DRAM MAGAZINE

MAY 2011

ISSN 1470-241X

249

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

KAREN PEARSON • A ROSÉ FUTURE • DRAM AWARDS 2011

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May is set to be a busy month with thejudging for the DRAM Awards starting.But we have extended the entry deadline

to until the end of this week for online entries only.Enter at dramscotland.co.uk. And if you think youare a potential Sunday Mail Pub of the year,persuade your customers to vote for you! This month Jason Caddy takes a look at what’shappening on the PPL front, just in time forsummer, while he also penned our feature onScotland’s female on-trade movers and shakers,while I caught up with the dynamic Karen Pearsonat the Cul de Sac in Coatbridge. Indigo is the newest boutique hotel to open inGlasgow. Operated by Maurice Taylor, and part ofthe ICH Group, this new hotel, bar and restaurant,looks the part. See our design feature on pages22 - 24. The Awards take place on 20th June at the GrandCentral Hotel in Glasgow. Tickets for the awardsare tight this year, because we can’t take as manyat the new venue. So if you haven’t booked yet,please do. I wouldn’t want to disappoint. We will reveal all our finalists in the next issue. Ialso hope you enjoy our little summer cocktail bookwhich comes free with this issue. See you next month.

Editorsusan@mediaworldltd.com

DRAM MAY 113

CONTENTSMay 2011

A ROSÉ FUTUREJason Caddy takes a look at some of thewomen who help make the trade a success.

NEWSThe latest news from around the trade.

FEATURES

REGULARS

249

THE DRAM AWARDS 2011Your last chance to enter the 2011 DRAMAwards.

14

DESIGN FEATUREThe new Indigo Hotel and Limelight Bar.23THE GENIE IS OUT OF THE BOTTLE Has Scotland rekindled its love affair withPPLs? Jason Caddy reports.

26

SMOOTH OPERATORSusan Young interviews Karen Pearson.18

05

DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

SUE SAYSStraight talking from our very own Editor.30

WELCOME

10

DRAM

MAY 11 DRAM4

DRAM MAY 11 5

NEWSCOVER STORY¬

The new global advertisingcampaign for Glenfiddich isnow rolling out in Scotland.

The ‘One Day you Will’ campaignaims to encourage consumers tomake the most of life’sadventures.The creative features scenarioswhich look to inspire awe,including our cover pictureshowing mountainous landscapewith two men looking out to thedistance.Katie Rawll, Glenfiddich globalbrand director, comments, “OneDay You Will takes Glenfiddich intoa brave new territory for singlemalt. We pioneered the singlemalt category and have a longhistory of whisky innovation. Ournew advertising campaigncelebrates our consumers’ self-belief and reflects our pioneeringspirit and this future lookingconcept clearly differentiatesGlenfiddich from our moretraditional competitors.”The campaign is supported by aglobal PR, Relationship Marketingand digital communicationsplatform, which will identify, fosterand celebrate the world’s mostpioneering people, ideas andendeavours. This will besupported by the launch ofbursary programmes, which willenable Glenfiddich consumers toturn their ambitions into reality.Katie Rawll continued: “We areconfident ‘One Day You Will’ willbe a real success with a strongimpact on the growth of ourbusiness. The campaign istestament to the pioneering spiritof the distillery’s founder, WilliamGrant, and we continue to staytrue to his vision.”

ONE DAYYOU WILL

Dumfries licensees could have preventedthe slashing of their hours by respondingto a consultation paper. Licensees and

the Nithsdale Licensing forum sent out by thelicensing board were given the opportunity tovoice opposition to the curb which saw 11licensees lose an hour’s trading from 1st May.A spokesperson from Dumfries and GallowayCouncil told DRAM, “Every single licensee waswritten to so that their views were represented.And the response from the Forum itself was infavour of an hours’ cut. Premises affected weregiven the chance to appeal the decision.”However, when DRAM spoke to licensees in thearea, the consultation paper was branded‘unclear.’ Nithsdale Licensing Forum memberMaureen McKerrow, of the Globe Inn, said,“There was no indication in the consultationdocument that there was going to be any change

in policy. Licensees assumed that they were fine.Their complacency was their own fault.” As we reported last month, 11 outlets lost anhour, and ten others were allowed to retain it.Several licensees who weren’t using the extrahour also agreed to forgo it. But the wholeprocess was also very costly to all thoseinvolved. Said Maureen, “For those nightclubsthat kept their 3am licence, it cost about£1000 in legal fees to essentially jump througha hoop, and keep a hold of what formed part oftheir grandfather rights anyway. And we doneed a late night economy in the town orpeople will go elsewhere.“And Licensees with an entertainment offering,such as DJs, karaoke etc were unfairly dealttoo, by being refused the extension. There wasa lack of clarity from the Board about whatconstituted entertainment.”

‘COMPLACENCY’ A FACTORIN HOURS SLASH

Licensees have until the 25th May to snap up one of 76 available freeholds in Scotland followingthe collapse of Robert Tchenguiz's R20 property group. Some 207 pubs, all tenanted, are held bya number of companies under the R&L Properties banner, with 76 in Scotland. These include TheGriffin and The Park Bar in Glasgow. Robert ‘Bobsie’ Mullen is tenant at the Griffin. He is nervouslywaiting to see if he has got the freehold. “It’s a waiting game, and I’ve gone for the freehold, butthe vultures are gathering so it’s difficult to know who’s going to end up with it.” The pubs wereonce managed by Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company on behalf of Tchenguiz, and were thenmoved over to be managed on a day-to-day basis by LT Management Services and recovery outfit,Licensed Solutions, at the end of last year. Accountancy firm Deloitte has been appointedadministrator, and the freehold sales are being handled by Christie & Co. There are six in centralScotland, two in Highlands and Islands, three in north east, with the remainder scattered inGlasgow and Edinburgh and outlying areas.

R&L PUB LEASE DEADLINE

The Buzzworks Group has lavished £800K on refurbishing itssecond Scotts in Largs. It will open next month, hopefully beforethe first weekend of the month. The company opened the originalScotts at the Yacht Haven in Troon in 2004. “There are elementsof the Scotts DNA in the design,” said Buzzworks director, KennyBlair, pictured left. He continued, “Scotts in Largs is more of amodern version with great outdoor spaces, but there’s noretractable roof on this one!” Buzzworks bought the business fromthe administrator in March 2009. It was called Regatta and wasowned by the Nardini family. Buzzworks ran it as Regattas fromMarch 2009 until December 2010, before the refurbishment.

BUZZWORKS SPEND£800K IN LARGS

MAY 11 DRAM6

SHORTSPubs and clubs in Aberdeen will begranted an extra hour of opening timeduring the Oil and Gas UK three-dayconference in September. Pernod Ricard has revealed a good3rd quarter 2010/11 in line with the 1sthalf of the financial year. Over the first ninemonths of the 2010/11 financial year (1July 2010 to 31 March 2011)consolidated sales (excluding tax andduties) totalled €5,902 million, anincrease of 11% compared to €5,326million for the same period in the previous

year. During the period, sales grew by+16% in emerging markets and by 2% inmature markets. SABMiller Plc has revealed its ChiefFinancial Officer, Malcolm Wyman, is toretire at the end of August. He will bereplaced by James (Jamie) Wilson,currently Finance Director for SABMillerEurope. Wilson joined SABMiller in 2005and has held a number of senior positionsin the group. He has had 23 years ofexperience in the global beverage industry,having held a number of senior executive

positions before joining SABMiller, notablyGroup Finance Director and ManagingDirector - Operations of Highland Distillersplc; Executive Chairman of Maxxium,Strategy/Finance Director for ScottishCourage Ltd; and Strategy/ProjectDirector for Scottish & Newcastle plc. Hehas a law degree from the University ofEdinburgh, is a qualified charteredaccountant and is a member of theChartered Institute of Taxation.Royal Mile Whiskies are opening anew drinks shop in Pitlochry. The company

Licensees are being warned not to useillegal bypasses to electrical meters. Ifcaught they could face having theirlicences suspended. Already three pubsThe Carfin Vaults in Carfin, The Stablesin Viewpark and the Cottage Inn atNewarthill, have been warned by policeand called in front of the licensing board.Police visited the pubs and found ”allegedillegal bypasses to electrical meters”.Police then made separate reports tothe Procurator Fiscal and the LicensingBoard. A Strathclyde police spokesmansaid, “The review hearings followedrecent joint operations where officersfrom Strathclyde Police, personnel fromScottish Power Revenue Protection Unitand North Lanarkshire Council LicensingStandard Officers visited licensedpremises to address issues of concern.At the hearing the Board issuedwarnings to The Carfin Vaults, TheStables and The Cottage Inn.Meanwhile a Motherwell pub, The WarOffice, has already had its licencesuspended for 14 days, while the OldOriginal Bar in Blantyre was closed forthree days and the licensees werereported to the Procurator fiscal.

