one elective section, choosing from Cereal, Sugar Cane Molasses or Grape.

Diploma in Distilling: provides international recognition of comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the principles of distilling.

Master Distiller: a new qualification, with the first candidates sitting examinations in 2017.

Master Distiller is the most advanced distilling qualification from the IBD and candidates are likely to be in senior production management roles.

Above: Professor Katherine Smart, Presidentelect of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, talks about education, at Ginposium 2016.

We Are FSVTL

eekend oldest w b d bass to n a t ewes drum & n g e in y th la is P field in SVTL e UK. We Are F ic festival for th x based WW1 air us an Esse dance m ance in d m a e mainstr r.

Upminste

Designed as a series of themed zones, allowing you to choose where best to suit your mood and entertainment.

Headliners include; Fatboy Slim, Steve Angello, DJ Snake, DJ Fresh, Sigma, Tchami, Loco Dice, Sven Vath, The Martinez Brothers, Armand Van Helden, Becky Hill, Tensnake and much more.

To view the line-up or to look at booking tickets, please visit:

www.wearefstvl.com

Public House News

The right glass, the right gin and a winning team – Amber Taverns’ recipe for success At a time when so many pubs are closing, it is fascinating to see how the successful NW-based pub group, Amber Taverns, has grown and flourished. Seven years ago, Amber comprised just 10 pubs in the North West of England; now there are 117 outlets across the country. They have opened approximately one new pub per month – and the expansion continues with at least five planned over the coming weeks and months.

Gary Roberts, Operations Director, Founder and a Shareholder in the business, puts success down to picking great people and serving great drinks – like Brockmans Gin, of which he, and his customers are huge fans.

“We have a unique operator agreement and give the people who run our pubs a percentage of turnover and a large amount autonomy on how they operate”. The ‘semiunbranded’ outlets enable managers to take ownership. They pick their people carefully.

“Some are former tenants of other pubs but our recruitment policy means that we also often partner with people who have never worked in the industry. They bring different skill sets but, most importantly, we recruit people who have a great personality. No one wants to drink in a pub where the landlord has had a worse day than you, and shows it.

You come to our pubs for a great time: and our team are intent on great drinks, served happily”.

Amber Taverns’ management team spends an enormous amount on its buildings.

When they buy an outlet, they refurbish to high standards. Importantly, for Gary Roberts, it’s not just the customer space that is important. “We refurbish everything - including giving the landlords high quality

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accommodation. If they are happy upstairs in their flat above the pub, they’ll be happy downstairs serving customers too,” he says.

Training and support is also important.

Whilst there is autonomy, enabling the managers to take ownership, they always have input and a safety net of the regional managers and head office. It’s a formula that is clearly working.

It is obvious, however, from speaking with Gary that success has also come from the business acumen and attention to detail of the management team. When they bought a Varsity pub in Bolton– “very industrial, all concrete and girders” – Gary Roberts said they asked themselves if they could do something different with it.

Here’s where the attention to detail kicks in.

He spotted a female customer ordering a gin and tonic but, when it was served in a straight glass rather than the bowl she’d enjoyed before, she switched to half a pint of lager instead. “Because we didn’t have the right glass, we made an 85 pence sale instead of a sale worth over £5 and we failed to serve the customer the drink that she really wanted.

That rang bells with me,” says Gary. After this observation, reviewing the enormous space in Bolton, the idea of Hogarth’s Gin Palaces was born. There are now seven and not one is in the obvious metropolitan club and bar centres like Manchester, Leeds or London.

In addition to the original Gin Palace in Bolton, these Victoriana offerings have been opened in Preston, Ilkeston, Wakefield, South Shields, Swansea and, most recently, Leicester.

The décor is rich woodwork, stained glass and the cosiness combined with grandeur that you would association with a Victorian Gin Palace.

Each operates slightly differently. In Bolton for example, there is a mezzanine and a stage where live music is a popular feature. There is sport but also a snug area for those who want to talk not view entertainment.

Despite the name, these seven establishments are 75% traditional pub, with gin and other premium spirits accounting for the remaining 25% of sales. They stock 158 gins across the estate with most Gin Palaces listing around 130. “Brockmans Gin is one of the top three everywhere,” says Gary Roberts. “It’s our entry to the category. When people say they dislike gin, the Hogarth’s Gin Palace bartenders are likely to tell them ‘You do – you just haven’t found the gin you like. Yet!’ We serve them a Brockmans and Ginger Ale with blueberries and blackberries and suddenly they love gin.

At least, they love Brockmans Gin”.

Until recently, Brockmans has only been available in Hogarth’s but in recent weeks the entire estate stocks it. The management team sees the potential. They have invited Brockmans’ Brand Ambassador for the UK, Mike Whatmough, to run a series of masterclasses for the staff and to launch an internal cocktail development completion.

“Brockmans is spearheading our new cocktails,” says Gary Roberts.

Brockmans, often dubbed a ‘gin like no other’ is proving its worth in this exceptional group of pubs.

www.ambertaverns.co.uk www.brockmansgin.com

Brakspear reopens Cotswolds pub Pub operator and brewer Brakspear has reopened one of its eight managed pubs, the George Townhouse in Shipston-on-Stour, after a major refurbishment.

Brakspear bought the George, a Grade II listed building, in May last year. The renovation embraced the whole site, from patio, bar and dining areas to the 15 en-suite bedrooms.

The project, completed by Brakspear’s inhouse design team, has given the pub an elegant yet casual feel, by skilfully blending contemporary, quirky features with the site’s Georgian heritage.

The George Townhouse offers a number of spaces for drinking and dining from the large, open bar with a wide range of cask ales, wines and a speciality gin list, to the 40 cover Pantry restaurant, the Carriage Room for private dining and the Garden Room overlooking the decked patio area.

Food at the George Townhouse is produced

by Head Chef James Neve, with direction from Brakspear’s Executive Chef Antony Ely. Dishes are created from British or local and seasonal produce wherever possible, as evidenced in the Pantry’s ‘Within Five Miles’ English breakfast. Other food offers include ‘Sunday Family Serve Roasts’ and afternoon tea with Champagne and gin options.

Upstairs, the 15 individually decorated bedrooms come with en-suite rainfall showers and/or roll-top baths. An elegant heritage colour palette is offset by antiques painted in contemporary colours and dramatic graphic print wallpapers, while soft velvet, mohair and woollen furnishings and Egyptian

cotton sheets add to the luxurious feel.

Brakspear Chief Executive Tom Davies said, “We’re delighted with the refurbishment, which has given the George Townhouse a new identity that sets it apart from other drinking and dining spots in Shipston and the surrounding area.

“We’re confident it will quickly become popular with locals wanting a drink or bite to eat, diners looking for restaurant quality food in an informal setting, as well as the many visitors wanting to stay in the town overnight or longer.”

The refurbished George bolsters Brakspear’s presence in the Cotswolds, where we now have

four managed pubs. While each will retain its own unique character, they will also have some shared elements across design, service style and food and drink offers, so that customers know what to expect from a Brakspear managed pub.”

Brakspear’s eight strong managed estate includes three more pubs in the Cotswolds: the Church Street Townhouse in Stratford-onAvon and the award winning Porch House and the Grapevine, both in Stow-on-the-Wold, as well as the Bull on Bell Street in Henley-onThames; Running Horses in Mickleham, Surrey; Chequers in Marlow and the Pocket Watch in Shepherds Bush. The Grapevine closes this month for a refurbishment.

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Venue Insight

STRAIGHT OUTTA HOXTON

Queen of Hoxt on 1-5 Cu rtain Ro ad EC2A 3 JX

033 377 2

0020

ROOFTOP FILM CLUB RETURNS TO ROOFTOPS ACROSS THE CITY Fresh from conquering NYC and LA, Rooftop Film Club kicks off across London from May. Delicious pop-ups Forza Win and RockaDollar Dogs join the Rooftop family.

A very special Star Wars: The Force Awakens ‘Lightsaber’ screening took place on May the Fourth.

Expect high quality coffee all Summer as new sponsor, ‘Nespresso’, comes on board.

London’s favourite skyward cinephiles, Rooftop Film Club, are once again bringing their own brand of movie magic to the city’s iconic skyline. This summer, Rooftop Film Club presented by Nespresso, will be bigger than ever before, serving up cult and classic movies across four of London’s finest rooftops, as well as a sizzling line-up of Hollywood blockbusters fresh from the editing suite.

Last summer saw over 300 sold out screenings across London, New York and LA, so don’t miss your chance to get tickets for the ultimate film experience coming soon to a rooftop near you.

The 2016 season awakened with a very special screening of the latest Star Wars epic on ‘May the Fourth’ at Peckham’s beloved Bussey Building. In reaction to the killjoy Multiplexes’ nationwide ban on the iconic lightsaber, Rooftop Film Club offered free tickets to followers of The Force that arrived armed and ready to take on the First Order.

May the Fourth be with you.

Beth King - Beth@beltandbracespr.com: 020 3637 0111 or Phil Savage - Phil@beltandbracespr.com: 020 3637 0111

This year, film loving Londoners can indulge their inner foodie with bespoke menus from two of London’s most exciting pop-ups, lauded Italian supper club, Forza Win, and Hawksmoor Knightsbridge Head Chef Richard Sandiford’s solo venture, RockaDollar Dogs.

Nespresso will be on hand to serve up some top quality coffee cocktail classics, including the ultimate Nespresso Martini, plus there will be some delectable summer cocktails whipped up by the Spirted Mixers team.

With unmissable pop-up food, delicious cocktails, state of the art equipment and comfy seats in a truly unique urban environment, Rooftop Film Club offers screenings with altitude.

May also saw the Rooftop Film Club return to the Queen of Hoxton in Shoreditch (2nd May), The Roof Gardens in Kensington and Roof East in Stratford (3rd May), hosting twilight screenings until September 2016. A jam-packed May line-up boasts a unique selection of cherished classics, such as Blade Runner, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Goonies, alongside recent Academy nods The Big Short, Creed and The Danish Girl. Whether it’s a cult movie with your mates or a romcom with your better half, the Rooftop Film Club’s got something for everyone this Summer.

