Our regular round-up of industry news, for July 24 to 28, 2014
Diageo creates World Class house for competition
Diageo will present master classes, tastings and other experiences for consumers at a Georgian townhouse in London for the global final of its World Class bartender competition. The World Class House is open from today (July 28) until August 3 at 33 Fitzroy Square (pictured), with “immersive brand experiences” across its five storeys and roof terrace. The house is also the hub for the 47 bartenders from around the world competing in the World Class global final this week.
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TCG introduces smoothies at bars
Smoothies are being added to the menu of bars and pubs operated by leading operator TCG, building on the success of its frappés. They are Solera, a blend of passion fruit, mango and orange juice, and Berry Crush, made from raspberry, strawberry, grenadine and cranberry. They join Coffee Frappé and Caramel Coffee Frappé on TCG’s summer drinks menu and will be available at around 30 of the company’s sites.
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Cocktail bar team plan second site
The team behind London cocktail bar Discount Suit Company are to open a second site in east London which will specialise in classic mixed drinks, punches, Irish whiskey and ales. The Umbrella Project is to launch The Sun Tavern in Bethnal Green Road in late September, which will trade from early morning to 1am – the latest licence in the area.
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Date set for Bombay Sapphire distillery opening
The new Bombay Sapphire distillery will open on October 1 as a destination for consumers and the trade to learn about the gin and enjoy cocktails. Located at Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire, it follows the multimillion-pound restoration of a mill dating back to the 10th century. Designed Heatherwick Studio, it includes the Mill Bar, Empire Room training centre and two Botanical Glasshouses showcasing botanicals used in the gin.
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Search for Mayfair’s best bartenders
A competition is to be held in September to find the best cocktail bartenders in London’s Mayfair, hosted by The Colony Club casino. Entries for The Mayfair Tournament 2014, sponsored by gin and vodka producer Sipsmith, are now open, with a prize of £1,000 on offer for the winner.
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Commonwealth Games win for bartender
Danny Whelan from the Kelvingrove Café in Glasgow has won tickets to the Commonwealth Games through a competition run for Chairman’s Reserve rum across Scotland. His indulgent drink, the Comerette Cooler, won the most “likes” on the Facebook page created for the competition, Sprint to the Finish, by UK distributor Emporia Brands.
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German beer growth bucks UK trend
German premium beer Krombacher Pils is bucking trend in UK beer sales by reporting like-for-like volume growth of 64% for January to June this year. It follows listings with JD Wetherspoon and Revolution bars which are stocking Krombacher Pils in 33cl bottles as part of a world beer push.
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Record rise in UK beer sales
UK beer sales grew by 9.5% between April and June this year, according to the latest UK Quarterly Beer Barometer from the British Beer & Pub Association – the biggest quarterly rise since the survey began in 1997. In the on-trade, beer sales saw a positive quarterly rise for the first time since 2011, growing by 2.6%, boosted by a later Easter and the World Cup as well as the duty cut in the Budget. In the off-trade, beer sales were up 16.9%.
Revenue growth for Britvic GB
Soft drinks group Britvic has reported a 4.6% increase in revenue in Great Britain for the 12 weeks to July 6, driven by 10.4% growth in carbonates. The stills category, excluding water, declined in the quarter with volume down 2.6% and value down 0.1%. Overall, Britvic reported a 4.1% increase in group revenue to £329.5million.
Pub company seeks operations director
Pub group Peach is looking for a new operations director to support its expansion, taking over from Spencer Graydon who moves to Whitbread in a similar role this autumn. The main board director role, which comes with a slice of Peach equity, is described as “genuinely different from others in the industry as it offers the chance to help shape the business by setting the strategy for the group, and to learn how Peach is run”. Peach is on course to expand to 22 pubs.
Relaunch for Sky Sports news
Sky Sports News is to be relaunched on August 12 as Sky Sports News HQ, helping pubs and bars to keep customers in their venues longer with more breaking news and expert analysis. It will offer 24 hours of rolling coverage, with a new schedule, an upgraded studio and improved digital services including redesigned apps and integrated social media coverage.
Drambuie pop-up for Edinburgh Fringe
Drambuie is to open a pop-up bar in Edinburgh on Wednesday (July 30) for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe which runs until August 25. The Drambuie Summer Hut will offer serves such as the signature Mackinnon Punch, the Scottish Sangria and the perfect serve of Drambuie and ginger beer. The bar’s design is inspired by the surreal art of Salvador Dali, including a metallic hand with a Dali-esque eye. The bar in the Pasture area at Underbelly in Bristo Square will open from midday to late each day.
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