ELECTRICITYWARNING

Pub chain J D Wetherspoon has its sights set on another 49 units in Scotland, in addition to the51 it currently operates. Speaking exclusively to DRAM, J D Wetherspoon spokesperson EddieGershon said, “The success of units in smaller towns like Hawick and Wick has shown us thatthere is demand for what we offer in smaller Scottish towns, as well as the big cities. There isscope for 100, I’d say, but don’t ask me to give you a time scale for when we’re going to do it..The company has already confirmed plans to open outlets in Brechin and Forfar, and is lookingto buy a venue in Montrose. It also has sites earmarked for Orkney and Peebles.

ISLAY GETS FIRST CASH AND CARRYIslay’s licensed trade now have a Cash and Carryto call their own. Local wholesaler Hasties,owned by Dunns Food and Drink, has nowexpanded and has opened the Cash and Carry atits Port Ellen premises. Says Managing Director,Jim Rowan, “We did some research and spoke toour customers, and realised that there was a lotmore we could offer them as a Cash and Carry.As well as our licensed products, we can nowoffer an expanded food service range andjanitorial products too.”

He continues, “We now offer more than 300food products on-site, and customers can alsochoose from 3,000 lines that we offer to ourwholesale customers, as we deliver twice a weekto the island. Islay’s tourism industry has reallygrown, and as it has developed, so has themenus that restaurateurs, publicans andhoteliers are offering, and we are well positionedto meet their requirements.”He concluded, “It’s early days, but already wehave seen sales rocket.”

J.D. WETHERSPOON AIMS FOR 100 SCOTTISH PUBS

Glasgow venues One Up and 29 were aiming for a worldrecord by serving up 30,000 cocktails at the recent Girls DayOut Event at the SECC. Gary Bowman, Assistant GeneralManager at One Up joined colleagues for the marathonsession. He is pictured with just a few of the cocktails thatwere a hit with the ladies.

Deacon Brodies in Dundee and the adjoining Doghouse are beingconverted into one big ‘art house’ bar, which will cover three levels.Leaseholder, Sarah Hill is undertaking the renovation to make the venuemore appealing to students. Deacon Brodies will now become ‘TheUnderdog’, and an internal stairway will now link it to The Doghouse, sothat people can move between the venues. Downstairs there will beMoroccan-style furnishings and acoustic music, in the middle there’s theDoghouse bar and live music venue and a coffee/cocktail bar/cafe willmonopolise the balcony overlooking the stage. The new venue shouldopen next month.

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WWW.DRAMSCOTLAND.CO.UK

NEWS

O.V.D. is upweighting investment in Scotland this summer with its Everyman’s Got a Sweet Spot marketingprogramme. This year’s activity will have a pet theme, with a recent survey by O.V.D revealing that morethan 25% of Scots show more affection to their pet than their partner. Tapping in to this and the uniqueScottish sense of humour, all ‘Everyman’s Got a Sweet Spot’ activity will carry this theme – including newcreatives for press and online competitions.

has an excellent reputation as whisky,spirits and cigar specialists with shops inEdinburgh and London. A new 208-bedroom hotel is set forEdinburgh’s Royal Mile. The hotel which isMotel One’s first establishment inScotland, is being developed by the ChrisStewart Group. As well as a budget hotelthere are also plans to construct 30,000sq ft of residential space, six officepremises and two restaurants.Belhaven Pubs Division hasconfirmed that it acquired Morrison’s Cold

Beer Company in Stirling at the end ofMarch. The deal is rumoured to be wortharound £2M.VC2 Brands, has reported asuccessful year with turnover reaching£3m; up from £1.8m the previous year.Co-founder Graham Coull commented, “Weare thrilled with the growth that VC2 hasexperienced over the past year, due largelyto expanding export markets, nationalretail listings and continuing new productinnovation, which is a real speciality forus.” The company is planning to add a

golden rum to its spirits portfolio whichincludes Boe Superior Gin, Paris RoseLiqueur, Stiffy’s flavoured vodka and on thebrewing side TSA Brewing Co have WilliamWallace 80/-, Lomond Gold and 1488Premium Whisky Beer. Paul Bray has been appointed as thenew general manager of the MacdonaldInchyra. He was formerly GM of the JurysInn in Glasgow. The hotel has just revealeda major refurbishment of its Spa and publicareas including its restaurant, bar andreception.

DRAM MAY 117

The entrepreneur behind Victoria’s nightclub, nowAzure, is not only developing a hotel next to thenightclub, due to open next year, but has alsohas set his sights on Loch Lomond for his latestventure, a £100m theme park. Wayne Gardner-Young, whose WGA Group currently has abusiness portfolio worth in the region of £60-£70m, also owns the Buchanan Arms Hotel inDrymen, and is currently trying to get a £22m

transformation of a West Lothian wasteland intoan adventure park off the ground. His ambitiousnew project at Loch Lomond includes a hotel,cafés and restaurants to sit alongside a five-startouring caravan site with a spa, plus a variety ofholiday apartments and lodges, zip slides andtreehouses. The project will be funded by European venturecapitalists and Mr Gardner-Young.

Perth’s Station Hotel has re-opened for business after itsowners, Supportico Ltd, foughta losing battle with Perth andKinross Council, to turn thebuilding into the centrepiece ofa ‘care village.’ Instead theowners are investing £1m inthe hotel. Already 15bedrooms have beenrefurbished with plans toupgrade a further 15, and thefunction suites will be re-opened too.Isle of Arran distillery hasreported its best ever results.Sales grew by 27% to a recordhigh prompting the business toinvest to expand production by40% (100,000 litres ofalcohol). Brand sales for Arranwere especially strong growingby 42% year on year. Exportsales for the business were up45%, compared to the exportgrowth of 10% for the totalScotch whisky market.Operating profits were up byover 450% to £173,028 onturnover of £2,712,343. Thecompany also reported abottom line improvement of£133,670 over 2009.

Dundee licensee Colin Rattray has vowed tofight on after the Dundee Board declinedhis application for a two-hour licence

extension. The Fat Sam’s owner wanted toremain open until 4.30am on Wednesday, Fridayand Saturday nights. He had hoped to sellalcohol until closing time and claimed a new foodservice would help to counteract the effects ofthe alcohol sold. "I'm gutted,” said Rattray. “Theyhave extended the hours of public houses to2.30am and casinos until 6am — that meanseveryone in the trade is advancing in on thenightclub's hours while we're being held back.We have to change the way the businessoperates so I'll look at this application again."Members of the board refused the application bysix votes to two, following a plea from ChiefInspector Dave Barclay. He said, "Mr Rattray

runs an excellent establishment but we wouldhave to redraw working arrangements and thatwould have an impact on Dundee. We wouldneed a minimum of four additional officers, butpotentially up to six. These officers would have tobe brought into the town to cope with thethousands of people coming out of the clubs andon to the streets and that would mean wecouldn't police outlying areas properly.”Colin Rattray’s solicitor, Archie McIver, told theBoard, "The chief constable's fears arepredicated on an extra 300 people coming intothe city, but these people are already there, andare already being policed. If you grant theapplication the sale of alcohol is ancillary to thesale of food, surely that will have a beneficialeffect on alcohol these people will haveconsumed?”