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For further information about these very unique film events please contact our PR team at Belt & Braces:

up above

the streets

. . . s e s u o h d n a

UES OFTOP VEN LONDON RO

rooftop many hidden to ic st o h is offer fantast London e those that ar e er as h l T el . venues pital as w ews of the ca opular and panoramic vi ng part of p ei b es u n ve some arks. of iconic landm t locates 46 Venue Insigh s! treasure

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The Print Room: 21 21 The Market, Covent Garden, WC2E 8RD

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15 14

13

020 7836 2137

Sky Garden

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20 Fenchurch Street EC3M 3BY

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2

033 3772 0020

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1

26

41

35

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n o d n lo

p o t f roo es venu

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24

Terrace Restaurant National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 9PX

Sushisamba

110 Bishopsgate EC2N 4AY

020 7452 3555

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3 45 32 5

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7

020 3640 7330

37 42 1. Aqua Spirit, 5th floor, 240 Regent Street, W1B 3BR

8. Coq d’Argent, 16 Kirby Street, EC1N 8TS

15. Vivo, 57-58 Upper Street, N1 0NY

2. The Carpenter’s Arms, 68-70 Whitfield Street, W1T 4EY

9. Madison, Rooftop Terrace, 1 New Change, EC4M 9AF

16. The Boundary, 2-4 Boundary Street, Shoreditch, E2 7DD

3. Radio, 336-337 Strand, WC2R 1HA

10. Sky Garden, 20 Fenchurch Street, EC3M 3BY

17. Dalston Roof Park, The Print House, 18-22 Ashwin Street E8 7DD

4. On The Roof With Q, 400 Oxford Street, W1A 1AB

11. Sushisamba, 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY

18. The Fox, 372 Kingsland Road, E8 4DA

5. Vista, The Trafalgar Hotel, 2 Spring Gardens, SW1A 2TS

12. Abbey Tavern, 124 Kentish Town Road, NW1 9QB

19. Golden Bee, Singer Street, Shoreditch, EC1V 9DD

6. Angler, Rooftop Terrace, 3 South Place, EC2M 2AF

13. The Castle, 51 Pentonville Road, N1 9HF

20. Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX

7. Bird of Smithfield, 26 Smithfield Street, EC1A 9LB

14. The Driver, 2-4 Wharfdale Road, N1 9RY

21. Red Lion, 41 Hoxton Street, N1 6NN

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22

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Dalston Roof Park

19 21 20 6

18 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL

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020 7275 0825

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Queen of Hoxton 1-5 Curtain Road EC2A 3JX

10 43

033 3772 0020

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Sky Lounge 7 Pepys St, EC3N 4AF

020 7709 1043

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22. Roof East, Stratford multi-storey car park, Great Eastern Way, E15 1XE

29. Shoreditch House, Ebor Street, E1 6AY

36. The Bussey Building, 133 Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4ST

23. Frank’s Cafe, 10th Floor, 95a Rye Lane, SE15 4ST

30. Netil 360, Netil House, E8 3RL

37. No32 The Old Town, 32 The Pavement, SE4 0JE

24. Grand Union, 111 Kennington Road, SE11 6SF

31. South Place Hotel, 3 South Place, EC2M 2AF

38. The Big Chill House, 257-259 Pentonville Road, King’s Cross, N1 9NL

25. Midnight Apothecary, Brunel Museum, Railway Avenue, SE16 4LF

32. Le Meridien, 21 Picadilly, W1J 0BH

39. The Driver, 2-4 Wharfdale Road, Kings Cross, N1 9RY

26. Queen Elizabeth Roof Gardens, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX

33. Notch, 535 Oxford Street, W1C 2QW

40. Alfie’s Rooftop Kitchen, Alfies Antiques Market, 13-25 Church Street, NW8 8DT

27. Kensington Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street, W8 5SA

34. Broadway House, 474-476 Fulham Road, SW6 1BY

41. OXO Tower Brasserie, OXO Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, SE1 9PH

28. Culpeper, 40 Commercial St, E1 6LP

35. Rumpus Room, 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD

42. The Prince of Wales, 469 Brixton Rd, SW9 8HH

Once upon a series of time consuming rider requests

Anyone working in the entertainment or events world will be familiar with the term ‘rider’. A list of obscure and inevitably random demands that absolutely must be delivered against before the artist in question will set foot in a venue!

For the most part said, demands include nothing beyond a bowl of blue only gummy bears, or a fridge filled with prefrothed banana milkshake cooled to a temperature of no more, or less, than 3.72 degrees Celsius; whereas other requests can be, let’s say, all consuming!

Now, for most of you industry veterans out there that is just part and parcel of the job, right? We love it, we thrive on it, and we wouldn’t have it any other way! But whilst your attention is well and truly focused elsewhere how do you go about keeping all of the very many plates spinning?

Bear with us as we embark on this cautionary tale set in early 2015: The weather was unseasonably mild, Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk was topping the charts, the phrase ‘Duck Face’ had recently been added to the Oxford Dictionary and in an undisclosed location not too far from here the great and the good of the country’s Celeborati were readying themselves for a (fictional)

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awards ceremony honouring their contributions to British culture.

Think reality TV, selfies and mid-morning talk shows.

For weeks in advance, the team behind the event had been fielding elaborate rider requests aplenty - from bottled water made from the tears of unicorns through to croquet kits made from real flamingos (no animals were hurt in the writing of this article).

And, whilst they were well versed in dealing with the expectations of the perfectly tanned masses, as the big night

approached many of the long suffering staff found themselves pining for the peace and quiet that would come from quitting the industry and starting up a petting zoo for wayward dragons. Not to mention that they were running out of time!

At this point the decision to delegate was made and meeting the event’s furnishing and flooring needs was outsourced to a neighbouring kingdom known across the land as Furniture Hiredronomous.

Now, with the age old question of what one’s guests would sit on firmly in hand, a hive of activity ensued as the put-upon-

but loyal backstage team dedicated their attention to the ever growing rider list (as well as removing peas from under mattresses, potentially deadly apples from fruit baskets and gleaning spinning wheels from dressing rooms).

Whistling a merry tune the staff were confident that all of their hard work would pay off when suddenly, out of the blue, came a bolt of lightning and a thunderous roar. Darkness descended and in shuffled Sir Let-You-Down.

The tables would be late, the carpet would be yellow instead of red and there weren’t enough chairs for everyone to sit on, he updated, before leaving in a puff of smoke.

Without a moment to spare the bright bunch put quill to parchment: ‘Dear Europa Smurfs,” it read. “We are in need of help!”

The crew wrote at speed; time was of the essence.

The letter continued: “In only a couple of days the nation’s reality TV sweethearts will arrive expecting a super cool event boasting chill out zones and a cornered-off VIP area and we have neither. What to do?”

Delivered on horseback to Europa International HQ the Smurfs of the Round, sometimes rectangular, Table wasted no time in leaping into action with MD Steve Murphy, aka Papa Smurf, leading from the front.

“Bring me glass cabinets for the crowns,” he bellowed. “A selfie-stick-check-in desk and 500 linking conference chairs fit for a Queen of the Jungle!”

The list went on and the crew rallied round; ticking lounge seating, bar tables, carpet strips and banners off as they went. Before long the event treasure had been loaded onto the Smurfmobile, and delivered and installed at the venue; all in time for the arrival of the guests.

And as the staff slumbered, and the twitter talk of #HireHappy started to subside, a team of well equipped, professional experts quietly dismantled and removed the furniture leaving behind just one reminder that they had been there at all – a little green business card that read:

Amidst cheers of #YOLO the event went off without a hitch and the exhausted coordinators were left to fall into a much needed deep, deep sleep.

“Whatever your furniture hire needs, whenever and wherever you need it! Love the Europa International Team.”

www.europainternational.com/vi

Bar Equipment

Fashionably ‘30s: new cocktail glasses from Parsley in Time Minners classic etched glassware has the ‘nostalgia shtick’ Cocktails are in, but just as important as the drink itself is what they’re served in. The right style of glassware can deliver exactly the point of difference chic bars are looking for. Now Parsley in Time, the tableware company specialising in the out of the ordinary, has launched a range of retro glasses with a classic style recalling 1930s Manhattan and the days of speakeasies.

The Minners Cocktail glasses come in Martini (8oz) or Nick & Nora (6oz) glass shapes.

They feature a choice of elaborate etched vine patterns, with either a lace or dot motif, that enhance drink presentation. Their vintage style is underlined by the fact that they are hand blown, giving them a truly individual feel.

Despite their ethereal look, the Minners glasses are glasswasher safe.

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“The Minners range will appeal to bars that are serious about cocktails and serious about style,” says Rob Blunderfield, marketing manager at Parsley in Time.

“The nostalgia shtick is bang on trend and they deliver the ultimate in retro cocktail glassware.”

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

Available exclusively through Parsley in Time, the Minners Cocktail glasses come in boxes of 24 and usually cost from £4.49 per glass.

Currently they are on offer from only £4.20 per glass.

Parsley in Time is a leading distributor of tableware and light catering equipment.

It offers same day or next day delivery, depending on time of order and location, on a huge range of products. The company specialises in the unusual and non standard, it even offers an individual Concierge Service to source exclusive table top products for customers who can’t find them elsewhere.

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Bar News

British Bartenders compete in the home of Fernet Branca London bartender Jonas Stern has won a place in the prestigious Fernet Branca Secret Society, along with a £1,000 prize, after being put through his paces in a cocktail competition held at the Fratelli Branca Distillerie in Milan, home of classic Italian liqueur.

Six of the UK’s top cocktail mixologists were flown to Italy to compete in the final

by Fernet Branca’s UK distributor Hi-Spirits.

Against strong competition, the judging panel picked Jonas’ cocktail creation, the ‘Yellow Crocodile’, as the winner.

Jonas, Assistant Bar Manager at Pollen Street Social, London, was presented with his £1,000 prize by Count Nicola Branca, whose ancestor Bernardino Branca created Fernet Branca in 1845. Count Branca also inducted Jonas into the Fernet Branca Secret Society, an exclusive drinks industry group which celebrates the heritage and versatility of the liqueur.

In a hard fought competition decided by a panel of international judges led by Fernet Branca Global Brand Ambassador Nicola Olianas, each finalist made a cocktail of their own creation, which had to include a minimum of 20ml of Fernet Branca.

Second place went to the ’18.45’ created

by Ehren Khoo Steel of Mojo, Leeds, and third to the ‘Veni, Vidi, Bibi’ by Kyle Hamilton from Panda and Sons, Edinburgh.

Jonas Stern said: “It was great to compete with five of the best bartenders in the UK, all showing such great passion for Fernet Branca. To come out on top was amazing, especially since we competed at the home of the brand in Milan with Count Branca himself present. Being part of the Secret Society now is a great honour and responsibility, as Fernet Branca is rooted so deeply in history and so well respected throughout the world.”

Nicola Olianas said: “The passion and dedication of the bartenders I met during the competition was inspiring. They showed knowledge and deep understanding of Fernet Branca as a classic drink as well as an ingredient, and of Branca as a family as well a company. That is at the heart of our approach and makes them part of the family!”

The other finalists were Mark Delaney, Filter and Fox, Liverpool; Isaac Windsor, Milk

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Thistle, Bristol; and Johny Hume, Bonbar, Newcastle. Along with the competition at the Fratelli Branca Distillerie, the trip also included a visit to the Antiche distillery in Venice, where Antica Sambuca is made, and the Lazzaroni Amaretto distillery in Milan.

Above picture: The British bartender finalists at the Fernet Branca cocktail competition in Milan; left to right: Kyle Hamilton, Isaac Windsor, Jonas Stern, Mark Delaney, Ehren Khoo Steel, (seated at front) Johny Hume.

First place: The Yellow Crocodile by Jonas Stern of Pollen Street Social, London

Shake all with ice, double strain in to chilled coupette, garnish with a star anise.

• • • • •

30ml Fernet Branca 15ml London dry gin 15ml saffron syrup 10ml sweet vinegar 10ml chinotto quaglia

Shaken, crusta of saffron powder sugar on a champagne glass, garnished with lemon peel.

Second place: the 18.45 by Ehren Khoo Steel of Mojo, Leeds • 25ml Fernet Branca • 35ml Wild Beer Millionaire (salted caramel and chocolate milk stout) • 20ml Lapsang Souchong syrup • 1 egg yolk • 5 dash of Absinthe • 2 dash Walnut bitters • Small pinch of salt

Third place: Veni, Vidi, Bibi by Kyle Hamilton, Panda and Sons, Edinburgh • 50ml sweet vermouth • 25ml Fernet Branca • 7.5ml Kummel Stirred down. Served up in a tulip glass.

Spray of lemon oil.

Invented in Milan in 1845 by Bernardino Branca, Fernet Branca is a digestif amaro liqueur with a distinctive bitter flavour, and is still made to the closely guarded original recipe.

For more information, please contact Hi-Spirits on: 01932 252 100 Email: info@hi-spirits.com or visit: www.hi-spirits.com

Club News

ESTRELLA GALICIA ANNOUNCES UK MUSIC TOUR WITH NOTION MAGAZINE This spring, Spanish beer brand Estrella Galicia are taking fans on a musical journey with some of the UK’s best new acts for the SON Estrella Galicia x NOTION Regional tour. With an eclectic mix of established and up and coming acts, Estrella Galicia will bring a range of genres from indie-electro to R&B with their regional tour in partnership with NOTION Magazine.

