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

Hamish Smith

American Bar appoints first female head bartender in a century

The Savoy has appointed Shannon Tebay as head bartender of the American Bar and senior mixologist at the hotel.

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21 July, 2021

Hamish Smith

CLASS Summer edition launches

Editor Hamish Smith introduces this latest edition of CLASS, which is now available to download for digital subscribers, and offers some analysis of the backdrop to which the magazine launches.

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13 July, 2021

Hamish Smith

Canada’s James Grant wins World Class 2021

Canada’s James Grant was named the world’s best bartender for 2021 on Thursday at Diageo’s World Class Global Final.

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09 July, 2021

Hamish Smith

Leading Scottish bar owners support easing delay

Two of Edinburgh's best-known bar operators have supported the postponement of restriction easing in Scotland, arguing that the delay is "understandable" if it prevents further lockdowns.

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23 June, 2021

Hamish Smith

Anna Sebastian on leaving Artesian and her new drinks role

Anna Sebastian has joined hard seltzer company Served as head of brand, following her departure from Artesian at the Langham last month, CLASS can exclusively reveal.

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17 June, 2021

Hamish Smith

Anna Sebastian on leaving Artesian and her new role

Anna Sebastian has joined hard seltzer company Served as head of brand, following her departure from Artesian at the Langham last month, CLASS can exclusively reveal.

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17 June, 2021

Hamish Smith

Debt arbitration set to follow lease forfeiture moratorium extension

The government is to extend the lease forfeiture moratorium, preventing landlords from evicting commercial tenants until March 2022, the treasury has confirmed.

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16 June, 2021

Hamish Smith

New Ardgowan Distillery to make 1m litres of single malt

Ardgowan Distillery has announced work will begin this year on its new distillery following an £8.4 million equity investment.

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14 June, 2021

Hamish Smith

Ellie Goulding acquires stake in seltzer brand Served

Singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding has acquired a “significant stake” in the British hard seltzer brand Served.

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08 June, 2021

Hamish Smith

A quarter of Britain's licensed premises still to reopen

One in four (23.7%) of Britain’s restaurants, pubs, bars and other licensed premises have yet to reopen despite the return of inside service, new research from CGA and AlixPartners reveals.

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03 June, 2021