KNOCK BACK FOR FAT SAMS

THE £100M PLAN FOR LOCH LOMOND

¬

MALMAISON MOVES INTO DUNDEEMalmaison is planning to open in Dundee. The group aims to take over the Tay Hotel,which is currently being restored by developers who have planned a two-storey extension,with 91 bedrooms, a private dining room, brasserie, whisky snug and cellar. A Malmaisonspokeswoman said that although the deal had not yet been finalised, the company wasworking closely with developers to restore the building. She said, "It is potentially aMalmaison project. We are interested in it and we are working with the developmentteam. A planning application for the hotel was submitted to Dundee City Council last week,lodged by the building's owners, MEC Services (International) Ltd. Glasgow architects Curious House is responsible for the plans. It also designed theAberdeen Malmaison and the Hotel du Vin in Edinburgh, which is owned by the samecompany.

MAY 11 DRAM8

TM Restaurants has opened Tony Macaroniin Glasgow’s Italian Centre, at 17 John St.The company has taken a 15-year lease onthe 1800 sq ft unit, which also has amezzanine. The unit has had a number ofguises. Cafe Ostra way back in earlynoughties and latterly Tuscan Square. ChrisBryce from the company told DRAM,“We’ve given it a whole new lease of life andwe are making more of the conservatory

overlooking the courtyard.” And TonyMacaroni number five will open in June. Theold Starka in Brandon Street, Motherwell,is currently under construction and willopen around midmonth. Lanark will follow in2012. Glasgow is the fourth Tony Macaroniafter Livingston, East Kilbride and ByresRoad, Glasgow. TM also owns and operates Nardini’s inLargs.

T.G.I. Friday’s has opened in Aberdeen’s Union Square ShoppingCentre. The restaurant is the second Friday’s in the city. TimCullum, T.G.I. Friday’s UK Operations Director said, “We are, ofcourse, delighted to have created 98 new jobs in the area at atime when they are increasingly hard to come by.”This is a continuation of our strategy of investment in primelocations and we consider Union Square to be a key site.”

BAR NEWSTONY MACARONI OPENSIN ITALIAN CENTRE

The £2.5m Dormy Clubhouse refurbishmentat Gleneagles has been unveiled. The Dormyclosed in October last year, finally openingits doors last month. A Gleneagles spokesperson told DRAM,“Inside has been a mammothrefurbishment. It is now 180 covers, whereit used to be only 80, and it’s now verymuch a bar and grill concept. All produce issourced locally. In terms of design, one of the most

interesting features is the wine wall,essentially wine racks embedded in thewalls. There is also a private dining room,with a capacity for up to 80 guests.” The project is part of an ongoingdevelopment programme for Gleneaglesand comes on the back of £18minvestment since 2007. Golfers were ableto use alternative clubhouse facilities duringthe closure, including the restaurants withinthe hotel.

£2.5M DORMY REOPENS

Scotland's hotel sector is "outperforming"the rest of the UK, based on the latestfigures released by industry analysts. PFKsaid that year-on-year occupancy levelsrose by 1.5% during the month ofFebruary. Aberdeen saw the largestincrease in visitors to its hotels, with a8.1% rise. The high oil price is thought tohave contributed to the boom. Glasgowsaw occupancy rise by 0.8% and roomsyield increase by 0.9% while occupancy inEdinburgh fell 0.4% but revenue increasedby 2.6%. Rooms yield, the industrymeasure of revenue, was also up by 2.8%in Scotland. The budget sector continuesto be hardest hit with both occupancy androoms yield falling for rooms priced below£50. Alastair Rae, from PKF, said, "It wasanother positive month for the Scottishhotel sector, outperforming the rest of theUK with increases in both occupancy androoms yield.”In England occupancy levels were down1.7% and fell by 4.8% in Wales.1901 on Pollokshaws Road in Glasgowhas been transformed into a bar and grill,following a bit of a facelift inside and out. Ithas new signage and a new managementteam. 1901 Bar & Grill general managerChristopher Queen said, “We’re delightedwith the results and, judging from thefeedback from our regulars, they’re happytoo! The bar will continue to serve up abroad selection of premium lagers, caskales, malts and wines.” And it’s just beenawarded a Cask Marque in recognition ofits real ale care and quality.The bar where Edinburgh fire fighter EwanWilliamson died tackling a blaze two yearsago has reopened with a new name. Theformer Balmoral Bar on Dalry Road is nowBenson’s Bar. Said licensee JintyContreras, “It's sad for the family becausethey've had such loss and such sadness,but this takes us that wee bit forward. Wehope to make a happy bar out of thesadness, but not to forget the laddie. Shehas consulted Mr Williamson's family, andhopes to put up a plaque in his memory onthe outside of the building. She added, "Wewill be doing a charity night for the firemen,to show them we're still thinking of them.”

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Kopparberg Mixed Fruit is Scotland’s Number 1 fruit cider brand.*

Spending over £5m on advertising and promotion in 2011, Kopparberg Cider is pioneering the development of the UK cider category.

Catherine Conaghan Northern Divisional Sales ManagerDiageo Reserve Brands,Scotland

Catherine was the first female sales person tojoin Guinness UDV some 16 years ago. Nowshe heads up what is effectively a stand-alonearm of Diageo’s business, Reserve Brands,focussing on luxury, premium spirits and theirmalts range. “I knew that I wanted to managepeople, and my role has always been asales/commercial one. In the last ten yearssince the merger, I have moved frommanaging sales for the West of Scotland tothe Northern Division. What I love about thiscompany is that there’s a degree oforganisational change every three years orso, with brands joining and leaving the

portfolio. This keeps the job fresh,” she says.Catherine’s passions include her family and her“two bambinos”, running, good food and live music.“Diageo is very flexible for working mums,compared to when I started.”

Lynn MortimerManaging DirectorLynnet Leisure, GlasgowLynn is MD of the business, which is very much afamily affair, and handles the day-to-day running of

the business, while father James takes care ofthe wheeling and the dealing. “My dad’s a PRman extraordinaire, he attends as many tradeevents as he can, and, like me, he’s a regularface in all our units.”“It’s important to be visible andapproachable for customers alike. It’simportant to deal with people from all walksof life with the same professionalism,” shesays. Flagship venue, One Up, on Royal

Exchange Square, together with The Grill and29, make up a trio of Glasgow venues that

continue to go from strength to strength and itis all credit to Lynn’s unswerving dedication. “The

weddings business is doing great and we hada great January/February, although the lasttwo months have been quieter with the kidsbeing off.” And she has also weaved some ofher magic over the Rogano, which remains

one of Glasgow’s most famous and best-lovedeateries. They also have various other ventures too.

Julie DunnOperations DirectorDunns Food and Drink,BlantyreJulie, a languages graduate, always knew that shewanted to work for the family business. She cuther teeth at the Stirling Depot in the Food Serviceside of the business. She said, “I took theOperations Director role in 2001 when DunnsFood and Drink was born. I got the role becauseof my name, but I have grown into the job whichinvolves staffing, lorries and personnel issues, andI love it.” Julie married to a policeman recentlyreturned from a seven-month maternity leave. Shecomments “I now have to share my business lovewith my love for the kids. I thought I would havelost my business ego in the time I was off, but ithas returned! I like being an employer, it’s part ofwho I am, and I’m very content in this role. As forfuture aspirations, I want longevity and a point ofdifference in what we offer.”