The 5-date tour which visits Glasgow, Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester throughout May and June 2016.

KStewart, ANGEL, Nina Nesbitt, HONNE, and VAULTS amongst others will headline shows and a surprise headliner will be in the works.

With a diverse line-up, the SON Estrella Galicia x NOTION Regional tour is going to be the highlight of spring; the free concerts will bring to life Estrella Galicia’s already popular music series in Spain but with a UK twist.

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The SON Estrella Galicia x NOTION Magazine tour dates include: 19th May – Glasgow – Hillhead Book Club KStewart, Elderbrook, Into The Ark and Olivia Sebantianelli 23rd May – Birmingham – Hare & Hounds ANGEL, The Hearts, BB Diamond and Keep Up 2nd June – Leeds – Hi-Fi Book Club Nina Nesbit, HONNE (DJ Set), VITAMIN and Rothwell 2nd June – London – The Woods David Stewart and a special headliner to be announced 9th June – Manchester – Night and Day VAULTS, Rosie Lowe, MIAMIGO and IV Rox

www.estrellagalicia.es

DELTIC INVESTS £2 MILLION IN THE MIDLANDS AND CREATES 170 JOBS Leading club and bar operator, The Deltic Group, is investing more than £2 million in the Midlands and creating 170 jobs. The company will be opening its first club in Birmingham on 17 June, followed by Nottingham on 1 July. Both venues will become PRYZM, bringing the total number across the UK to seven.

The company is now looking to recruit for a range of positions from bar staff to hospitality and sales assistants.

At the heart of both clubs will be the main arena, showcasing the latest light and sound technology and frequently hosting international guest DJs and celebrities. This will be complemented by Curve – a more intimate room with DJs playing the latest R&B chart tracks. For those wanting to dance to retro tunes, a disco room called Vinyl will feature a flashing dance floor. Groups of friends celebrating special occasions will be able to hire private booths offering special packages with table service.

The Deltic Group has 59 clubs and bars across the UK and employs 2,000 people in full and part-time positions. It was recently voted Responsible Retailer of the Year, Late Night Operator of the Year and Best Operations Team at the 2016 Publican Awards. The first PRYZM launched in Bristol, followed by Kingston, Leeds, Brighton and Cardiff.

Birmingham will have 45 pre-bookable booths and will also be the first PRYZM in the UK to offer a private party room.

Nottingham, currently operating as Oceana, will have 33 booths, a tiki cocktail bar named Lua Lalai and a bier keller, serving a range of craft and draught beers from around the world.

Deltic’s CFO, Russell Margerrison said: “The Midlands is an important region for our business and we’re delighted to be opening a club in the heart of Birmingham’s party district on Broad Street. The investment signals our confidence in these two major cities that enjoy a thriving nightlife and are home to leading universities.”

Applicants can find out more by completing an online form for PRYZM Birmingham at http://birmingham.pryzm.co.uk/ or emailing CVs to PRYZM Nottingham at nottingham@pryzm.co.uk.

Club News

FIAT AND ONE FOR THE BOYS HOSTED STAR STUDDED MASQUERAVE DANCE PARTY On Saturday 30th April, Fiat teamed up with One For The Boys to drive conversations about male cancer and hosted an experiential evening of live music and entertainment at Troxy.

The star studded event, entitled the ‘Masquerave’ dance party hosted by One For The Boys chairman, Samuel L Jackson, saw surprise acts Craig David and Sigma take to the stage as ‘Dance music united against cancer’. The 2,000 strong crowd were kept dancing with sets from some of the most respected DJs, dance legends such as Faithless, Tom Findalay of Groove Armada, Jamie xx, Seth Troxler Catchment, Benji B, Patrick Topping, Eats Everything, and, Jillionaire from Major Lazer. A number of celebrities also attended the event to show their support including Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo, X factor winner Jahmene Douglas and celebrity fashion stylist Alexis Knox, inviting the public to raise money for the fight against male cancer.

As part of a multi platform campaign to create opportunities and provide inspiration for men to start talking to each other about the things in life that really matter, Fiat and One For The Boys used the hashtag #drivingconversations to inspire men to open up and have these necessary discussions in the safe surroundings of their Fiat cars.

Fiat’s activations created by Initials marketing, throughout the evening began with a bespoke step and repeat wall, which displayed large speech bubbles containing tongue-in-cheek messages, such as ‘How’s it hanging? and ‘Feel your pair’.

Portable speech bubbles were also available for celebrities to hold whilst having their picture taken in order to prompt the conversations around male cancer from the get go.

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During the evening, guests will were encouraged to take a seat in the bespoke photo booth made up of four FIAT 500 seats, take a speech bubble and strike a pose. In order to emphasise the #drivingconversations message, the photo booth was connected to the latest Instagram printer from Social Playground which printed physical copies of all of the Instagram posts containing the hashtag.

For the grand finale, 1000 balloons dropped from the ceiling all attached to a small speech bubble. One lucky recipient caught the prize balloon and won a weekend away with a Fiat 500X and a night stay in a boutique hotel.

“The Masquerave Ball celebrated the brand new partnership between Fiat and One for the Boys.

We’re proud and excited to be involved in driving awareness for such a powerful cause.”

Lucia Pennesi, Marketing Manager, FIAT. Rachel Bateman, Head of Live Engagement at Initials marketing comments: “It was important for us to find the right balance of brand presence at this event; people were ultimately coming to party for a good cause. The activations we devised provided not only entertainment but most importantly encouraged awareness of the combined charity and brand message to drive conversations.”

The Jazz Café to reopen on 24th May with special fort night of events featuring Pantha Du Prince, Dave Har rington (Darkside), Dam Funk & Egyptian Lover (Stones Throw), Portico, 22a Records, Mammal Hands, Pete Josef, Just Blaze and many more Renowned music venue returns following £3million renovation project.

The Jazz Cafe, Camden, will reopen its doors on 24th May presenting a fortnight of the best in jazz, funk, hip hop & electronic music accompanied by premium food and drink. Amongst the names that feature in the re-launch programme are Pantha Du Prince, Dave Harrington, Dam Funk, Egyptian Lover, Portico, Pete Josef plus showcases from 22a and NTS. Tickets and reservations can now be made via TheJazzCafeLondon.com.

With a long personal history between The Columbo Group’s founders and The Jazz Cafe, the new management team is especially thrilled to unveil the first details of this £3million renovation.

Since a purchase was completed in January of this year a loving, respectful and dedicated project has resulted in a refreshed and renewed venue. The Jazz Cafe will continue to offer a platform for jazz music both old and new, whilst also connecting the genre with some of the most sought after names in electronic music. Décor, layout, sound technology, food and drink have all been revised and taken to the next level in order to bring The Jazz Cafe firmly and confidently into the 21st century.

The Jazz Cafe has always covered a broad range of music, far too much to represent in a fortnight of events however, the first two weeks are none the less extremely exciting in terms of talent. Esteemed performers heading to the relaunched Jazz Cafe are electronic visionaries Pantha Du Prince & Dave Harrington (of Darkside fame alongside Nicolas Jaar) whilst keeping things funky are Stones Throw Records’ Egyptian Lover & Dam Funk.

Emerging jazz talent comes in the form of Gondwana Records’ Mammal Hands who perform alongside one of Gilles Peterson’s favourite young artists,

Pete Josef. Elsewhere UK soul music takes to the stage in the form of Fatima & The Eglo Band, plus hip hop makes its mark care of Just Blaze & M.E.D. (Stones Throw records). Full listings can be found below.

In addition to the extensive refurbishment that the venue is undergoing, a brand new D&B Sound System is currently being installed meaning the audio experience at the new venue will be of the highest quality.

The kitchen will cater for a 69 seater dinning area located on the remodelled mezzanine of The Jazz Cafe. Sample items include chicken yakitori in soy and sake, Seared tuna fatoush and avocado, Brisket and bone marrow burger with a delicious S’mores cake to finish. A well and broadly stocked bar will also offer cocktails both classic and contemporary, Negronis, Penicillin and an Old Fashioned all feature amongst others.

Visually an urban theme influenced by art deco prevails via materials like concrete and brass. Items both news and reclaimed are juxtaposed to give a feeling of warm in the bar, dance floor and mezzanine levels.

Steve Ball, Director of The Columbo Group comments: “Many of us here at The Columbo Group have a personal history at The Jazz Cafe, its early days have fed into what we do at our other venues a great deal. What makes this acquisition so special is that we now have the chance to channel that history in to taking The Jazz Cafe forward.

With a huge respect for the work they’ve done and for the greats that have played there we’re looking forward to taking this venue to the next level. There are elements of all aspects of The Jazz Cafe that we’re going to improve on taking from the experiences of our other venues, whilst of

course respecting the lineage of what The Jazz Cafe has come to represent.”

“The team have been, and are still very much hard at work to bring about our vision for the venue; both physically in terms of the venue itself and in terms of the programme. The Jazz Cafe, at its heart, has had such a broad spectrum of music on offer, it’d be impossible for us to represent all of that in the relaunch fortnight but we have assembled a very high quality sample of the sounds we’ll be putting on moving forward.”

“Jazz, in its many forms, permeates so many contemporary sounds. Tune in to radio shows like Benji B and Giles Peterson and you hear it there, whether they are spinning a classic or pushing new artists.

Major clubs that many people wouldn’t instantly associate with jazz play it all the time, you only have to catch a set by Floating Points or Jamie xx for example and you’ll be hearing jazz right there.

We’re planning to reflect the whole of this lineage at The Jazz Cafe moving forward.

The relaunch fortnight, for example, includes electronic visionaries Pantha Du Prince and Dave Harrington whilst also giving a platform to new talents including Mammal Hands and Pete Josef. And there is a lot more to come.”

In its 25 year history The Jazz Cafe, a former bank on Parkway, Camden, has seen a whole host of legendary performances. Artists to have graced The Jazz Cafe stage include Gil Scott Heron, Herbie Hancock, Mulatua, Astake, Lee Scratch Perry, D’Angelo, Lana Del Ray, Bobby Womack, Amy Winehouse amongst many more and with many more to come.

T: 0207

485 6834

www.thejazzcafelondon.com may/june 2016

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Drink News

FOSTER’S LAUNCH NEW TV CAMPAIGN HEINEKEN has released a humorous new advert for Foster’s, which was aired for the first time on British screens in mid April.

classic lagers in our portfolio, we’re committed to maintaining the category’s market share by driving consumer interest in the brand, so we’re delighted to be launching this new campaign ahead of the busy summer trading period. With the new TV advert launching on Monday, now is the time to stock Foster’s on the bar.”

Entitled ‘Drycleaner’, the new advert tells the tongue-in-cheek story of a young Aussie who works in a drycleaners while trying to decide what to do with his life. He tries on various uniforms that customers have dropped off for cleaning, to see which career suits him best. At the end of the advert, whilst chatting to a group of fireman and dressed as one of them, he is offered a free round of Foster’s for him and his mates. The final frame reads ‘For The Thirsty’, inviting consumers to join the millions of Foster’s drinkers who are thirsty for life, adventure and great stories.

In addition, as part of the Channel 4 Comedy sponsorship, idents featuring the character from the ad will be aired on Channel 4 over the next year. They show him in absurd situations, trying on different costumes and giving different jobs a go, with humorous results.

