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Class Bar Awards 2025

Hamish Smith

Hamish Smith

The CLASS Report: Tequila
Which tequilas are the UK's Best Bars serving? That's the question we asked for this latest instalment of The CLASS Report. 
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30 August, 2024

Hamish Smith

Dead Rabbit in two-day LCW takeover of Lyaness
New York's Irish bar The Dead Rabbit will takeover Ryan Chetiyawardana’s Lyaness for two days during London Cocktail Week.
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29 August, 2024

Hamish Smith

UKHospitality responds to outdoor smoking ban plans
UKHospitality has responded to leaked Government plans to ban outdoor smoking at hospitality venues. 
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29 August, 2024

Hamish Smith

The CLASS Report - how it works
Hamish Smith introduces the first Class Report with an outline of the thorough process undergone to ensure that the polling reveals the sales insights of the UK’s best bars.
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29 August, 2024

Hamish Smith

Bobby Hiddleston and Mia Johansson on relocating to Sweden
Hamish Smith catches up with Bobby Hiddleston and Mia Johansson following the couple’s move from Swift to Sweden.
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27 August, 2024

Hamish Smith

The CLASS Report: Rum
Hamish Smith digs into which rums sell best in the UK's Best Bars.
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27 August, 2024
CLASS Report

Hamish Smith

The CLASS Report launches
CLASS has launched its first data-led insights project: The CLASS Report.
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22 August, 2024

Hamish Smith

The CLASS Report: Spirits
Hamish Smith zooms out to the categories that sell best in the UK's Best Bars.
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13 August, 2024

Hamish Smith

Why we need to de-industrialise the guest shift
Hamish Smith can’t seem to escape guest shifts. We must de-escalate this trend, he says.
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31 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Spirited Awards: UK bar figures recognised / Alquímico wins world's best bar
Alquímico in Colombia was named World's Best Bar at Tales of the Cocktail's Spirited Awards in New Orleans, while UK media, bars and figures were also recognised. 
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29 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Review of Fenix in Manchester: "Step inside a troglodytic network of caves with (potentially) killer drinks"
Hamish Smith reviews Manchester restaurant-bar Fenix. There's a lot of style, but is there substance?
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25 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Best in the West: How Ben Alcock's Filthy XIII and HMSS became Bristol landmarks

Filthy XIII took the title of Best Bar in the West at this year’s Class Bar Awards. Hamish Smith shoots the breeze with owner Ben Alcock. Photos by Leonardo Filippini
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23 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Bex Almqvist returns to the UK with aquavit and Nordic gin
Former London bartender and brand ambassador Bex Almqvist has launched an aquavit and gin in the UK through distributor Speciality Drinks.
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22 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Andy Loudon announced director of bars at Rosewood London
Andy Loudon has become director of bars at Rosewood London, whose flagship venue Scarfes Bar is among The World’s 50 Best Bars. 
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18 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

CLASS Summer 2024 magazine launches
Access the digital magazine here. Not subscribed? Bartenders can sign up for a digital or hard copy here. INSIDE CLASSHamish Smith introduces the latest edition of CLASS. 
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18 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Swift Borough launches South of the River menu
Swift Borough has launched its first new menu since opening in 2022, ‘South of The River’, which is available in its basement bar The Back Pocket.
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12 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Non-abv agave spirit Almave Blanco launches in the UK
Mangrove Global has launched Almave Blanco, an alcohol-free alternative to tequila co-created by Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton and Mexican Spirits Group, Casa Lumbre.
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12 July, 2024
Rum Festival Manchester

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What to expect from Manchester Rum Festival 2024
Manchester Rum Festival takes place next month - the event's organiser Dave Marsland fills us in on what he has planned. 
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12 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

The UK bar industry shines in Bar World 100 list
The UK bar industry has shone in Drinks International’s recently published Bar World 100 in association with Perrier, contributing 17 names to the list of influential figures, including Monica Berg who polled in first place.
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04 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Imbibe Live to make way for BCB London
Imbibe Live takes place for the last time this week, with organiser RX announcing plans to relaunch the on-trade show under the banner of BCB.
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01 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Wacky Wombat temporarily closes
Nico de Soto's Wacky Wombat in Soho has been forced to close after its team resigned, CLASS understands. 
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01 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

Mia Johansson and Bobby Hiddleston depart Swift as Coral Anderson steps up
Mia Johansson and Bobby Hiddleston, who co-founded Swift with Roisin Stimpson and Edmund Weil, are to leave the London bar group this summer, CLASS can exclusively reveal. 
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01 July, 2024

Hamish Smith

50 Best menu award applications open
Applications are now open for the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award for The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024.
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28 June, 2024

Hamish Smith

Hoot the Redeemer to close

Edinburgh bar Hoot the Redeemer will close its doors for the final time on January 1st 2025.
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26 June, 2024

Hamish Smith

UKHospitality backs Labour's hospitality plan

UKHospitality has backed Labour's plans to replace the business rates system and cut energy bills should the party be elected into government in July. 
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20 June, 2024

Hamish Smith

Cressida Lawlor launches The Quest for Queer docu-series
Sexy Fish’s Cressida Lawlor has collaborated with Monkey Shoulder to produce a documentary that explores the experiences of LGBTQIA+ bartenders in the UK cocktail bar industry.
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19 June, 2024

Hamish Smith

UK bars and bartenders among Spirited Awards' finalists
A slew of UK bars and bartenders have been nominated as finalists in Tales of the Cocktail's Spirited Awards 2024, with Kevin Armstrong's Satan's Whiskers and Remy Savage and Paul Lougrat's A Bar with Shapes for a Name both competing for Best International Bar.
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18 June, 2024
PJ Jaurre

Hamish Smith

PJ Jaurre joins DrinksOne

PJ Jaurre has joined the DrinksOne team as the head of Luxury Brands working on Porte Noire Brands, the soon to be launched Papa Salt Gin and Onikishi Japanese Whisky.
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14 June, 2024
Chockie Tom

Hamish Smith

Chockie Tom takes ambassadorial role
Mr Black Coffee Liqueur has appointed Chockie Tom its new UK brand ambassador.
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14 June, 2024

Hamish Smith

Gaucho's Latin-inspired drinks “finest of any restaurant group in the UK"
Gaucho has revealed its new menu, The Spirit of Argentina, claiming it to be among the best cocktail lists by a UK restaurant group. 
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07 June, 2024