Alison BlairDirectorBuzzworks Group,AyrshireAlison is extremely focussed on the continuedsuccess of Buzzworks Holdings. She says “We havebecome more focussed on finance in recent years,but so far so good. In fact I’d say that because of theeconomic downturn we have been managing thingsmore closely and this has helped us better managethe business.” Buzzworks own and operate Elliots inPrestwick and Scotts in Troon and various otherAyrshire outlets too. Alison, a director alongsidebrothers Colin and Kenny, is very much the unsunghero of the Ayrshire-based group, but her role takesin training, working with the accountant on cashflow, wages overheads and coaching seniormanagement. “Colin, Kenny and I bring a greatbalance to the company dynamic, and we are allabout continuous development and innovation.”Away from the trade, Alison liked ballroom dancing,long before it became fashionable, and the greatoutdoors – particularly kayaking, cycling and hillwalking.

SCOTLAND HAS SOME VERY DYNAMIC WOMEN IN THE ON TRADE.THIS MONTH WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST IN THEBUSINESS.

FEATURE BY JASON CADDY

FROM TOP - CATHERINE CONAGHAN,JULIE DUNN & LYNN MORTIMER.

MAY 11 DRAM10

A ROSÉ FUTFEATURE BY JASON CADDY

Siobhan Edwards DirectorLisini Pub Co.LanarkshireSiobhan and sister Lisa head up the Lisini Pub Co.,which operates Angels in Uddingston and theParkville in Blantyre and two other venues withanother currently on the cards. She was a humanresources manager in the forces for three years.But after suffering a brain haemorrhage, she wentback to Uni and got an MSC, ready for a “properjob” which turned out to be working in sales for UDfor five years in Manchester. From here she wenton to work for Coca Cola as sales manager for theSouth of England. “I’ve worked in male dominatedenvironments, and people don’t always expectstrong women,” said Siobhan. “It was a goodchallenge for me opening the Parkville and we havereinvested and see ourselves as regenerating thelocal community. Lisa and I complement eachother really well. She’s finance and I’m creative.Neither of us ever rest on our laurels, and alwaystry to keep it fresh and give the customer what heor she wants.” Siobhan’s husband’s is currently ontour in Afghanistan, although he’s home this monthfor three weeks!

Sarah FoxGeneral ManagerBrowns, GlasgowCambridge graduate Sarah heads up newly openedBrowns in Glasgow’s George Square. “I manage ateam of 90 people. That’s a lot of bodies, but I thinkwomen have more of a nurturing instinct and bringout the best in their staff, although from a guestperspective, some still look over my shoulder for aman when they ask to speak to the manager. I’mproud to say that female managers have alwaysbeen well represented at Browns,” she said. Sarah was born in America, where she has workedon-and-off across the pond for several years. “Myhospitality mentality was formed in the States, tonaturally surpass the guest expectations. I think theUK gets a bad rep on this score, but it’s not alwaysdeserved. I’ve had some excellent service here.Inconsistency is the main problem I encounter as aguest.” She loves the fast pace of the role and thefact that every day brings something brand new.

Prior to this,Sarah ranB r o w n s ’E d i n b u r g hoperation for

five years, but she began working for them aftergraduating, when she lived next door to itsCambridge outlet. She also had a brief stint atEdinburgh’s Pierre Victoire.

Lynne ParkerGeneral Manager Café Gandolfi/Gandolfi Fish,GlasgowOriginally from Newcastle, Lynne has been atGlasgow’s Café Gandolfi since December 2002. Sheis General Manager of both the Café andneighbouring Gandolfi Fish, managing a combinedstaff of 65. “I love everything about the job andSeumas is a great guy to work for and with,” saidLynne. “The business has developed so much and itremains fresh and interesting. As well as buying andhiring staff etc., I also do three to four shifts a week,which I enjoy, and it’s important to be hands-on.”Lynne began her career at The Willow TeaRooms, before joining 24-hour café Insomnia,where she did the graveyard shift. “The staffturnover was so high there was a bonus foranyone who managed six months. But noone ever made it that far.” She became acharge hand at Pierre Victoire, andfollowing its closure, worked at Brel in thewest end before taking on her current role.

Lynne AlldritBeech Tree Inn,DrumgoyneRob Roy, BuchlyvieLynne is owner/operator of the Beech Tree Inn,Drumgoyne and the Rob Roy, Buchlyvie. Lynne’sbackground includes a spell working with NickNairn at Braeval in Aberfoyle and at OneDevonshire, before she acquired the Rob Roy. Oneday she just decided to follow her dream and puther money where her mouth is and buy the BeechTree in 2004 she decided to follow her dream. Shesays of the last 12 months, “It’s been a tough year,no doubt, and it’s been a case of head down, battleon. You have to be more and more creative, andat the Beech Tree we have played to our strengthsand focused on appealing to the family market. Wenow have rabbits, goats and ducks for the kids.”Lynne took over the lease at the Rob Roy in 2008,and both units keep her very busy. And herdedication to making them continue to besuccessful ensures that she doesn’t really havemuch time for anything else away from thedemands of the business.

DRAM MAY 1111

FROM TOP LEFT - SIOBHAN EDWARDS,LISA WISHART & ALISON BLAIR

TURE

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Sue BuchananRegional Trading Director-Scotland Waverley TBS, ScotlandSue took over the top job in Scotland at the startof the year but she is first to admit when Suebegan her career with Waverley, the trade was avery different place. “There are a far greaternumber of females in the trade now. In fact I’d saythat in Waverley it’s pretty much 50/50 with areasales managers compared to less then 1% when Iwas on the road in the early 80s.“I like the sociability of the job and developing my salesteam. It’s also a vibrant industry to work in and I thinkthat we are beginning to turn a corner. However,there is still a lot of concern in the trade, particularlyover healthy drinking, from the point of view oflegislation. We are also witnessing a huge drivetowards improving standards, which I celebrate.”Even when Sue is away from the job, Sue can’t stopher eye roving over the gantry at the product rangeand, unsurprisingly, at the wine offering.

Petra WetzelOwnerWEST Brewery, GlasgowEverything changed for German-born Petra whendrinking a pint with her father while he was visitingher as a student at Glasgow University. “Weordered a pint of…let’s just call it a pint, and myfather said ‘Is this the best that they have?’ and therest as they say is history.” The WEST Brewery onGlasgow Green has this year celebrated its fifthbirthday, which is not bad going for a woman who“didn’t even like beer all that much” when she firstlanded on Scottish soil. WEST prides itself onfusing traditional German brewing techniques withcutting-edge technology. Away from brewing, Petracan be found hill walking, or with her wee boy,Noah, walking along a beach somewhere, dog intow. She also puts a lot of store by good food, andtravels back to her native Germany about threetimes a year.

Sarah DavidLicencee at CabaretVoltaire, EdinburghNot long after starting to study medicine, Sarahtook on the general manager/bookers position atthe Liquid Room, where she remained for almost14 years. She worked to put Edinburgh and theLiquid Room on the touring map for live bands and

DJs. Then in 2004, Sarah begandiscussions with Festival Inns about hervision to create something new andfresh on the music scene for the city.Cabaret Voltaire was born. “My aim wasto create an intimate space with top ofthe range facilities in which breakingacts, both live and DJs, could come andplay the Capital. Over the years we havehosted the first Scottish performancesfor many acts – including CalvinHarris, The Script and Editors.”Sarah also plays an active partin UNIGHT Chair Group,helping to cut crime relatingto late night trade inEdinburgh. Away from herjob Sarah is unsurprisingly alive music junkie. “I try andattend as many musicfestivals as I can throughoutthe year all over the world,which can be a bit of aBusman’s Holiday,” she says. “Ialso take long walks with my dogand have taken up a bit of noveltycake/cupcake baking!”.