The new TV campaign raises awareness amongst the target audience ahead of the busy summer trading period. The campaign will also include digital activity comprising social media and VOD. The new advert follows the brand’s recent announcement about its sponsorship of the England and Wales Cricket Board, which will also drive demand for the brand.

Fosters has also introduced a new half pint glass to the UK On-Trade this year to meet customer demand, allowing pub goers to now enjoy Foster’s in a variety of formats. Launched in February this year, both the new half pint and pint glasses have improved nucleation, using super boost technology to ensure licensees can serve the perfect pint every time.

Ifeoma Dozie, Brand Director, HEINEKEN says:

Recent research by HEINEKEN has shown that publicans can benefit from stocking Foster’s alongside Amstel, as this leads to a 2% increase in rate of sale of draught lager.

“Classic Lager makes up 60% of the volume in the On-Trade and, with Fosters, one of the UK’s favourite

Well played, Wes! #OnlyOneCaptainMorgan The DIAGEO drinks brand produce one-off Captain ‘Wes’ Morgan bottle to celebrate the player’s footballing victory.

Leicester City fans will be able to toast their Captain Wes Morgan with a limited edition Captain Morgan bottle, featuring the star player, following his side’s victory in the Barclays Premier League title on Sunday.

The spirit brand will release a limited bottle designed to celebrate the Premier League winner’s victory, replacing their famous buccaneer on the label with an image of the footballer.

The special edition commemorative bottle features the Jamaican

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international star dressed as Captain Morgan in royal blue and white robes to match Leicester City’s home kit. As well as the footballers signature and an updated medallion with 2016 inscribed to mark his title victory as Team Captain. Supported by several congratulatory ads in the sports pages of the national press.

The brand created the bottles with creative agency RPM in homage to the victorious captain following a Twitter exchange between Captain Morgan and the player after Leicester City’s crunch title match against Manchester United at Old Trafford at the beginning of May. Captain Morgan: Well played, @Wes5L1nk. Today, there is #OnlyOneCaptainMorgan.

A Golden Ale For The Modern Male Former footballer, Robbie Savage, is partnering with John Smith’s to drive awareness of John Smith’s Golden Ale. To celebrate the partnership, the brand opened the John Smith’s Golden Tanning Pub on Wednesday 27th April, which coincides with the launch of a nationwide OOH campaign.

The pop-up offered modern men a unique chance to enjoy a John Smith’s Golden Ale whilst receiving a golden spray tan. The OOH campaign, which will run for four weeks covering over 1,000 sites in the UK, is aiming to drive awareness among the target audience and encourage trial for the first new beer from John Smith’s in 22 years.

Wes Morgan: Awesome! I’m assuming my bottle is in the post? @CaptainMorganEU Captain Morgan: Let me see what my crew can do... @Wes5L1nk #OnlyOneCaptainMorgan Wes Morgan: Cheers @CaptainMorganEU this is epic #OnlyOneCaptainMorgan Captain Morgan: Yeah, it’s almost like it was meant to be…like the whole thing was planned ;-) #spons #ad #FullyDeserved @Wes5L1nk

Fans of the premiership football player voiced their love for their Captain, who has played every single minute of the campaign so far, with praise across social media using the hashtag #OnlyOneCaptainMorgan, which also features on the bottle.

Rhys Love, Senior Brand Manager, Captain Morgan said: “Captains lead by example and we are thrilled to have one of the greatest captains of recent times, Wes Morgan who coincidentally shares our name, become the centre of a historic sporting moment. We have created a one off commemorative Captain Wes Morgan bottle to celebrate his incredible title win triumph as the club’s skipper. We salute Leicester City and their own Captain Morgan.”

Drink News

First campaign to eat Luxardo, drink Luxardo

Cantona Kicks-off New Kronenbourg 1664 Alsace-tians Campaign HEINEKEN, the UK’s leading cider, beer and pub business, is demonstrating the supreme taste credentials of its premium lager brand Kronenbourg 1664 with a new, integrated campaign starring Eric Cantona, following his memorable turn in last year’s #LeBigSwim campaign.

With a totally fresh approach, Cellar Trends will expand its #LoveLuxardo trade campaign and is now also set to increase its engagement with consumers.

The year-round programme for Luxardo will launch in June to introduce consumers to the world of professional cocktails in a range of creative bars, as well as showing how to use Luxardo’s classic liqueurs for mixing at home in cocktails and in original new food recipes. It will showcase the classic flavours of authentic top quality Luxardo Limoncello, Amaretto and Maraschino cocktail cherries via online platforms and new videos, and will also use social media channels to share news, images and live happenings.

The Chiappa Sisters, authors of Simply Italian, are partnering with Luxardo to create bright new recipes. The popular British-Italian sisters Michela and Romina will join Luxardo UK brand ambassador Mister ‘G’ Franklin to show off the flavours of Luxardo Limoncello, Amaretto, Maraschino, Sangue Morlacco and Luxardo’s Marasca cherries.

Savoury and dessert dishes will extend the theme of the brand’s ‘cocktail-feasting’ style, pioneered by Mister ‘G’ when he served up his original Duck and Carbonara cocktails at Nola bar earlier this year.

Creations from the Chiappa Sisters will include Luxardo Limoncello and garlic chicken, Luxardo Amaretto and dark chocolate semifreddo and Black Forest Crostata with Luxardo Maraschino Cherries.

Meanwhile, Mister ‘G’ will use the warm Italian flavours of the Luxardo liqueurs to re-invent classic cocktails such as the Amaretto Sour, Blood & Sand and introduce the refreshing Luxardo Fresco for Summer.

The campaign will be brought to life through social media, with content across Youtube, Instagram and Facebook. Craig Chapman, marketing manager for Luxardo at Cellar Trends, adds, “The 2016 #LoveLuxardo campaign is all about engaging with our consumers, offering them inspiration on how to use our range in interesting and novel ways, that are still easy to create and enjoy at home. With our brand ambassador ‘G’ sharing his cocktail tips, and the amazing Chiappa Sisters adding their culinary flair, there really is something for everyone.”

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The campaign kicked off on Monday 2nd May with a 60 second TV advert premiere on C4. In the spot, Cantona is seen with a pair of intrepid canines, introducing viewers to “the most intelligent dogs in the world: The Alsace-tians”. Cantona drives his canine companions around Alsace, with viewers seeing The Alsace-tians leaping into action to deliver a timely Taste Suprême. From untying a monk ensnared in the church bell ropes to freeing a postman buried deep in the snow, the campaign depicts The Alsace-tians liberating and libating the locals when they need them most.

The advert can also be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/Kronenbourg1664.

In celebration of the new ‘Alsace-tians’ activity, Kronenbourg 1664 opened the ‘Bar D’Alsace-tian’; the world’s first bar staffed entirely by dogs. The four legged staff of professionally trained Alsatians wore customised dog harnesses with miniature wooden barrels mounted to the front to deliver a Taste Suprême of Kronenbourg 1664 directly to customers at their tables.

“We’re delighted to bring Kronenbourg fans a new chapter in the tale of a Taste Suprême, and once again featuring the inimitable brand ambassador Eric Cantona. The Alsace-tians and ‘Bar D’Alsace-tian’ continue the humorous and tongue in cheek narrative already established in past campaigns, but take the Kronenbourg story in a completely new direction,demonstrating in a brilliantly creative way the personality, premiumness and supreme taste credentials of Kronenbourg 1664.”

Ifeoma Dozie, Beer Brand Director at HEINEKEN. For more information on table reservations visit:

www.biletto.co.uk

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Hogs Back launches ‘Hogswallop’ for EU Referendum Surrey based craft brewer Hogs Back is contributing to the EU Referendum debate with a specially brewed ale, Hogswallop, available now.

A 4.2% ABV, easy drinking rye beer, Hogswallop is designed to loosen the tongues of ‘pub politicians’ and encourage a lively discourse in the run up to the vote on 23 June.

“Everyone will have an opinion on the Referendum and where better to express it than in the pub, which has a long tradition as a source of useful advice for the prevailing government.

Hogswallop is a malty, rye beer with spicy notes and a hoppy finish. It joins previous Hogs Back seasonal beers marking events of national importance, such as ‘England’s Mourning Glory’, which lamented the home team’s early exit from last autumn’s Rugby World Cup and ‘Hog in the Limelight’ at the 2015 General Election.

Below: Sitting firmly on the fence in the EU Referendum debate, the Hogs Back Brewery team (l-r): head brewer Miles Chesterman; Sales Director Gordon Thompson and Managing Director Rupert Thompson.

We hope that the sight of Hogswallop on the bar will raise a ‘rye’ smile from members of both ‘in’ and ‘out’ camps, as they enjoy an amicable exchange of views in their local.

Like the Euro debate itself, this ale may appear increasingly bitter as 23 June approaches, but mellow somewhat thereafter.”

Rupert Thompson, Managing Director, Hogs Back.

may/June 2016

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Drink Feature

Kent KENT Cider CIDER Co. CO. Eight years ago in a stable near Faversham the Kent Cider Co. was formed, brought together by an enthusiastic couple whose only goal at the time was to produce at tasty cider from the excess apples at the local orchard.

Whilst neither Mark or Serena had a wealth of cider making experience they both had an interest in persuing a different path of work from their career in Tattoo Studios to life in the countryside.

“A chance encounter with a lifelong hobbiest helped guide us along the way, but it was tasting and trialing ciders, listening to what our new customers wanted and adding a bit of our own flair that started to build our products into the success that they are today” Indeed the companies success has now made them one of the most recognised craft brands in the county, putting Kent Cider back in mind, winning regional and national awards and accolades from the national press, bringing back interest in Kent’s Kentʼs crisp and distinctive ciders and rich cider making past.

One of the things that sets Kent Cider Co. apart is it’s itʼs constant movement through

product evolution and experimentation. As well as producing ciders with a multi award winning array of tastes they have also worked with the talented Sand Creative (www.sand-creative.com) to create the exciting, contemporary craft cider brand that the new consumer wants. Kent Cider Co. are now getting international recognition for it’s itʼs bold look, winning design awards and garnering interest from further and further afield.

Sticking to craft cider roots Kent Cider Co. uses 100% pressed apples. “It always has to start with real fruit sourced from Kent orchards “ Mark explains “and then we like to have fun with it!, blending different varities and/or locking juice downto tomature maturein inOak OakWhisky Whiskycasks.” casks.” uice down With fruit ciders being so popular right now the company also produces some fabulous “real” fruit ciders using seasonal fruits such as Rhubarb, Damsons or Cherries.

Stocking bars, deli’s deliʼs and restaurants, Kent Cider Co.’s Co.ʼs Cider is available in bottles and as draught via bag in box( both of which have a long shelf

life) .This makes it easy for the business owner/consumer to get what they want. They can be found via their website www.kentcider.co.uk, sign up for offers and news about new products and we have been told that there is a very special one coming soon! Watch this space.

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Drink News

THE BOOZY COW ABERDEEN TO OPEN DOORS AT NEW, LARGER PREMISES Popular Aberdeen burger and cocktail bar The Boozy Cow has moved to a new site, catering for three times as many diners while providing a new late night venue for discerning drinkers.

The new Boozy Cow, situated at 67 Langstane Place and owned by The Speratus Group, opened its doors last week, maintaining all the vibrant Boozy Cow features and atmosphere that customers love and appreciate.

The menu will remain the same with the added bonus of a new cocktail menu, featuring a number of customer favourites with a Boozy Cow twist.

Not only will the new Boozy Cow have more tables, with space for more than 100 diners, it will also have a designated bar and seating area, with a 368 licensed capacity, and a late night entertainment offering until 1am every Friday and Saturday night.

