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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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%.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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”.

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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%.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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01 December, 2021

Hamish Smith

Zdenek Kastanek on ridding the world of single-use spirits packaging

A spirits distribution system that lowers waste and carbon emissions has been launched in the UK. Zdenek Kastanek speaks to Hamish Smith about Ecospirits and its war on single-use packaging.

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25 November, 2021

Hamish Smith

Scotland's vaccine passport roll out "extremely alarming"

UKHospitality has said the prospect of Scotland rolling out vaccine passports to more venues will be "extremely alarming" news for the country's hospitality sector.

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12 November, 2021

Hamish Smith

Streaming platform Spirits Network to launch with cocktail competition

Media company NBTV Studios has announced the UK soft launch of Spirits Network, claimed to be “the world’s first shoppable entertainment streaming network”.

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07 October, 2021

Hamish Smith

Bartenders' Brand Awards 2022 opens for entries

Entries for the CLASS Bartenders’ Brand Awards 2022 are now open.

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07 October, 2021

Hamish Smith

American Bar to return with midweek opening hours

The Savoy’s American Bar will reopen on Monday 4 October 2021, after a long period of closure.

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29 September, 2021

Hamish Smith

Government urged to consult industry over tipping legislation

UKhospitality has urged the government to consult the hospitality industry before drawing up tipping legislation.

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27 September, 2021

Hamish Smith

Pernod launches chili-infused bourbon distillate

Pernod Ricard UK has launched Horse with No Name, a bourbon and habanero chili distillate, created by Monkey 47 founder Alexander Stein.

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27 September, 2021

Hamish Smith

CLASS Autumn 2021 - The Hard Reset – launches

CLASS Autumn 2021 - The Hard Reset – has launched and is now available to subscribers to download here. If you're not receiving Class, it's free (to bartenders) – sign up for a digital or hard copy here.

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22 September, 2021

Hamish Smith

Giuseppe Gallo launches Savoia

The founder of Italicus Giuseppe Gallo has turned his attention to the Americano category with the launch of wine-based aperitivo Savoia Americano, which is billed as a mid-point between a bitters liquor and red vermouth.

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22 September, 2021

Hamish Smith

Pernod agrees to buy The Whisky Exchange and LCW

Pernod Ricard has agreed to buy UK-based e-commerce platform The Whisky Exchange and London Cocktail Week for an undisclosed fee.

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21 September, 2021

Hamish Smith

New baijiu-scotch hybrid spirit readies for launch

Kylin Spirits Group is to launch a new hybrid spirit made from scotch whisky and Chinese baijiu.

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16 September, 2021

Hamish Smith

London bartenders star in Drinks International's Bar World 100 list

Monica Berg of Tayēr + Elementary in London has been voted the most influential international bar industry figure in Drinks International’s Bar World 100 2021.

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22 July, 2021

Hamish Smith

Floreria Atlantico's Tato Giovannoni on his new London bar

Tato Giovannoni is one of South America’s most decorated bar operators. Hamish Smith caught up with the Florería Atlántico owner in London at the site of his new Soho bar, which opens July 26.

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21 July, 2021