Ruth WitherTrading DirectorMontpeliers, EdinburghRuth Wither is passionate about training.Montpeliers has a reputation for excellence inthis field, thanks to her. As well as this, she hasnow turned her expertise to Flow HospitalityTraining – a separate concern specialising inproviding training through interactive onlinemodules. Clients include Harrods, Harvey Nicholsand Matthew Clark. But Ruth never takes her eyeoff the ball. “It’s been a difficult time, but there’s noexcuse for anything but excellent service. We haveall had to work hard and take a proactive approachto the recession and push for every penny. Oursales are quite buoyant, because of this. It’s allabout being lean and keeping costs down.” DespiteMontpeliers employing an equal ratio of men andwomen front of house, Ruth feels women in thetrade thin out the higher the position. “The majorityof our managers are still men by far, but we dohave some fantastic women assistant managerscoming up through the ranks.” Away from work,she likes cycling and travel, as well as being aHearts season ticket holder.

MAY 11 DRAM12

FROM TOP - SUE BUCHANAN, RUTH WITHER, PETRA WETZEL & LYNNE PARKER

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A ROSÉ FUTURE

DRAM MAY 1113

dramawards

2o11mardi gras

20th JUNE, 2011

THE DRAM AWARDS ARE ALSO SUPPORTED BY

BENROMACH AWARD FOR SUCCESSSsshare the secret of your success with this year’s DRAM judges to pick up this accolade. Whether you’vesuccessfully continued your family business, successfully expanded over the past few years, adopted innovationto develop your business, or have grown your turnover, we would love to know what you think your secret is.This award is open to hoteliers, restaurateurs and licensees… ssshare your secret with us. Enter now withdetails.

BII TRAINING AWARDThis award is aimed at rewarding licensees who embrace training. It is crucial that all staff are trained, and theBII is looking for the company or individual who demonstrates training excellence, and the effective use ofresources to achieve measurable results. Do you believe in getting the best out of your staff through training?If so you could be eligible for this award.

REPERTOIRE BEST OUTSIDE AREADo you think you have the best outdoor area in Scotland? Are your customers delighted with the effort you haveput in to ensure that when they drink outside the surroundings are just perfect. Whether it is an outsideterrace, smoking area or dining area, we are looking for the most attractive place to enjoy a drink al fresco.Enter now.

GASTRO PUB OF THE YEARIt has never been more important to offer your customers good food. It doesn’t have to be fine dining, but quality,freshly prepared pub grub is what our judges will be on the look out for. It’s not the size of your menu that will gainyou marks but the quality of the food and the efficiency of the service. If you think you have great food on offer inyour pub, let us know. Enter now.

MIXXIT BAR APPRENTICE OF THE YEARMixxit have devised a bartender apprentice programme which is now in its fourth year. They select bartendersfrom throughout Scotland to take part in this mentoring programme which includes cocktail training, bar skillsand product knowledge. In June the selected nominees (10 in total) will face a panel of judges, and the bestperforming bartender will win the accolade Mixxit Bar Apprentice of the Year, which will be announced at theDRAM Awards. (Mixxit is the trading and educational programme of Maxxium UK).

GLENMORANGIE WHISKY BAR OF THE YEARGlenmorangie, one of Scotland’s best loved malts, is looking for a bar that is worthy of the accolade GlenmorangieWhisky Bar of the Year. The judges will be looking for licensees that go to extraordinary lengths to promoteScotch whisky within their own establishment. An excellent range of whisky on the back bar is a necessity andstaff should also be well trained and enthusiastic when it comes to recommending whisky to their customers. Agood Scottish welcome is also important. Do you think that your bar deserves the accolade? If so enter now.

THE KRAKEN RUM COCKTAIL BAR OF THE YEARDo you think that you have the best cocktail bar in Scotland? Are your bartenders well trained, imaginative andgood with customers? The judges will be looking for expertly made cocktails, a willingness to experiment and agood knowledge of spirits, including rum. Tell us why you think you are the best cocktail bar and include a recipefor a cocktail featuring The Kraken Rum. How would you unleash the Beast.

DRAM

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by 20th may 2011

at the latest.

CAPTAIN MORGAN’S SPICED AWARD FOR BEST LATE NIGHT VENUECan customers discover their party spirit at your bar or venue? Do you open late, and provide great entertainmentin a safe environment? Is your venue a favourite haunt of customers that like to stay up past the golden hour? Agreat atmosphere, a good range of spirits, and a good looking venue are all essential if you want to win one of thisyear's top awards the Captain Morgan’s Spiced Award for Best Late Night Venue. Bars eligible would have to beopen past midnight.

MOLSON COORS CHAMPION IN INDUSTRYMolson Coors is looking for an individual or group who qualifies for its new Champion in Industry Award. To beeligible you have to demonstrate that you are a ‘champion’ in all areas of the licensed trade. It’s not just aboutrunning a successful business, but a passion and commitment to developing all areas of your business is essentialtoo. Do you have a great team? Do you champion beer and can you demonstrate that you have a passion for the beerindustry? Do you excel at enhancing your customers experience in your outlet and actively drive footfall? Are youknowledgeable on legislation? It’s a challenging industry and Molson Coors is looking for a ‘Champion’? Enter now.

STRONGBOW MANAGER OF THE YEARStrongbow, Scotland’s biggest selling draught cider, is on the lookout for Scotland’s top manager. Do you put the‘hard graft’ in to ensure that your bar or pub is a success, or do you know someone who does? Strongbow willgive the honour to the manager who has the strongest work ethic, and who can demonstrate the difference thathe or she has made to the business. If you think you, or someone that you know, deserves the award, pleaseenter now.

SUNDAY MAIL PUB OF THE YEARScotland’s leading Sunday newspaper is looking for the best pub in the country. Do you have a welcomingatmosphere? Do your customers come back, and come back again? Get your customers to fill in the entry formwhen it appears in the Sunday Mail and tell us why you think you are eligible for ‘Pub of the Year’.

TENNENT’S QUALITY AWARDA dedication to quality has helped to make Tennent’s Lager the No 1 Scottish brand - and Tennent’s is lookingfor a pub that is also dedicated to quality. Excellent customer service, great beer, a good range of productsbehind the bar, fine food and a great ambience would all be part of the quality experience. If you think youdeserve this accolade enter now.

URBAN REALM AWARD FOR BEST DESIGNUrban Realm, Scotland’s leading architecture and design magazine is looking for Scotland's best designedlicensed trade outlet. Judges will be looking at the creativity involved, best use of space and innovative touches.Is your bar, restaurant or hotel, worthy of the accolade. If so enter now with accompanying photography.Outlets have to have opened or refurbished since June 2010.

REKORDERLIG NEW BAR OF THE YEARDoes your venue offer the best in customer service? Does your drinks range show a creative edge and have a premium offering?Are you independently owned? Did you open after June 2010? If you can answer yes to all of the above then we would like tohear from you! Your venue could be in with a chance of winning ‘New Bar of the Year’, sponsored by Rekorderlig Cider.Rekorderlig Cider is one of the fastest growing fruit ciders in the marketplace. Proud of its iconic and beautifully Swedish roots,it combines the highest quality ingredients with a clear identity enabling it to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

THE DRAM AWARDS ARE ALSO SUPPORTED BY

MAY 11 DRAM16

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KAREN PEARSON HAS MORE THAN 15 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE INTHE TRADE AND HAS WORKED FOR SOME OF SCOTLAND’SBIGGEST AND MOST COLOURFUL OPERATORS. SUSAN YOUNGCAUGHT UP WITH HER AT THE CUL DE SAC IN COATBRIDGE.