Garreth Wood, owner of The Speratus Group and The Boozy Cow, said: “Following a hugely successful first year, we have moved The Boozy Cow Aberdeen from its current location in the city’s Netherkirkgate to the new premises on Langstane place, which is significantly larger and perfect for this concept.

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“This is a very exciting and positive step for the Speratus Group and the Boozy Cow concept. This larger venue with more capacity will allow us to cater for more customers to enjoy more burgers and raise more funds for local charities as part of our #FromMoo2U initiative.”

The Speratus Group launched the initiative, #fromMoo2U, last June, committing all annual profits from the restaurants to charities.

The Group donated all of its 2014/15 annual profits from Aberdeen and Edinburgh Boozy Cow restaurants, where five Scottish charities received a share of more than a quarter of a million pounds, £263,000.

The Group is confident that, by the end of 2018’s financial year, the combined donations to charity on an annual basis will be more than £1million.

The Speratus Group has also acquired new premises for a Boozy Cow in Stirling city centre, to open in the summer and is making advances in securing premises in Dundee.

The Group also plans to open three new restaurants of this kind every year, over the next five years, in both Scotland and England.

Garreth added: “Our concept is very simple.

Every single penny of profit from each Boozy Cow restaurant will go to registered charities.

“At Speratus, we are extremely proud of the Boozy Cow concept and clearly our customers agree. Their loyalty has enabled us to announce a healthy profit earlier this year from our two current restaurants and with the new larger Aberdeen Boozy Cow premises, and new venues in the pipeline, we hope to share more profits with local charities next year.”

For further information visit:

www.boozycow.com follow on Facebook, Twitter @TheBoozyCow and #FromMoo2U

NORTH EAST DISTILLER STOCKED AT THE SHARD An independent small batch distillery, based in the North East, is reaching new heights after making its way into one of London’s most iconic venues.

Poetic License, based at the Roker Hotel, Sunderland, is now being stocked on the 31st floor of The Shard and served to discerning drinkers in its contemporary aqua shard* restaurant.

Famed for offering innovative British cuisine, the eatery also boasts a spectacular, three-storey atrium bar offering an extensive array of unusual cocktails and high quality spirits.

Starting this month (April) that will include Poetic License’s Graceful Vodka (40.4%), as well as its award-winning Old Tom Gin (41.6%) and Northern Dry Gin (43.2%), all crafted with a range of botanicals to be enjoyed alone or with a premium mixer.

All three products are distilled on site in Sunderland using Poetic License’s own inhouse still, Gracie, and will be distributed to aqua shard after being bottled, labelled and

finished by hand.

“In a somewhat crowded market, Poetic Licence vodka and gin stand out as quality and unique and we are thrilled to stock them at aqua shard,” said Tony Geary, Operations Director, aqua restaurant group. aqua shard will be the first London stockist for Poetic License, which is already being offered in bars, restaurants, hotels and high end department stores across the North East, including Fenwick Newcastle and the four star Wynyard Hall Hotel, County Durham.

for a relatively short space of time but we are already making great progress in the industry,” he said.

“After passing the rigorous acceptance standards of Speciality Drinks Ltd and Aqua Shard I hope that more venues will step forward to sample our wild spirits and make them accessible to free-thinkers and discerning drinkers from across the UK.”

The brand, which launched in late 2015, was recently listed with trade retailer, Speciality Drinks Ltd, and owner Mark Hird hopes that more sites in the capital will soon follow suit.

“Poetic License has only been operating

IT’S A NUMBERS GAME FOR NORTH EAST DISTILLER These are combined with 10 additional botanicals, including rose petals, cubeb pepper, Persian dried limes and Angelica root, to give Poetic License’s Northern Dry Gin (43.2%Vol.) a punchier flavour than many others on the market.

A new independent small batch distillery, based in the North East, has found the magic number for crafting award winning gin.

Poetic License, which launched at the Roker Hotel, Sunderland late last year, uses 13 botanicals for its Northern Dry Gin and its Old Tom Gin, both of which won accolades in the Gin of the Year competition at the Craft Distilling Expo 2015.

The majority of the Northern Dry Gin’s botanical bill is made up of juniper berries, imported from Italy, as well as coriander seeds and cardamom pods, which are handcrushed on site to create a greater surface area for oil extraction.

Similarly the brand’s Old Tom Gin (41.6%Vol.), which took first prize in its category at the Gin of the Year awards, combines majority juniper and coriander with 11 other botanicals, including hibiscus and black pepper, cassia bark, liquorice root, lime leaves and rose petals.

drinkers, was first launched by North East entrepreneur, Mark Hird, in September 2015.

The micro-distillery, one of only a handful in the region, currently produces three core products, Northern Dry Gin, Old Tom Gin and Graceful Vodka, all of which are distilled on site and bottled by hand.

“From the very beginning I wanted Poetic License to produce something completely different to the gins and vodkas already on the market,” said Mark.

This gives the finished product a natural sweetness, without the need for added sugar. After distillation the gin is rested in oak, to produce a rose gold colouring.

“Not only are our processes very artisanal, but we have also experimented widely with various botanicals to ensure our flavours really pack a punch.”

Luke Smith, Distiller for Poetic License, said: “While Northern Dry and Old Tom are both true to their gin style we’ve also worked hard to make them unique.

Poetic License products are currently being stocked in bars, hotels, restaurants and retailers across the North East, with plans to expand throughout the UK and internationally in the near future.

“Putting our own spin on the original idea has given the spirits far more character and we hope they will appeal to those free thinkers, who don’t necessarily conform to the norm.”

Poetic License, so-named for its wild spirits designed to appeal to discerning

For more information about Poetic License visit:

www.poeticlicensedistillery.co.uk

All trade sales enquiries should be directed to distiller, Luke Smith, on 0191 5103564 or luke@poeticlicensedistillery.co.uk

Drink Feature

launches first ever digital only campaign

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Hooch, the legendary Lemon RTD, has announced a marketing first as it launches a campaign that will air solely across digital and social media. Working with a new generation of ‘digital influencers’ the brand will deliver a comedy based Outrageously Refreshing social video series that is set to reach 17 million users.

“This campaign is so different to what most brands do because Hooch is investing in its social channels for a long term goal. Lots of brands want one or two videos a year while Hooch are taking care of their channel and providing their audience with entertainment on a longer and higher scale.”

This represents a bold departure from the previous ATL focus for the fastest growing RTD brand, which won the Best TV & Cinema Campaign at The Grocer’s Marketing and Advertising Awards in 2014.

Huw Samuel, Vine Star.

More activity with Joe, Huw, Leslie and Stuggy is planned for later in

The campaign started on the 1st of May, Joe Charman, Huw Samuel, Leslie Wai and Stuggy, four of the UK’s top Vine Stars (pictured), and will deliver a 3 month content plan across the Instagram, Vine, Facebook, Twitter, Snap Chat and You Tube platforms. Their videos will see the lads in an assortment of outrageously refreshing comical moments made up of short sketches and pranks. This campaign is set to reach a huge 5.8 million people, the combined following of all 4 comedians, an industry first.

“We are excited to bring some of the UK’s freshest original talent together to entertain and grow our loyal Hooch audience.

This builds on the brand’s reputation for disruptive and ‘full on’ activity.”

Simon Green, Marketing Director for Hooch.

res: e pictu In thes digital Hooch’s n. campaig

the summer extending the length of the sponsorship, by making special appearances at Boomtown Festival.

They have also hinted that there will be special bonus content to come on top of the planned campaign activity.

Hooch’s previous campaign set the brand high with Full on Refreshment, staring Keith Lemon, receiving fantastic response and reaching 2.8million people, including a growth of thirty thousand likes on Facebook in five months.

e 8 m i T r e m Sum ocktails Drink Feature

C

bacardi cuba libre

8

buffalo trace paloma 60ml Buffalo Trace Tequila 60ml pink grapefruit juice 30ml lime juice Soda Water 10ml sugar syrup pinch of salt Ice Add all ingredients to a glass of ice.

Stir and top with soda water.

Serve.

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may/june 2016

50ml Bacardi Gold Rum 100ml Cola Lime wedges Ice

7

Add ice to glass.

Squeeze and add lime wedges.

Add Bacardi Gold Rum. Add cola.

Stir and serve.

2 brockman’s Maratini

1

50ml Brockman’s Gin 50ml pink grapefruit juice 25ml Maraschino liqueur 10ml lemon juice 10ml sugar syrup Ice

* See next page for more information on Brockman’s

Kent cider bellini Sparkling Prosecco Apple Cider 1 sprig of fresh rosemary

Add ingredients to shaker with ice.

Shake then strain into martini glass.

Serve.

Pour Prosecco into a champagne flute.

Top with cider.

Add a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Serve.

3

oooch ginge

pimm’s ginger

75ml Hooch Lemon 75ml ginger ale Lime wedges Ice

1 part Pimm’s 3 parts ginger ale Lemon wedges Ice Mix all ingredients in a highball glass.

Add lemon and mint to garnish.

Serve.

6

Old tom bee’s knees 50ml Old Tom Gin (Poetic License) 10ml runny honey 5ml water 15ml lemon juice Ice Dissolve honey into the water.

Pour into a shaker with Old Tom Gin. Add lemon and ice.

Strain and serve.

4

5

Mix ingredients into highball glass.

Add lemon and a sprig of mint to garnish.

Serve.

luxardo martinez 30ml gin 60ml Sweet Vermouth 2 dashes Maraschino Luxardo 1 dash bitters Ice Mix all ingredients over ice.

Strain into a cocktail glass.

Add an olive and lemon peel.

Serve.

Drink News

GN CHAN FROM USA WINS BACARDÍ® LEGACY GLOBAL COCKTAIL COMPETITION 2016 Bartender takes home trophy as Venceremos is declared the BACARDÍ 2016 ‘Legacy’ cocktaiL The BACARDÍ Legacy Global Cocktail Competition 2016 concluded last night in dramatic style with Gn Chan from USA taking home the coveted title.

Gn Chan, who works at Angel’s Share, New York, won the competition with a cocktail inspired by the Piña Colada. enceremos – BACARDÍ Carta Blanca, coconut liqueur, pineapple juice, cucumber juice, lime juice and a dash of sesame oil beat an incredibly strong field of original drinks created by bartenders from 36 countries, in a very tight final held in front of 150 guests at Bentley Reserve in San Francisco, California.

Gn Chan is the eighth person to win the BACARDÍ Legacy Global Cocktail Competition and the second to have been inspired and mentored by a former champion.

Shingo Gokan, who won the title in 2012, is Beverage Director of Angel’s Share where Gn works; he offered Gn a job there in the same year. It was an emotional moment when Shingo got up on stage to congratulate his protégé and another legacy created by this prestigious competition was born.

Judge Dale de Groff said of the winning drink “It was a unanimous decision tonight to name Gn Chan the winner. The drink he made was compelling to him and to us because he took the Piña Colada as a base; a BACARDÍ drink and a Puerto Rican invention; but this was a version of the Piña Colada only in spirit.

The pineapple flavour is very delicate, and then there is cucumber juice which

worked really well with a touch of sesame oil.

The name Venceremos, which is Spanish for ‘we will overcome,’ worked with Gn’s own personal story of how he overcame challenges in his life to go on to work in one of the world’s most elegant bars, and that of the Bacardi family which has endured through adversity.”

“Right now it doesn’t feel like this is real, but hopefully it will sink in by the morning,” said Gn Chan. “I have been mentored by a bartender and in a bar that both have a deep relationship with BACARDÍ, so this has always been the competition I wanted to win.”

Now in its eighth year, the BACARDÍ Legacy Global Cocktail Competition continues to grow in scale and status as one of the world’s most prestigious cocktail competitions.

