Hamish Smith

Sign up to our Glasgow CLASSROOM on carbonation with Crossroads Consulting and Schweppes

Bartenders can sign up free to the latest CLASSROOM event - Carbonation, sponsored by Schweppes - hosted by Bart Miedeksza and Valentino Girotto, authors of Bubbles and founders of Crossroads Consulting.

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15 October, 2025

Hamish Smith

Bar Leone tops 50 Best list amid strong UK showing

Lorenzo Antinori’s Bar Leone has been named the World’s Best Bar in front of a home Hong Kong crowd at the ceremony of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 sponsored by Perrier.

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08 October, 2025

Hamish Smith

Why bar operators need to fish where the fish are

The struggles of hospitality in its traditional inner-city heartlands may have had a devaststaing effect but, says Hamish Smith, bars have opportunities in other areas.

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02 October, 2025

Hamish Smith

Jack Wakelin on his new Sheffield venue

Hamish Smith is in Sheffield to find out more about Jack Wakelin’s fast-expanding hospitality group.

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02 October, 2025

Hamish Smith

Angelos Bafas and Bart & Taylor to open Cato in Covent Garden

Hospitality group Bart & Taylor has partnered with Angelos Bafas (aka Mr.Ungarnished), to open Cato in Covent Garden, London, this November.

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01 October, 2025

Hamish Smith

Review: The Chancery Rosewood at the ex-US Embassy - the latest in hospitality's great repurposing

London has a new hotel bar - and it's set in the iconic former US Embassy. Hamish Smith is at The Chancery Rosewood.

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29 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

10 Tib Lane team to launch Posie at Bloc

The team behind Manchester’s 10 Tib Lane has announced a new wet-led venture coming to the city's Bloc building in November.

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25 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Bobby Hiddleston to open new Sheraton hotel bar

Bobby Hiddleston, ex-owner of Swift in London, has announced that his new venture will be a cocktail bar named Sally’s, located in the newly renovated Sheraton Stockholm Hotel.

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25 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Three London bars in 50 Best's 51-100 list

Three London bars feature on this year’s 51-100 list, the precursor to The World’s 50 Best Bars sponsored by Perrier, which is released October 8th.

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24 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

CLASS Autumn 2025 launches

Access the digital magazine here. Not subscribed? Bartenders can sign up for a digital or hard copy here.

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23 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Inside dive bar All My Gods - the venue that goes down not up market

All My Gods is the latest bar from Dram operators Simo Simpson, Jack Wallis and Chris Tanner, this time with tattoo artist Roxy Velvet. It's a dive bar for bikers – and bartenders. Hamish Smith reports.

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23 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Nightjar Carnaby to close imminently

Nightjar Carnaby will close its doors this Saturday after owners Roisin Stimpson and Edmund Weil agreed a deal to sell the venue’s Kingly Court lease.

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23 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Angelos Bafas to leave Nipperkin

Angelos Bafas is to depart Creative Restaurant Group, where he worked across venues Nipperkin, NIJŪ, HUMO and Kioku by Endo.

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22 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Bars encouraged to join #TAXEDOUT campaign

UK Hospitality has launched a tool for hospitality teams to write to their MP, urging Government action to support the sector at the Budget.

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22 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Business rates to be reformed

The Government has published an interim report on business rates reform that sets out a number of proposals to improve the system.

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18 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Sheffield’s Abbeydale Ballroom nears completion

Sheffield’s Abbeydale Ballroom opens its doors Thursday 2nd October in the basement of the historic Abbeydale Picture House.

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18 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Mr Lyan to launch Seed Library New York

Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr Lyan, is set to open his first New York bar this autumn when he rolls out Seed Library to the Big Apple.

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17 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

UK Hospitality calls for lower business rates, fixed NICs and cuts to VAT amid 111k job losses

UK Hospitality has voiced concerns that an estimated 111,000 jobs will have been lost in hospitality by the Budget on November 26.

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17 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

UK RumFest announces dates and exhibitors

The UK’s first and biggest rum show celebrates its 19th year this October.

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12 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Graffiti Spirit Group’s MDNT readies for autumn launch

Graffiti Spirit Group’s John Ennis, Nick Thomas and Adam Taylor are weeks from opening new Manchester Bar MDNT.

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12 September, 2025

Hamish Smith

Dates and venue for BCB London 2026 announced

BCB organiser RX has announced its London show will return to Tobacco Dock next year, taking place Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th June 2026.

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08 July, 2025

Hamish Smith

Hamish Smith on the ancient (and current) world of awards

Fresh off the back of the Class Bar Awards, Hamish Smith pontificates about why peer recognition has always mattered.

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07 July, 2025

Hamish Smith

Review: Waltz may be London's most authentic Japanese cocktail bar

Reviewer Hamish Smith didn't realise something was missing from London's bar scene until a new venue waltzed in.

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03 July, 2025

Hamish Smith

Ojo Rojo to close ahead of relocation

Agave bar Ojo Rojo in Bournemouth is to close at the end of summer, it has been annouced.

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03 July, 2025

Hamish Smith

Sign up to the CLASSROOM on Carbonation with Schweppes and Bart Miedeksza

Bartenders can sign up free to the latest CLASSROOM event - Carbonation, sponsored by Schweppes - hosted by Bart Miedeksza, author of Bubbles and founder of Crossroads.

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03 July, 2025

Hamish Smith

Speak in Code's Nathan Larkin on the bar experience

The vibe, atmosphere, ambience – these are not bar experience accidents. They’re created and curated - and few do it better than at Speak in Code in Manchester. Hamish Smith speaks to owner Nathan Larkin about how it’s done. Photos by Sean Ware.

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01 July, 2025

Hamish Smith

CLASS Summer 2025

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30 June, 2025

Hamish Smith

CLASS Summer 2025 launches

Access the digital magazine here. Not subscribed? Bartenders can sign up for a digital or hard copy here.

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26 June, 2025

Hamish Smith

Iain McPherson named industry's most influential in Bar World 100 2025

Edinburgh’s Iain McPherson has been voted the most influential figure in the global bar industry, with 17 other UK bar personalities making it into Drinks International’s Bar World 100.

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26 June, 2025

Hamish Smith

Nightjar announces series of events to celebrate 15th anniversary

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26 June, 2025