SMOOTH OPKaren Pearson doesn’t just look great but

is a sharp operator too. Just ask any ofScotland’s key players. At one time or

another she has worked for most of them.Karen’s CV reads like a ‘who’s, who’ of thelicensed trade – Big Beat, CPL, Lynnet,Saltire… the list goes on. But for the last 18months she has been master of her owndestiny. And she is looking good on it. When the Cul de Sac in Coatbridge was luckyenough to reach the finals of the Sunday MailPub of the Year competition last year, no-onewas more surprised than co-owner KarenPearson. The barhad only been opensix months, and”says Karen, “Wedidn’t know who putus forward for it, butthe response fromour customers whenit came to voting forus was great.”The Cul de Sac is astylish bar/bistro,with a great outdoorarea, which on the day I visited had just beenre-painted. Karen was looking very relaxed ifa bit tired, having been up at 6.30am to letthe painters in. But says, Karen, that is nothing. Having spentthe last 18 months, working 24/7, alongsidebusiness partner Brian Timmons, it’s only nowthat she is managing to get one or two daysoff a week, and in fact she has even booked aholiday. Karen explains, “We didn’t have a lot offinancial backing, so we have had to reallywork at making this a success. It’s beentough. Although I knew it was a good location,and that Coatbridge had a good catchmentarea, there have been times, when I thought,will we ever get there. But I’m delighted to saythat since the start of this year, things havejust taken off.”Karen started her working life in the retailindustry and worked part-time for the Tunneldoing PR. That was 15 years ago. It wasowned by Big Beat at the time. Says Karen,

“After working part-time for a few monthsGeorge Swanson and Ron McCulloch decidedto invest heavily in the club by putting on somebig names, and they asked me to work full-time for them, along with another marketingperson. They wanted to get people travellingfrom all over to come to The Tunnel. It was ajob I loved.”Three years later Big Beat gave Karen abigger role when she was despatched toSydney, Australia to look after the launch ofHome, the company’s first overseas club. Shesays, “I was sent over there with Brian Reid to

open Home. Itwas a realculture change.Australia at thetime was quitebehind the UK.Local clubs at thetime there weredark and dingy.They weren’tused to smartclubs or bigcapacity clubs,

and when we brought in Paul Oakfield tolaunch it, they were blown away. But theydidn’t realise this was the sort ofentertainment that would be on regularly, theythought it was a one-of. Big Beat definitelyupped the ante in Sydney, offering a greatvenue, and good customer service. But itwasn’t easy. Everything is more of a challengewhen you are not familiar with the city, nevermind the country! It was a real learning curvefor me. The biggest learning lesson was thatyou thoroughly need to do your research intoareas and countries and know it is going towork, before you decide to invest. It was astruggle. Take recruitment for instance, I hadto go round clothes shops to recruit people!” After nine months of living in the sunshine, she decided to come home because she washomesick. When she moved back from Australia shewent to work with Derek Ogilvie. She says, “Iknew Neil Connolly, who now owns Moskito,from when he was GM at October in Princes

LICENSEE INTERVIEW

“IT WAS A REAL LEARNINGCURVE FOR ME. THE BIGGESTLEARNING LESSON WAS THATYOU THOROUGHLY NEED TO DOYOUR RESEARCH INTO AREASAND COUNTRIES AND KNOW ITIS GOING TO WORK, BEFOREYOU DECIDE TO INVEST.”

KAREN PEARSON

MAY 11 DRAM18

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GET A TASTE FOR THE ALTERNATIVE.

Smoking kills

PERATOR

MAY 11 DRAM20

SMOOTH OPERATOR¬

Square. When I came back he wasDerek Ogilvy’s operations manager,and he asked me to help get their newBudda club up and running. It only hada capacity of 300, and I was used toworking for clubs that had a capacityof 2000/3000, so it was easy peasy.And I enjoyed working with Derek, hemade it fun. The original Buddaconcept was his idea. He’s now thebaby psychic! And of course Neil hasgone on to run the very successfulMoskito.”After leaving Derek, Karen went towork for promotions company Wall toWall as operations manager, with ateam of 60 staff. This was a changefor her. She explains, “When I joinedthey were doing a lot of promotionalwork for drinks companies, so itmeant that I was still involved withbars and clubs, but I didn’t have the3am finishes… but I missed the latefinishes! I spent two years therebefore joining CPL, initially at the Shedbut then I was moved to Cube, whereI was assistant manager. I spent twoyears there and thoroughly enjoyed it.”Then Craig Amner, who Karen hadworked with in Australia, and who wasOperations manager for Lynnet at thetime, recruited Karen to work atUniverse in Coatbridge, a former BigBeat club. She spent 18 monthsthere as GM, before moving to workat Hamilton Palace. Says Karen, “I was brought in to sortUniverse out, and when it was runningsmoothly I moved onto work atHamilton Palace. Again I enjoyedworking for James Mortimer andprobably wouldn’t have left, if StuartThomson had not persuaded me to goto work for Saltire Taverns when theyopened Le Monde in Edinburgh”She continues, “I was in charge of thenew club, Shanghai. It was great to beinvolved at the start, but I didn’t moveto Edinburgh, instead I commuted.This meant an average 90 week! Iwouldn’t get home ‘til 7am, then had toback at the office in Edinburgh bymidday. Even though I was only 32 I

was exhausted and only managed tokeep it up for a year, before a meetingwith Darren Lawrie, who camethrough to Edinburgh to see me. Heasked me to come back to GlasgowGM of Byblos when it opened. I’m notsure that it wasn’t the attraction ofworking back in Glasgow that was themain reason I went to work for Byblos.I was there for just under a year thenDavid Davidson approached me to askme to take over The Winchester. I didsay ‘no’, but would do a consultancy toopen it. And at the same time I paid myway through a course ‘Train thetrainer’, a qualification which wouldallow me to teach the new licensingact. I did this because I thought Imight set a company up doing training,and if not it would allow me to train myown staff. I got my BII AB and I taughtthe 2005 act for six months.”Then Colin Beattie offered Karen arole at his company SenexInvestments, which had five pubs,some property, and office space.Karen comments, “I loved workingwith Colin. I was his area manager, butmy remit didn’t include Oran Mor. Ilearned a lot from him, particularlybecause I am a good listener. His lifeexperience within the industry meansthat he is a fountain of knowledge. If itwasn’t for my two years with him, Idon’t think I would be as strong as Iam now.”Although Colin Beattie tried to findKaren a place of her own, it wasJohn Smith, the man behind DundasHeritable, who came to Karen andinvited her to look over a pub that heneeded a tenant for. It was called No24 in Coatbridge. Says Karen, “Inthe words of Colin Beattie, ‘it neededa cuddle, a big one’. It wasn’t invitingand didn’t seem to know whether itwas a café, bistro or bar. Johninvested heavily, bringing the bar upto scratch, and I worked closely withthe designers. Then I invited Brian tocome on board. He had worked withme since he was 18 as my assistantmanager at most places I had been.

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The bar was closed and stripped out inOctober 2009 and we opened the Cul deSac on 17th December 2010. We weredelighted with the finished bar. I must saythat John Smith has been a constantsupport from day one.”She continues, “Brian and I have a verycomfortable, easy, good fun workingrelationship. We have both worked reallyhard, but it seems now, as if we have finallyturned the corner. I have my joie de vivreback, and I am more relaxed. Particularlynow that we have got it over the line, and itseems to get better every week.”She adds, “Our suppliers have beenfantastic. Wallace’s deliver six days a week,and are just round the corner. The rep popsin regularly. We sell between 14 and 18kegs a week, with our best seller Tennent’sfollowed by Fosters, but it’s our rose winethat flies out the door, cider too. Now thegood weather had come in we can’t buyenough! Desperado also sells very wellhere; it’s a personal favourite of mine. Wepour with Eristoff vodka, I think it’s nicerthan Smirnoff personally, and we do get a lotof backing from Bacardi. We do sell a lot ofpremium spirits here, like Belvedere andGrey Goose. I’m surprised at how well theydo and pleased to see that people don’t mindspending extra on premium products. It’sgreat to have a good looking gantry but nopoint in having it good looking if the productsdon’t sell.”Karen compliments her staff. “We have agreat team here. And when it comes to newrecruits I buddy them. We have an extensivetraining programme. Obviously I am quiteclued up, but the local LSO’s here have beenvery supportive. Local police are very goodhere too, although I don’t see them verymuch. We are a strictly over 21 bar. I thinkif a business wants longevity it needs to beover 21. I can have 28 year olds and 80 yearolds in the same place at the same time; it’snice to see a broad spectrum of marketsegments quite happy together.”What is certainly nice to see is someone soenthused about their business and thelicensed trade in general. Anyone that hasworked for the people she has definitelydeserves a medal for longevity! And long mayher enthusiasm continue.