Thousands of entries from forty five countries were received during the year long national rounds that culminated in tonight’s global final. Over the last seven years the BACARDÍ Legacy Global Cocktail Competition has given birth to several modern classics, most recently last year’s winning cocktail Le Latin, by Franck Dedieu, which can now be found in bars across the world.

BACARDÍ will work with Gn over the next year to provide bespoke opportunities and support for their career development, gain worldwide recognition for his drink and provide a platform from which he will serve Venceremos at some of the finest bars in the world.

Thirty six exceptional bartenders from around the world travelled to San Francisco this week.

Each has spent several months hustling to perfect and promote their ‘Legacy’ cocktail in

the hope it would be declared worthy to stand shoulder to shoulder with BACARDÍ classics such as the Authentic BACARDÍ Mojito, the Original BACARDÍ Daiquirí and the Original BACARDÍ Cuba Libre.

BACARDÍ hosted the finalists at a range of educational workshops, delivered by some of the legends of the drinks industry and tailored to hone their skills, before they presented their own original interpretation of a modern BACARDÍ Legacy cocktail in the competition.

Eight competitors were selected to go through to the Grand Final and present their drink in front of an audience of invited guests and a judging panel representing some of the most influence names in the international bartending and spirits community: Maestro de Ron BACARDÍ José Sanchez Gavito; renowned New York bartender Julie Reiner; Dale De Groff aka ‘King Cocktail and Franck Dedieu who won the competition last year.

Dickie Cullimore, BACARDÍ Global Brand Ambassador, said of the winner: “Gn is a popular and worthy winner tonight; he’s impressed not only with a delicious drink and compelling story, but also with his consistency throughout the competition.

Venceremos is a drink that people will enjoy all over the world and has all the makings of a modern classic.”

The two runners up in tonight’s final were Moe Aljaff from Norway and Lizaveta Molyavka from Belarus. All thirty six competitors will celebrate the week of education, competition and friendship on Monday, the 25th with a BACARDÍ House Party, featuring Jillionare and Walshy Fire of Major Lazer.

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may/june 2016

Brockmans Gin changes importer in Spain Brockmans Gin has confirmed that it has changed distributorship arrangement in Spain, one of the brand’s most buoyant markets, with effect since 2 May 2016.

Brockmans will are now appointing Osborne SA as its exclusive importer for the domestic and Duty Free markets of mainland Spain, the Balearic and Canary Islands, Gibraltar and Andorra.

For some years, the Brockmans team has worked closely with The Water Company and the brand owners have expressed gratitude to them, as the brand has grown significantly in Spain as a result of the hard work of many people, not least The Water Company (TWC) team. TWC has worked with the brand since its launch in Spain in 2010.

Brockmans is an immensely popular consumer choice in Spain, where it has grown at an average annual rate of over 60% since its launch and is the fastest growing super premium gin brand in the Spanish market, according to AC Nielsen data.

The brand now needs to move to its next stage of growth, requiring a larger sales force and a broader distribution platform in both off- and on-trade.

Commenting on the change, Neil Everitt, co-Founder and CEO of Brockmans, said: “The Brockmans team is very grateful to TWC for all their work with the brand since our launch in Spain. They helped to establish the distribution base in what has become one of the main markets globally for super premium gin. We are poised for accelerated growth in this important market and the time is now right for us to work with a bigger partner offering greater reach in-market”.

The brand owners are confident that Osborne, with its strong consolidated presence in the Spanish market and its successful track record of brand building, will provide Brockmans with the strengths needed for the coming years of further anticipated growth. Mr Everitt added: “Osborne SA was selected after much careful thought. The firm is one of the largest spirits companies in Spain and offers a very good understanding of premium brands based on

its existing portfolio. This strength in depth fits well with our future growth strategy.”

The Brockmans Country Manager for Spain is Robert McArdle who will work closely with the new distribution partners.

Brockmans is a fast growing global super premium gin brand and is now selling in 40 countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, USA, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. Its distinctively different taste profile has led to Brockmans being described as a ‘gin like no other.’ The top note of Bulgarian coriander marries beautifully with blueberries and blackberries; the bottom note of juniper berries from Tuscany together with the dry, bitter sweet peel of Valencian oranges, elongates the deeper tones and serve to give Brockmans an intensely smooth, distinctive and elegant taste.

Brockmans Maratini When the creators of Brockmans Gin, the 40% ABV English gin brimming with botanicals and berry flavours, were considering their ‘perfect serve’ Gin & Tonic formula, they went to great lengths. Ice and a slice was nice – but not perfect to enhance this extraordinary gin.

In the quest for suitable garnish, they discovered pink grapefruit zest.

The brand’s co-Founder and Marketing Director, Bob Fowkes, says:

“We worked with a taste expert and perfumer Alexandre Schmitt, whose taste development programme helped us develop the idea of pink grapefruit as the perfect accompaniment to a Brockmans G&T.” The twist of pink grapefruit peel gives a balance of sweetness and acidity that balances perfectly with some of the floral berry notes, the tanginess of coriander

and the resinous notes of juniper within Brockmans.

When developing other cocktail recipes that perfectly complement the unique taste profile of Brockmans, the use of pink grapefruit was clearly going to be a good choice.

The Brockmans Maratini makes the most of marrying Brockmans gin with pink grapefruit juice with the sharpness of lemon and the depth of flavour provided

by Maraschino liqueur.

Summery, delectable and theatrical - we bring you the recipe for a night like no other, starting with a gin like no other...

Ingredients for Brockmans Maratini: • 50ml Brockmans Gin • 50ml Pink grapefruit juice • 25ml Maraschino liqueur • 10ml Lemon juice • 10ml Sugar syrup

Recipe: Add the Brockmans, pink grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and sugar syrup measures to a shaker with ice and shake.

Then, double strain into a martini or stemmed glass. For a bit of theatre, flambé a strip of pink grapefruit peel over the glass and wipe it around the rim. Add a slice of pink grapefruit to the rim as an added garnish or peg a slice of dried citrus fruit.

www.brockmansgin.com may/June 2016

37

Drink News

Barrel-aged Tequilas from Buffalo Trace arrive in UK Two limited edition tequilas aged in bourbon barrels from the Buffalo Trace Distillery are being offered to the UK market through Hi-Spirits.

A limited UK allocation of two tequilas from the exclusive Expresiones del Corazón range is available. Using tequila made from 100% blue agave, the Casa San Matias Distillery in Mexico selects different bourbon barrels to give each Expresiones del Corazón a different character.

The two now available are: • Expresiones del Corazón Buffalo Trace Reposado – aged for 10.5 months in Buffalo Trace barrels, this tequila is dry and spicy, and has a real sense of the bourbon that used the cask, with undertones of caramel, vanilla and cinnamon. 40% ABV, total bottles produced 5,700.

• Expresiones del Corazón Old Rip Van Winkle Anejo - Aged for 23 months in Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon barrels, the result is a smooth integration of tequila and bourbon flavours with creamy notes of oak, almond and vanilla. 40% ABV, total bottles produced 5,370.

The Expresiones del Corazón collaboration unites a heavyweight group of spirits professionals including: • • • • •

David Grapshi, Tequila expert, Sazerac Mario Echanove, Master Distiller, Casa San Matias Luis Alberto Hernandez Gutierrez, renowned agave farmer Miguel Cedeño, Highly respected expert on tequila production Harlan Wheatley, Master Distiller, Buffalo Trace Distillery

“There is growing interest in premium and craft tequila and the Expresiones del Corazón project has created quite a buzz, thanks to the calibre of industry expertise involved.

We’re delighted to have secured a UK allocation of these very limited edition spirits.

We’re expecting strong interest from high-end bars, specialist retailers and tequila enthusiasts, so neither expression is likely to be available for long.”

Tim Giles, UK Brand Manager at Hi-Spirits,.

Expresiones del Corazón Buffalo Trace Reposado and Expresiones del Corazón Old Rip Van Winkle Anejo are available through specialist online retailer the Spirit Cellar www.thespiritcellar.com with RSPs of £85 and £95 respectively.

For more information, contact Hi-Spirits on 01932 252 100, Email: info@hi-spirits.com or visit: www.hi-spirits.com

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may/june 2016

Strongbow named as Official Partner of Team GB UK’s number one cider will rally the nation to support our athletes at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games With just under 100 days to go until Rio 2016, Strongbow has announced that it will be an Official Partner of Team GB, having signed an exclusive agreement with the British Olympic Association.

This is the first time that Strongbow has been an Official Partner of Team GB and will see the two great British institutions come together, rallying support for our competitors at the forthcoming games. Strongbow is a proud British success story, reflecting its heritage and Herefordshiregrown apples that are used in the world famous cider.

Building on the feel good factor from London 2012, Strongbow aims to unify the nation to support Team GB by launching a campaign with the theme: Supporting the supporters.

The sponsorship will be supported by a multi-million pound media campaign and HEINEKEN will be working with its customers to develop bespoke plans for their consumers.

“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.

We know how important the Olympics are for them, and our marketing will firmly position ourselves as supporting the supporters.”

Cindy Tervoort, Marketing Director for Brand Owner HEINEKEN.

“The fans made the difference in 2012 and with the team competing some 6,000 miles away in Rio we want to make sure they know they have the whole nation behind them all over again.Strongbow’s commitment to supporting the supporters and celebrating success is a great way of embracing that passion for our Olympians.”

Bill Sweeney, CEO, British Olympic Association.

Strongbow, the UK’s number one cider and made in Herefordshire using 100% British apples, will be available to invited guests visiting the Team GB Clubhouse in London. The partnership highlights HEINEKEN’s position as the UK’s leading cider and business, and provides a platform from which to demonstrate its commitment to the cider category.

www.strongbow.com

Losberger launch new ‘plug and play’ off the shelf glass fronted modular event buildings Event structure specialists Losberger UK have been supplying temporary event structures to some of the UK’s most prestigious events for the last 18 years for clients such as Goodwood, Somerset House, Tag Heuer, Mercedes-Benz, JLR and many more.

Losberger manufacture all of their own products, meaning they are able to meet your exact requirements; whether you’re looking for a marquee for a corporate event, or a large structure to accommodate several hundred people, Losberger can help.

Noticing a trend in the modular, experiential and pop up event market Losberger have added to their extensive event structure range - glass fronted plug and play modular units; these buildings are ideal for towns and cities, where space is limited and deliveries or construction is restricted.

An example of these buildings can currently be found in Broadgate, London, a 30 acre fully managed business campus home to some of the world’s biggest corporations. This spring Broadgate are celebrating Literary Greats, a programme of events to mark the anniversaries of some of Britain’s most well known playwrights, authors and poets.

As part of the Literary Greats season Broadgate have commissioned a unique space; The Broadgate Reading Room.

This innovative ‘off the shelf’ temporary event building is a ‘plug and play’ modular system installed by Losberger.

The event space has the look and feel of a contemporary high quality permanent building but was delivered and assembled in just 6 hours. Its modularity means you can add additional sections to increase the size of the 30sqm room in 6m x 2.5m increments.

Another great advantage of these modular buildings is that they are stack-able; meaning you can add a second level and

even a roof terrace. The shape and speed of installation means these glass fronted units are perfect for this type of city centre event.

The Reading Room is open to the 30,000 or so people who work at Broadgate every day until the 20th of May as well as those visiting or passing though. The reading room provides a comfortable and relaxing retreat away from the hustle and bustle of city life; members of the public can enjoy a little quiet time to read and be inspired with access to books by famous greats, latest

chart toppers and commuter favourites.

The Losberger design team will work closely with you to create the perfect venue for your event or retail space.

