Hamish Smith
Hamish Smith
The best softs and mixers from the BBAs 2022
The Bartenders' Brand Awards, now in its fifth year, is our annual product testing - by bartenders, for bartenders.
—25 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
The best non-abv spirits from the BBAs 2022
The Bartenders' Brand Awards, now in its fifth year, is our annual product testing - by bartenders, for bartenders.
—22 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
Bar review: Silverleaf at Pan Pacific
Silverleaf has probably been the most talked about London launch of 2022. Hamish Smith makes the Pan Pacific bar his latest in-depth review.
—21 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
The best rums from the BBAs 2022
The Bartenders' Brand Awards, now in its fifth year, is our annual product testing - by bartenders, for bartenders.
—17 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
CLASS Spring edition launches
The Spring 2022 edition of CLASS has now launched and can be accessed digitally here. Not subscribed? Bartenders can sign up for a digital or hard copy here.
—16 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
The best Irish whiskies from the BBAs 2022
The Bartenders' Brand Awards, now in its fifth year, is our annual product testing - by bartenders, for bartenders.
—16 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
The best scotch whiskies from the BBAs 2022
The Bartenders' Brand Awards, now in its fifth year, is our annual product testing - by bartenders, for bartenders.
The BBAs follows a three-step process to mirror buying behaviour, with each product blind-tasted, judged on value for money and finally by design. For more on the methodology behind the BBAs, read more here.
—15 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
Will April be a financial cliff edge for hospitality?
The financial safety nets put in place to mitigate restrictions are being removed, and new costs are adding further pressure. But there are some positives, says Hamish Smith
—14 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
The best vodkas from the BBAs 2022
The Bartenders' Brand Awards, now in its fifth year, is our annual product testing - by bartenders, for bartenders.
—14 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
The Pinnacle Guide - how will it work?
Hamish Smith gets to grips with the plans for a new, Michelin-style bar guide
—14 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
The BBAs - how does it work?
Hamish Smith outlines the judging process of the Bartenders' Brand Awards.
—11 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
The best gins from the BBAs 2022
The Bartenders' Brand Awards, now in its fifth year, is our annual product testing - by bartenders, for bartenders.
—11 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
Bartenders' Brand Awards 2022 results go live
The Bartenders' Brand Awards 2022 - Class' annual guide to bar trade drinks brands - results are now live.
—10 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
Destilado announces Carina Soto Velásquez role and new range
Destilado has announced that Paris bar entrepreneur Carina Soto Velásquez has joined the London-based spirits importer, ahead of the launch of a new range of seven mezcal expressions next week.
—09 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
Nightjar Carnaby readies for launch
The owners of Speakeasy Entertainment, Edmund Weil and Rosie Stimpson, are about to launch Nightjar Carnaby, Class can exclusively reveal.
—09 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
Bartenders at war: Kyiv's Dima Shovkoplias speaks from the frontline
In an article first published in Class' sister title Drinks International, Hamish Smith interviews Dima Shovkoplias of Ukraine's most celebrated bar, Parovoz Speak Easy in Kyiv.
—01 March, 2022
Hamish Smith
A 'Michelin' for the bar industry, The Pinnacle Guide launches
London Cocktail Week founders Siobhan Payne and Hannah Sharman-Cox, alongside Global Bartending’s Dan Dove, have announced the launch of the Pinnacle Guide, a new 1, 2 and 3 ‘Pin’ recognition system for the world’s best bars.
—24 February, 2022
Hamish Smith
Hospitality vacancy level requires urgent action
UKHospitality says current vacancies in hospitality are more than 100% higher than the corresponding pre-Covid period.
—21 February, 2022
Hamish Smith
Hospitality firms urge VAT freeze as cliff edge nears
More than 250 business leaders from hospitality and leisure have written to the Chancellor Rishi Sunak urging the Government to freeze VAT at 12.5%.
—10 February, 2022
Hamish Smith
First look at Mr Lyan's Seed Library
Ryan Chetiyawardana and Alex Lawrence have revealed more details of the new Mr Lyan cocktail bar, Seed Library, which launches in London's Shoreditch in early March.
—31 January, 2022
Hamish Smith
Aubrey London opens at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
Aubrey London - a Japanese take on an English pub - opens today at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, with two distinctive bar experiences and accompanying Japanese cuisine.
—28 January, 2022
Hamish Smith
Class Bar Awards opens for entries
The Class Bar Awards - which aims to recognise the bars and bartenders who set the standard for hospitality and innovation across the UK, returns on Tuesday 24th May in London - is now open for entries.
—19 January, 2022
Hamish Smith
Scotland’s hospitality restrictions “indefensible” and “pointless”
Ahead of the First Minister’s briefing tomorrow (Tues 18 Jan), Scotland’s hospitality operators are calling for the Scottish Government to end restrictions, branding them “indefensible” and “pointless”.
—17 January, 2022
Hamish Smith
LCC owner Nightcap announces double-digit growth
Nightcap, the owner of London Cocktail Club among a portfolio of 27 bars, has announced net sales of £15.5m million for the first half of the 2021/2022 financial year, with a net sales increase of 46%.
—10 January, 2022
Hamish Smith
Healthy Hospo launches GoFundMe to stave off bankruptcy
Healthy Hospo has launched a GoFundMe, looking to raise £10,000 to continue its work supporting hospitality professionals around the world.
—05 January, 2022
Hamish Smith
What brands do bars use? DI's Brands Report 2022 launches
Seeking to provide intel on the buying behaviour of the best bars in the world, Drinks International's Annual Brands Report has launched.
—04 January, 2022
Hamish Smith
Connaught Bar triumphs again at The World's 50 Best Bars
Connaught Bar from London was named the World’s Best Bar for the second year running in The World’s 50 Best Bars list, which was unveiled at the annual ceremony at Roundhouse in London tonight (December 7).
—07 December, 2021
Hamish Smith
Class Bar Awards to return in 2022
The Class Bar Awards will return next year with a ceremony in London on May 24th.
—02 December, 2021
Hamish Smith
The UK ups presence in The World's 50 Best Bars' 51-100 list
The UK is the second largest contributor to The World’s 50 Best Bars 51-100 list, upping its membership from four to five bars for 2021.
—02 December, 2021
Hamish Smith
Ryan Chetiyawardana to launch Shoreditch bar
Ryan Chetiyawardana and the Mr Lyan team will return to East London with a new bar at hotel One Hundred Shoreditch in early 2022.
—01 December, 2021