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DESIGN FEATURE BY JASON CADDY

Maurice Taylor’s Chardon Management has lit up agloomy part of Glasgow with the opening of its£15m Hotel Indigo - part of the InterContinental

Hotel Group.Hotel Indigo, is a 94-bedroom boutique hotel on WaterlooStreet, which started life as the Glasgow Corporation ElectricLight Station in 1892. A year later, the streets of Glasgowwere illuminated by electricity generated from it. Like itssister venues in the InterContinental Hotel Group, this hotelhas been designed to reflect the building’s heritage – andlocation, on Glasgow’s answer to Wall Street.There are two revolving door entrances, one takes you intothe hotel, the other into the Limelight bar and restaurant.The ground floor features an open plan space incorporatingthe reception area, the bar and the restaurant. What strikes you right away is the wall behind the receptiondesk which has a textured look but which is in fact a digital

print of Central Station. And it looks superb – like a shadowhas been cast over it somehow. The back wall at receptionhouses two paintings of the Glasgow grid system in archedalcoves. So you’re in no doubt about which city you’ve landedin. There are also two red chairs and a standard lamp. Thewhole space is light and bright, with white terrazzo floor tilesand white painted walls.From the reception, you enter through a huge archway intothe bar area, Limelight. It’s not huge but it’s bright andcomfortable, stylish and practical too.The first thing I noticed in Limelight was the long canvasspainting hung high above a seating area in front of the bar.It depicts various Glasgow luminaries past and present. Infact, it’s like a roll call of Glasgow-boys-and-girls-made-good.Shipbuilder John Brown, Billy Connolly, Stanley Baxter andLorraine Kelly, to name but a few.And this theme is continued with a wall of portraits of

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Glasgow’s great and good in the restaurant. Some ofGlasgow’s up and coming artists were commissioned to paintpeople associated with the city. All the walls and ceilings have been stripped back to reveal itsoriginal cornices and ceiling roses. There is a lot of white andlight grey in the public areas offset by splashes of pink andsilver. Most notably the silver cylindrical lampshades hangingfrom the ceiling with illuminated pink inside. The furniture in the bar is a mix of deep pink couches andmustard chairs. And the restaurant features booths,uphostered in deep pink. The bar itself is very impressive, yet simplistic in designterms. The bar back has been built using mirrored shelfgantry. The marble bar top is also grey and the bar front isveined marble. It’s under what looks like a mezzanine,whereas in fact this space is off limits as it houses the hotel’soffices.

To the right of the bar, and through another archway, is therestaurant. It’s oblong-shaped with tables down the middle,separated by silvery beaded curtain partitions. There arehorseshoe-shaped booths in pink, with a fern-like printpattern along either side. The cylindrical light shades are in aplain silver mesh and the floor is, again, light brown parquet.There are also some splashes of lime green on the chairs.The paintings are all along the left hand wall, and at the farend are mirrors, reflecting the light back into the space. Andthe beaded lights and curtain partitions reflect this beautifully. The hotel has five floors, one has been built on, and eachfloor of bedrooms has a coloured theme. There are twogreen floors, two pink and one turquoise. The rooms alsofeature digital artwork. For instance on the pink floor, therooms have at least one pink wall, pink lights, chairs, bespokedigital artwork and the corridor features a bespoke carpet.It’s all very striking, and there’s not a hint of Indigo in sight.

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DRAM MAY 1127

HAS SCOTLAND RE-KINDLED ITS LOVE AFFAIR WITH PREMIUM PACKAGEDLAGERS? JASON CADDY REPORTS.

THE GENIE’S OUTOF THE BOTTLE

Sales PPLs were up last year in Scotland by 3% against adecline in standard lagers of 4%. Soif you haven’t got enough of a

premium presence in your fridge, it’s timeyou hopped on the world bottled beersbandwagon. Despite the recession, research showsthat customers are still prepared to payfor quality. A report this year on PremiumAlcohol Brands in the UK published bymarket research company Mintel said,“The desire for greater quality alcohol hasincreased steadily over the past fewdecades. Our research shows that thevast majority (64%) prefer to opt for qualityover quantity when it comes to alcoholicdrinks.”And this is a view echoed by the brewerstoo. MGD is still the number one PPL inScotland’s on-trade, with 24% marketshare. Miller Brands' Nick Miller says,"Throughout the recession, we've seenthat consumers still want to treatthemselves to affordable luxuries."So which brands are setting the heatheralight? We asked licensees acrossScotland for their views. “We have gone out of our way not to stockthe usual suspects like Miller, Budweiserand Becks, and customers who are lookingfor these brands naturally land on Corona,”says Alec Trousdale, manager of theQueens Arms in Edinburgh. “The wedge oflime has a lot to answer for and it still makes the brand

terrifically popular in the summertime. But our top seller isdefinitely Peroni because of the suaveItalian association, helped by the ItalianScots community. Then it’s Corona andCoors Light. Peroni also just tastes great.Asahi is also going great guns. I think itssponsorship of the GQ Man of the YearAwards has made it popular with maledrinkers.”The importance of supporting licenseescannot be underestimated. But as far asAlec is concerned, only one brand reallymerits a mention, on this score. He says,“As far as support goes, Molson Coors hasbeen the best with Coors Light. It’sreasonably priced and this brand is massivein Ireland and guys on stag dos always drinkcrates of the stuff. I think this is one towatch in Scotland’s on-trade.”Glasgow licensee Carlo Citti, owner ofCampus and Club 520, says, “Sales ofPPLS and premium brands in general arereally healthy. Tiger Beer, Heineken and RedStripe are my top sellers. But there’s beenan influx of cans and this is where beercompanies are missing a trick. Why aren’tthere more stylish 330ml cans? Late nightoperators need an alternative to glass inthis sector.“In terms of top-selling brands, the oldguard are falling by the wayside and Tiger,Heineken and Red Stripe – and of courseCorona – are coming up. There was a

massive surge in Corona sales when it introduced its can. But

FEATURE BY JASON CADDY

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THE GENIE’S OUTOF THE BOTTLE

MAY 11 DRAM28

they are no longer available in the UK – at least for themoment.”Rachel Krempa, manager at Paramount in Aberdeen, says,“There is quite a bit of money in Aberdeenand people want to pay for quality and Tigerbeer sells well for that very reason.”Kate Long manages the now Belhaven-owned Morrison’s Cold Beer Co in Stirling,she says, “Peroni leads the way as ourbest-selling brand. Cobra, Blue Moon andMGD, are also worth a mention – as areAsian beers Asahi and Kirin. There’s a fairlyhealthy demand, but we are the only pub inStirling selling such a range of beers.”In terms of marketing, there’s not atremendous amount happening inScotland. The likes of Budweiser and Beckshaven’t done anything worth writing aboutwith a Scottish trade focus.MGD’s Clean Streets campaign is in fullswing, combined with the Miller FilteredMusic event. It features stripped backperformances from bands including TheDoves, Ash and Bombay Bicycle Club hasseen the brand continue its success. Tiger beer will be launching the third phaseof its digitally-led national campaign, Knowthe Not Known, over the summer. But,again, most of the push is targeted downsouth.Corona Extra is now being marketed byMolson Coors after the brewer agreed adeal to distribute the brand in the UK. CEOMark Hunter said, “Corona Extra is one ofthe world’s top 5 beer brands and, as anestablished premium lager, is a great addition to our growingportfolio of world beers. We are committed to providing

significant marketing support behind these brands.” Heineken UK is really pushing Birra Moretti in Scotland, inoutlets like Tony Crolla’s Vittoria on the Walk in Edinburgh, with

in-bar support for licensees. And theinvestment is certainly paying off. “In thefirst quarter (January to April 2011) BirraMoretti has seen a 17% uplift in theScottish on-trade,” says Birra Morettibrand manager, James Woodman.The Morgenrot Group has signed anexclusive agreement with Heineken UK todistribute Cruzcampo. Senior Accountmanager Graham Archibald says, “The bigbrands are still important, obviously. Butcustomers are looking for somethingexciting. Something different. 330mlbottles are a staple in the trade, but we arepushing the litre bottle for sharing, with acouple of glasses. “Quilmes is also doing great and it’s nowlisted in Glasgow’s Pitcher and Piano,Republic and Beer Cafe.”And as if you needed any more convincing,Kieron Barton, boss of Chilli Marketing,who look after Cusquena in Scotland, ispositively evangelical about PPLs. He says,“Despite the negative economic climate,the blue touch paper has been lit under thiscategory. There’s definitely moreenthusiasm and verve. Scotland is on a parwith London in terms of interest in bottledbeers and stocking policy. We are veryhappy with how Cusquena is progressing.”It’s a challenging time, but historicallybusinesses that take a few creative risks in

austere times, weather the storm. One sure fire way to startis by making sure that your premium offering is up to scratch.