They can customise it inside and out with your branding, helping you to add your own personal touch to your temporary/semi-permanent venue.

As part of their hire services they can fit any space with their shop fit style interiors, including graphic facadesand the necessary finishing touches that reflect the quality and of your brand.

Recruitment Feature

Is your event staffing simply the best?

We’ve all heard the expression, ‘you are only as strong as your weakest link?’ Well that’s 100% accurate when it comes to selecting the right staff to proudly represent your company at an event.

This means as an event organiser, you will have complete peace of mind and one less thing to worry about. You will also realise the following key benefits:

Regardless of what type of event you are organising, from festivals and fairs to sporting or musical events, you want your visitors to have the best experience possible. Well organised and professionally executed events can strengthen your brand and build loyalty, increase sales, and generate referrals.

They can also give you the opportunity to connect personally with visitors, customers or suppliers whilst building company awareness and trust.

But essentially the true success of any event really comes down to using enthusiastic, attentive, friendly and talented individuals or professional teams.

These are the people who will work tirelessly to make it come alive, as well as ensuring it runs smoothly and is memorable for all the right reasons.

• Reliable, flexible and skilled staff • Excellent levels of customer service • Professional representation of your brand • Achieve event targets and deliver measurable results • Free up resources so you can focus on other things In a nutshell, recruiting professional event staff can enhance your brand presence, generate interest, increase quality of communications, strengthen customer loyalty and capture more sales for ultimate event success.

Start to finish When you think about event staffing, you will most likely think of the people who direct you to where you need to park, scan your entry ticket or serve you food or drinks. But event staffing is far more than that and some staff will start work on the event days or weeks before any visitors arrive.

Work with experts You wouldn’t ask a car mechanic to check your blood pressure, so why would you trust your event staffing to just any old recruitment company?

When you use a specialist event recruitment company you will save time, hassle and the worry of finding high quality, experienced temporary staff who are good at dealing with difficult people and complex situations. They will also have an in-depth knowledge of the events industry and be adept at matching skillsets and profiles to your brief, in order to deliver a bespoke team for your event.

For more information or support contact: Debby Clayton (pictured), Head of Events, HRGO Recruitment - 01604 621333 / 07795 528055

www.hrgo.co.uk/events

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may/june 2016

And whilst some event staff recruiters focus on ticket and administration staff, drivers, entertainers, bar staff, waiters, toilet attendants, cleaners, litter pickers, car park and traffic marshalls, there are some who go that little bit further in their search for the perfect event solution. This can include everything from site managers, marquee and fencing erectors to riggers, plumbers, electricians, engineers (generator and sound) and lighting technicians.

In order to make sure you get what you want, you need to give as detailed a brief as you can and be specific about what you expect of the staff, as well as the desired outcome of your event. This will help to avoid the high costs and unpredictability of some temporary agency staff and cut out any confusion.

Case Study HRGO Recruitment has a busy yet dedicated events division. Headed up by Debby Clayton and manned by dedicated consultants who have worked in the industry and understand the different roles, skills and pressures, they aim to match you directly to the best candidates available. And in recent months HRGO’s UK-wide operation has developed an impressive portfolio of clients who recognise that engaging high quality

experienced staff has a direct link to increased profitability and event success.

Debby Clayton explains. “Staging a successful event is all about team work.

Every single role, from litter picker to stage manager, is a cog in a giant machine. We see our role as delivering the right hard-working, motivated events staff to keep the machine running smoothly.

From small to large events, we work tirelessly to ensure that we understand your needs, so we can continue to provide the best people.”

And they must be doing something right, as for the third year running, they will be supplying staff for the 2016 Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. Mick Peters of Bounty Events Limited who is responsible for staging the event tells us more.

“HRGO have provided us with the highest calibre of skilled and unskilled temporary staff over the last 2 years for Cropredy Festival in Banbury.

It really helps that their consultants understand our industry inside out.”

So next time you are putting on an event, ask yourself whether your staff are the best they can be.

spirit of HVEN backafallsbyn On the island of Hven located in the strait of Öresund between Denmark and Sweden lies the Spirit of Hven distillery.

Founded in 2008, this family owned distillery became the third pot still distillery ever to be built in Sweden and is one of the world’s smallest commercial pot distilleries.

Although Hven only covers an area of 3 square miles and has a population of around 350 inhabitants, from this remarkable island comes some of the highest quality handcrafted spirits produced - a true testament to the skill and expertise of Master Distiller Henric Molin.

Described as “Taste & Scent with Sustainability”, Spirit of Hven produces a diverse range of oak matured distillates including Organic Vodka, Gin, Aquavit and Summer Spirit. However, it doesn’t just stop there; with the heart and soul of the distillery being the production of world acclaimed single malt whiskies. In fact, their single malt whisky was Sweden’s first ever island whisky.

Handcrafted using only certified organic ingredients, distilled in unique copper pot stills, matured in oak casks and bottled without additives or prior chill filtration; each spirit is one of a kind with an enticing character and sensational flavour.

Everything from distillation to the bottling is done on site. Each bottle is individually numbered

and approved before they are hand signed.

Spirit of Hven is now distributed in the UK by Amathus Drinks PLC. For more information, please visit:

www.hven.com

or contact: holly@amathusdrinks.com

Introducing

Franklin & Sons products were first introduced in 1886 when the three Franklin brothers began selling their handcrafted range of soft drinks from 171 High Street, Rickmansworth, London.

Over 100 years later, this range of crafted British soft drinks combines heritage and specially sourced ingredients to reintroduce the naturally refreshing taste of Franklin’s.

For more information or to order May/june please 2016 call 01246 216 000

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www.franklinandsonsltd.com Franklin & Sons

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Food News

Damian Wawrzyniak, Food Architect and Consultant, BITTERS N TWISTED Announces Culinary Workshops at Crockers Folly EXPANDS WITH LEICESTER OPENING Damian Wawrzyniak, award winning chef and gastronomy master, has announced he will be hosting a series of culinary workshops at Crocker’s Folly, for genuine food lovers hoping to soak up some of Damian’s expertise.

The classes will each focus on one of the nation’s favourite dishes, with the first class on May 9th 2016 revolving around the much loved Beef Wellington. Working in a hands on environment, the four hour course will see Damian instructing guests how to make this special dish, before everyone sits down to lunch to sample their finished meal in a fun, informal and fitting end to the afternoon.

Damian certainly has the experience to lead these lessons. His dishes have also dazzled some of the most famous chefs in the business, with a recent appearance on the BBC’s show, Mary Berry’s Easter Feast. Damian baked a traditional cake for the Queen of Baking herself, once again asserting his status as one of the world’s leading culinary experts.

Damian says, “These culinary workshops are for genuine food lovers; those who want to learn how to make delicious dishes with the finest ingredients, to impress friends, family and other loved ones the next time they’re in the kitchen. I’ll be holding these

Birmingham based independent bar and restaurant operator, Bitters ‘n Twisted Venues, is celebrating its 10th year in business by opening its 10th venue in the Midlands. workshops regularly at Crocker’s Folly, and I’m very excited to focus on the traditional favourite, Beef Wellington, for my first class in just a few weeks.”

Crocker’s Folly, the location of the workshops, is an outstanding restaurant based in the heart of St. John’s Wood, with a full professional kitchen conceived and designed by Damian himself during his time as the restaurant’s consulting chef.

Guests will really get a feel for life as a top chef in this space, with premium tools and equipment and a professional atmosphere.

The beautiful Grade II listed former Victorian gin palace is the perfect venue for a series of workshops and the ambience will be perfect for the informal meal after the session.

Classes will be limited to six people to ensure that everyone gets a little one on one time with Damian himself. Tickets are available for £135.00 per person, and they include a glass of champagne on arrival, the full four hour course, a glass of wine with their meal and a recipe card for those wanting to try out the dish at home.

The company, founded by Matt Scriven, is investing £250,000 in a third Bodega Cantina in Leicester which is due to open its doors in July this year.

Located in St Martin’s Square the restaurant will feature the same South American street food menu of its sister venues in Birmingham and Worcester, serving favourites such as burritos, nachos and tacos to a range of Peruvian and Ecuadorian inspired main dish classics.

Matt said: “It’s hard to believe that we have been going a decade and still proudly independent.

We have come a long way since we opened our first Birmingham venue, Island Bar, which is still as popular as ever.

“We’re excited about spreading our Bodega wings to Leicester, which is a city on the up and has a great vibe! Bodega has been such a hit with our customers since we opened our first site in Birmingham five years ago, followed by Worcester in 2014. We know the demand is there for authentic, fresh, easy going South American food in fun and quirky surroundings.”

Bodega Leicester will create 15 new jobs and its interior will focus on iconic and quirky South American imagery including sugar skulls, Mexican wrestlers and of course football to create a playful, informal and individual environment.

“People come to us because they don’t want the uniformity and charmless atmosphere of a chain. They want something authentic and niche where they can step into the vibrancy, colour and carnival atmosphere associated with South America. We are proud to have created a group of venues that are fuelling the spirit of quality independents in the Midlands,” added Matt.

www.bittersntwisted.co.uk

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Other Bitters ‘n Twisted Venues in Birmingham include Buffalo & Rye which opened last October, Marmalade, The New Inn, The Victoria, Island Bar, The Jekyll & Hyde and Rose Villa Tavern.

The company employs over 170 people.

Simply the best!

Whatever your event, HRGO provide experienced crew and skilled event support staff across the UK. Site Managers Drivers Electricians Riggers Sound Engineers Waiters Car Park & Traffic Marshalls Marquee & Fencing Erectors Plumbers Generator Engineers Lighting Technicians Bar Staff Ticket & Admin Staff Toilet Attendants & Cleaners Contact Debby now: 01604 621333/07795 528055 www.hrgo.co.uk/events

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Tech News

New Social Networking App for Foodies and Restaurateurs Launches Foodies the world over can set their taste buds to social this spring as the innovative new app for gourmets launches. Neebble connects food lovers with fellow foodies and the restaurants they love, all with a global community feel and the convenience that comes from a mobile app.

Designed for those who love eating, and the restaurants who feed that passion, Neebble is jam packed with carefully thought out features to sate even the most demanding of appetites.

The slick interface is fresh and fun, encouraging consumers to unleash their passion for food while connecting with like minded individuals.

Users can share pictures, chat and keep up to date with fellow foodies food activities. For those looking for new tables to discover, Neebble has a super fast and ultra convenient restaurant finder with results sorted by price range and type of food among other criteria. Digital menus can be browsed, tables can be booked and reservations made directly from the app, meaning no inconvenient calls and no filling in a multitude of forms on external websites.

There’s a Crumb Trail, so users can keep up to date with their fellow Neebblers and their food activities in real time as well as review and rate meals and restaurants.

For the Insta generation, the Crumb Trail is also the place to upload pictures of meals and photos of every restaurant experience, add captions and then upload to the platform, turning users from diner to food critic and allowing everyone to record their best meals.

This function also means users can recommend hidden gems to

the whole of the Neebble community, creating a totally connected network of likeminded diners all in search of their next dream meal, best ever steak or most sinful desert.

Dr. Franklin Ngamga, Co-founder and CEO, said, “Neebble is a one stop platform and the ultimate mobile app for foodies. It is a place for people to share food experiences and access relevant restaurant content. The app is packed with resources that make picking and booking a restaurant as well as finding friends to dine out with easy.”

Diners can also access promotions and savings via the app and chat directly with their foodie friends. There’s a Digital Fridge where Neebblers can build and share their own list of meals and restaurants they would like to experience, as well as a unique Call the Waiter function which means no more waiting for service in busy restaurants.