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This is bureaucracy gone mad and Malcolm Duck was rightwhen he says it’s like a Monty Python sketch. EdinburghCouncil chiefs have sent out wind speed charts to cafes and

restaurants which have outdoor licences, and have asked staff tocarry out a daily assessment of wind conditions to ascertainwhether it’s safe to put parasols and street furniture out.The guidance from the council suggests a strong breeze causeslarger tree branches to move, while a gale indicates whole trees inmotion. It is health and safety gone mad and we’re funding thisnonsense! It’s time to cut it out! Let’s resort to common sense. InEdinburgh there’s also the issue of awnings on listed buildingswhich Historic Scotland is opposed to. If you have had an awningon a listed building for years, it’s ok, but if you have just bought aplace and refurbished it, and want to put an awning on, you can’tget planning permission...

Now that the SNP are back, you can bet your bottom dollar thatso is minimum pricing. While many drinks companies don’t supportthe move, it will benefit the on-trade immensely. I am sure it willalso have a positive effect on wholesalers too. They won’t have toexplain to customers why the big supermarkets are selling bottledbeer at a price they can’t buy it at!

I popped along to the opening of the new Indigo Hotel and Limelightbar recently, and Maurice Taylor and his team were out in force. Itwas an excellent evening, apart from a wee mishap with my jacketwhich got doused in red wine and no, I wasn’t inebriated, but thepoor waitress was mortified. I am delighted to say it all came outwithout a mark. But I do think Indigo will put its mark on theGlasgow scene.

Once again we are on the lookout for Sunday Mail Pub of the year.The first step is getting your customers to vote for you, and thesecond is, if you get through to the final 12, getting them to callin. It’s a great accolade, and past winners will tell you that it hashelped their business, so it is worth in putting the effort. A fewposters around the place wouldn’t go amiss.

The wine industry was shocked last month when Richard Wiseman,a psychologist at Hertfordshire University, claimed that most peoplecan’t tell the difference between cheap plonk and fine wine, but “foolthemselves into thinking expensive wines taste better.” He hadcarried out a blind taste test at the Edinburgh Science Festival, andinvited more than 500 people to sample a variety of red and whitewines ranging from a £3.49 bottle of Bordeaux to a £29.99 bottleof Champagne. 53% of people were able to distinguish between thecheap and expensive white wines, while only 47% correctly identifiedthe reds, suggesting a 50:50 chance of identifying a wine as cheapor expensive based on taste alone. The wine experts say the tastingis ‘flawed’ and ‘unfair’. Personally I think that the results are not farshort of the mark. Having sat through various wine tastings andtasted expensive and cheaper wines, it is not easy to distinguishbetween them unless you have a Master of Wine qualification. That

doesn’t mean to say there should only be cheap wine on offer, ifyour customers like to fool themselves into liking expensive wine, youhave to have it on offer!

Analysis from The British Medical Association Scotland, says thatGP’s and practice nurses spend more than 600 hours everyworking day talking to patients about their drinking habits, could thisbe because there is a questionnaire that most patients now have toanswer on how much they drink, and GP’s receive a payment forevery single response? Call me a cynic!

A couple in the UK could be the world’s most loyal hotel guestshaving holidayed at the same hotel in Scotland, in the same room50 times. Graham and Wendy Lomas, both 71, have travelled33,000 miles in total to return to their favourite spot, the PitlochryHydro Hotel in Perth, every year since 1998. Their service must begood!

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DRAM MAY 1131

Maurice Taylor and his team atHotel Indigo put on an excellent

opening bash as you can see fromthe guests happy smiles above.

HOTELINDIGOOPENS

MAY 11 DRAM32

Editor: Susan Young • Chairman: Noel Young •Production Manager: James Devlin •Advertising Executives: Martin Cassidy, YvonneMcKeown • Administration: Kate RobinsonPublished by Media World Ltd. Subscriptions: DRAM isavailable by subscription for all other qualified personsinvolved in the Scottish Licensed Trade at the rate of£48 per annum including the DRAM Yearbook.

The publishers, authors and printers cannot acceptliability for errors or omissions. Any transparenciesor artwork will be accepted at owner’s risk. All rightsreserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced in any form without the writtenpermission of the copyright holder and publisher,application for which should be made to the publisher.Articles published in this magazine do not necessarilyreflect the opinions of the publishers. © Media World Limited 2011.

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DRAM MAY 1133

David Smillie from theBlythswood SquareHotel in Glasgow was

crowned the winner of anew cocktail competitionhosted by The GlasgowBartenders Club andCaorunn Scottish Gin. Thecompetition, which tookplace in The Drake bar inGlasgow put the city’s bestbartenders to the testduring an evening of cocktailcreativity and showmanship.David dazzled the judges byshowcasing his exceptionalmixology skills as hetriumphed over stiffcompetition from aselection of Glasgow’sleading bartenders, with hisCaorunn cocktail – ‘TheBlushing Bride’.In a four hour live final,David and his fellowentrants were tested to thelimits in rounds where theyshowcased their Caorunncocktail creation against theclock in front of an audienceof industry peers. Entrants‘cocktails were judged onflavour, aroma, technicalability, presentation,showmanship and productknowledge by a panel ofindustry experts. Entries from leading bars

including the BlythswoodSquare Hotel, Metropolitan,Booly Mardys, IVY,OranMor, BoBar, Gazelle,and Lebowskis. David won an allexpenses paid tripto the Highlands, toBalmenach Distilleryin the Speyside (thehome of Caorunn)for himself and twocolleagues. DeanEvans from Tiki (nowat IVY) was therunner-up with the‘Balmenach Cup’ – aCaorunn creationinfused with portand strawberrysyrup in a winegoblet. Rob Wilkiefrom IVY came aclose third with ‘Onthe Mark’.Caorunn’s BrandManager Ibolya Bakos"The Caorunn CocktailCompetition was a fantasticcelebration of Glasgow’scocktail culture. Thestandard at the competitionwas extremely high and weare delighted that so manyfantastic bartendersentered to showcase notonly their creative flair butbartending as an art form.”

DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETINGPUBLISHED BY MEDIA WORLD LIMITEDUPPER FLOOR / FINNIESTON HOUSE / 1 THESTABLES YARD / 1103 ARGYLE STREET /GLASGOW / G3 8NDt. 0141 221 6965 e. dram@mail.com web. www.dramscotland.co.uk

MAY 11 DRAM34

ROUNDUP

This was servedin a stemmed cup glass.

The spec was:37.5ml Caorunn

20ml Dandelion infused Gancia40ml pressed apple juice

20ml lemon juice20ml grenadine10ml egg white

This was shaken together anddouble strained with

an apple fan garnish.

GLASGOW BARMAN,DAVID SMILLIE SERVESUP A TASTY GIN WIN

Winning CocktailThe Blushing Bride

DRAM MAY 1135