Restaurateurs have not been forgotten either, with Neebble committed to providing a powerful platform to streamline operations, improve bottom lines and maximise visitor experiences.

The cutting edge management system allows registered restaurants to accept online bookings with ease, advertise menus and special offers, alert wait staff to tables that need assistance via the Call the Waiter tool and analyze and track trends.

There is no cost to join Neebble and the app is available to download from the App store and Google play.

For more information about Neebble visit:

www.neebble.com or contact team@neebble.com.

NELSON CATERING EQUIPMENT AT COMMERCIAL KITCHEN 2016 Nelson Catering Equipment has amassed an impressive 35 years’ kitchen design experience providing clever solutions for all types of commercial kitchens, from simple upgrades to full refurbishments, and from high street eateries to Michelin restaurants and major event caterers.

Nelson has forged strong relationships with all the top manufacturers of catering equipment and can also source more unusual or specialist items which might be key to a particular kitchen design.

A bespoke stainless steel fabrication service enables Nelson to personalise any kitchen to a customer’s exact requirements, ensuring every last corner is utilised and that any available space is streamlined to improve functionality, hygiene and aesthetics.

To simplify the design process for customers, Nelson offers fully conceptual CAD plan views of the new kitchen, and can also produce a selection of 3D elevations, allowing owners and chefs to experience the virtual design prior to commissioning.

At Commercial Kitchen, Nelson will be showing on screen images from its impressive design portfolio and will be showcasing equipment from both Blue Seal and Controlled Induction.

Nelson will also highlight its latest range of Advantage glasswashers and dishwashers, available in various undercounter and pass

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through models. Designed for a discerning market that demands the highest build quality, faultless performance and ongoing reliability, Advantage provides the ultimate warewashing solution.

These machines deliver on every level. They reduce running costs drastically by using minimal water, energy and chemicals; they run exceptionally quietly and they perform superbly. Outstanding results are achieved across all types of crockery and glassware – including even delicate items.

John Nelson. Nelson Glass & Dishwashers/Nelson Catering Equipment. Unit 1. Rowley Ind Park. London W3 8BH Tel: 0800 592 833 Web: www.nelsoncatering.co.uk

Frima appoints new London regional sales manager VarioCooking Center’s ‘great results’ impress former Olympics chef Frima UK has appointed Darren Brinn as Regional Sales Manager for London. As a highly experienced chef, Darren has headed up large commercial contracts for several leading organisations including BT and GSK. Most recently he was executive chef at Aramark UK’s HQ in Northwood, where he helped support delivery of catering for the 2012 London Olympics.

“Once I decided to switch into sales the opportunity to join Frima was too good to miss,” he says. “I am familiar with the product line – to be honest, it’s been something of a passion of mine. It’s a premium piece of technology that truly makes chefs’ lives easier. It’s fast, easy to

use, energy-saving and produces great results.”

Frima UK managing director Graham Kille is delighted to welcome his latest team member. “Darren is imaginative, creative and ambitious. Wherever possible we recruit former chefs as salespeople, since they have natural empathy with our customers and understand their issues.

Darren’s experience will be invaluable.”

For information and brochures, or to come to a free Cooking Live demonstration, call Frima UK on 0845 680 3981 Email: info.uk@frima-online.com or visit:

www.frima-online.com

Darren is excited to be joining Frima just as the company has launched its latest model, the VarioCooking Center 112L. “It’s a classic, countertop two-pan Frima, but with a 50 litre cooking capacity, and that makes it ideal for any restaurant looking for a multifunctional cooking appliance that can handle larger volumes,” he says.

Wanted: Super KPs Winterhalter launches Kitchen Porter of the Year 2016 – with £10,000 in prizes to be won Is your KP a super hero of the kitchen? Leading dishwasher specialist Winterhalter is on the hunt to find the best kitchen porter in the UK. The winner will be crowned KP of the Year 2016 and, along with the glory (and the trophy), will receive £1,000 cash plus a celebratory dinner for friends and family. On top of that, the winner’s establishment will get a Winterhalter warewasher worth up to £8,000.

Two runners up will each win £250 cash, plus a trophy. In fact, every single KP who is nominated for the award will be a winner, as each will receive a special KP of the Year apron, created by Oliver Harvey, in a presentation tin.

So what does it take to be a ‘super’ KP? In the four years since the KP of the Year was launched, Winterhalter managing director Stephen Kinkead has talked to many kitchen porters up and down the country.

“These men and women work very, very hard and make an enormous contribution to the foodservice industry. It’s a contribution that’s often underappreciated, which is what we set to put right with the KP of the Year.

“The best KPs have that willingness to go the extra mile. The ability to get on with the rest of the kitchen brigade, as well as the front of house team, is important, so a decent sense of humour is probably critical! The very best will bring something new or different to their kitchen and may well have something about them that inspires their colleagues.”

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 Tel: 01908 359000, Email: info@winterhalter.co.uk www.winterhalter.co.uk, or

www.winterhalter-scout.biz

It’s easy to enter a KP, simply visit kpoftheyear.com and click on the ‘nominate your KP’ button, then fill in the form.

Deadline for entries is Friday August 5th 2016. For information visit: www.kpoftheyear.com Winterhalter provides a total solution for warewashing, from pre-sales advice

may/June 2016

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Tech News

Advice on ice hygiene: keep yourself clean and keep the icemaker clean Hubbard questions suggestion that faecal bacteria came from water that made the ice Once again the issue of ice hygiene is in the media, with a researcher from the BBC’s Rip Off Britain finding bacteria from faeces in ice cubes served in a big name takeaway.

However, a suggestion that the bacteria could have come from the water used in the icemaker has been questioned by the ice experts at Hubbard Systems, the company that markets Scotsman ice machines in the UK. “The water in the icemaker will have passed through a filter system that will help to prevent any bacteria present from getting into the machine,” says Mark Stebbings, Technical and Aftercare Manager at Hubbard Systems.

“The bacteria that was found is most probably the result of poor personal hygiene standards, presumably on the part of a member of staff.”

The solution is straight forward, says Mark. “Clean the machine, clean yourself, and don’t pick up ice with your hands – use a scoop. Ice is a food so staff should always wash their hands before and during service. As for the machine, follow the manufacturer’s

cleaning instructions. They shouldn’t be complicated.”

Meanwhile for any operator who is concerned about a potential problem with their ice machine, there’s a simple test kit that they can use. “The 3M Clean ‘n Trace kit, available from many outlets including Hubbard Systems, is simple to use,” says Mark. “The operator just swabs the area – in this case the inside of the storage bin – then pops the swab into a solution that will change colour to show if there is an issue with bacteria.”

Anyone looking for guidance on cleaning ice machines should find Hubbard’s ‘how to’ videos useful. They can be found in the video area at scotsman-ice.co.uk.

Hubbard Systems is the UK distributor for the market leading Scotsman range, which is available via dealers nationwide.

For more information on the full range of Scotsman ice machines, and details of local stockists, freephone Hubbard Systems on: Freephone: 0800 616559 Tel: 01473 350045 Email: sales@hubbardsystems.co.uk or visit: www.scotsman-ice.co.uk

FEM keeps it on ice Latest Manitowoc QM Integral Storage Ice Machine from FEM produces and stores quality ice on a small footprint The latest Manitowoc QM-45 ice machine from FEM is a compact undercounter ice cube machine with integral storage, perfect for small-volume ice production, occasional use or as a back-up for larger machines.

The small footprint and front ventilation enables the QM models to be easily sited under or builtinto counters, keeping the ice right where it’s needed. The machines’ attractive stainless steel

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construction means it looks good front-of-house, too.

The door slides up and out of the way allowing operators easy access to the ice storage bin.

The QM-45 ice machine is capable of producing 43 kg of dice ice in a 24-hour period, while the integral ice bin has a storage capacity of 14 kg.The dice cubes are a hard, clear, slow-melting, rhomboid-shaped ice cubes that provide maximum cooling and quick production.

The ice is produced with

Manitowoc’s proven vertical evaporator for maximum efficiency.

The QM series features improved sanitation with patented cleaning and sanitising technology and an easy access air filter.

Levellers come as standard with the machines, with adjustable legs being optional.

The Manitowoc QM-45 measures 500mm(w) x 568mm (d) x 800mm (h) and is available from FEM distributors with 3 years parts and labour warranty for a list price £1890.00 plus VAT. For more information and details of local stockists call FEM on +44 (0) 1355 244111, email sales@fem.co.uk or visit:

www.fem.co.uk

Tech News

Can the Italian dining sector continue to reign or is pasta in danger of becoming passé?

www.kaleidovision.co.uk

By Aisha Nanor, head of digital and music Kaleidovision The nineties were the heyday of the Italian pizza pasta restaurant. They were desirable places to visit and they guaranteed safe, easy food that the whole family could enjoy. Yet admittedly there wasn’t much competition. It’s now 2016 and the dining scene is a wildly different place, where the likes of Prezzo and ASK are fighting for customers alongside Mexican, sushi, modern Indian and Peruvian. In fact you name it and there’s a restaurant for it. Can Italian brands continue to rule the high street and keep the attention of our more experimental and discerning diner?

Or are pizza and pasta in danger of becoming passé?

Pizza and pasta have a special place in the hearts of British diners and on paper Italian cuisine continues to be the most booked restaurant type. But in reality the popularity of identikit Italian restaurants means they can struggle to gain stand out.

With the rise of discount codes, most consumers will only indulge in gnocchi and gelato if the price is right. So how can we inspire diners without the free glass of Prosecco?

What Italian restaurants need is a strong dose of personality.

Whilst some brands have cleverly tried to find their own unique space through identifying with a particular Italian region, like Zizzi with Tuscany, other brands lack charisma. There are many ways that these brands can re-excite and recapture the attention of diners by remembering what it is about Italy that is so appealing. As Zizzi nicely captures the Tuscan vibe, perhaps some well placed digital screens could provide a window into a sun drenched Tuscan landscape? Or what about embracing jazz, which is played live in the first Pizza Express restaurant in Soho?

A thought-through, cleverly curated jazz inspired soundscape, with an Italian theme, would add so much enjoyment to the Pizza Express environment.

The problem is that many in the casual dining sector see music as a commodity, a box ticking exercise, but it could be so much more. It opens up the dining experience beyond the restaurant.

Can you imagine hearing a wonderful summer inspired soundtrack whilst sharing a family dining experience, then having the ability to download it at home? Great music makes diners feel cared for and thought of. It’s a really emotional way of engaging customers and can even reflect what’s going on locally or draw on themes like seasons and change tempo at different times of the day.

The music can be inspired by Italy and still have a complete identity of its own. Take Thaikhun which used music as a major differentiation from the swathes of other Thai restaurants. A musical journey immerses Thaikhun’s urbanite audience in a vibrant slice of Bangkok. We fused together the sounds of what’s current in Thailand right now with a sense of Britishness so there’s also recognition with the local audience. It’s a culture clash that creates a modern buzzy Thai street café vibe. And when people mention the ‘fun quirky cultural vibe’ in reviews, we know that music delivered with thought and passion connects.

Likewise with digital, surely it’s time to say farewell to the sticky menu and simply have easily updated menus on digital screens which can flag the specials and help with dayparting? Digital screens can also provide a sense of theatre and could stream live footage of the busy kitchen, or even showcase proper pizza making?

At the Big Easy Bar.B.Q and Lobstershack, screens are used to both inform and entertain, with menus, special offers and details of events. It’s an integrated system, with simple content management and clever creative combined.

Get in touch +44 (0)1634 568925

With all family casual dining experiences, remaining true to the authenticity of what they offer is key and enhancing that through digital and curated music will go a long way to help brands find and enhance their personality, which diners will be sure to embrace.

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