People

Q&A: Aidy Smith on Inclusivity Mentorship & Incubator Program, Drinklusive

Hamish Smith chats to Aidy Smith of The Three Drinkers about his Inclusivity Mentorship & Incubator Program, Drinklusive.

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08 April, 2025

People

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

People

Iain McPherson on the all-new Edinburgh Bar Show

Hamish Smith catches up with Iain McPherson on the all-new Edinburgh Bar Show, which takes place 8-10 April

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02 April, 2024

People

Job advert: Bar manager at Baudry Greene

Baudry Greene, a bar modelled on the European cafés of 20th-century Europe updated for a 21st-century London, is looking for a bar manager with experience in high end spirits.

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30 January, 2024

People

Veronica Di Pietrantonio and Pietro Collina on the reboot of Viajante 87

Veronica Di Pietrantonio, formerly of Dandelyan/ Lyaness, and Pietro Collina, ex-Eleven Maddison Park/ Nomad, have relaunched Viajante 87 in Notting Hill. Hamish Smith caught up with them.

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16 October, 2023

People

Ashley Saxton on Baccarat and the changing face of luxury retail bars

Hamish Smith chats to Ashley Saxton, director of restaurants & bars at Harrods, about the emerging trend of luxury retail bars.

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10 August, 2023

People

Marcello Cauda on Blue Bar's new music-inspired menu

Oli Dodd catches up with Marcello Cauda, bar manager of Blue Bar at The Berkeley, following the launch of the bar’s first new menu since he took over the reins.

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18 July, 2023

People

This institution bar is about to reopen

Hamish Smith catches up with Tim Fitz-Gibbon, the co-owner of much-loved Oxford cocktail institution Raoul’s, which recently reopened.

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12 July, 2023

People

Meet our Bar Manager of the Year

To many the biggest individual award of the Class Bar Awards, Bar Manager of the Year sponsored by Italicus, was won by James Wheeler, a finalist in the category last year.

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31 May, 2023

People

Satan's Whisker's Kevin Armstrong on Roundbuilding - a book about the bartending method

Hamish Smith catches up with Satan’s Whiskers owner Kevin Armstrong, who tells us about his and Daniel Waddy’s book Roundbuilding – a rare attempt to document the bartending method

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08 March, 2023

People

Lyndon Higginson working on his “last new bar concept”

Hamish Smith catches up with the legendary hospitality entrepreneur Lyndon Higginson, who is unexpectedly working on his last new bar concept.

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24 November, 2022

People

Tony Pescatori on his new bar Alma

Tony Pescatori talks to Hamish Smith about his Nightjar journey and his fresh start at the newly opened Alma.

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29 November, 2022

People

The Watermark's Dariush Haghighi on creating Cool Cats Ice

Dariush Haghighi, owner of The Watermark saw there was a market for locally produced clear block ice in Leeds. So he met it, he tells Hamish Smith.

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29 November, 2022

People

Salvatore Calabrese on "bringing back the theatre to cocktail making"

Hamish Smith has the questions, Salvatore Calabrese the answers.

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10 November, 2022

People

Rob Wood on his new Birmingham bar Atelier

Hamish Smith catches up with Rob Wood. He’s been suspiciously quiet of late – at least, until now.

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19 October, 2022

People

Nick Thomas on Manolo replacing Santa Chupitos

The pandemic spelt the end for Liverpool's Santa Chupitos, but in its place comes Manolo. Hamish Smith speaks to Nick Thomas about Graffiti Group's new bar.

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01 August, 2022

People

Will Meredith on his new head of bars role

Hamish Smith chats exclusively with Will Meredith about his move from Lyaness to his new digs at Tattu Group.

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01 August, 2022

Jack McGarry, Jillian Vose & Sean Muldoon

People

Dead Rabbit's Northern Irish creators part ways and announce new bars

Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry, the Northern Irish founders of The Dead Rabbit in New York, have announced a parting of ways.

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06 April, 2022

People

Eric Yu on 30 years of London bars

Eric Yu has recently celebrated 30 years of the Breakfast Group. Hamish Smith caught up with the hospitality pioneer to talk about three decades of London venues – and a few more to come.

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23 March, 2022

People

John Ennis on the road to recovery and Salt Dog Slims Manchester

John Ennis, co-owner of Graffiti Spirits Group in Liverpool, talks to Hamish Smith about hospitality’s recovery in the North West and his new openings in Manchester.

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16 March, 2022

People

Jim Meehan on Banks and the evolution of rum

Class speaks to Jim Meehan, who recounts the early days of the cocktail renaissance and the spirits and cocktail landscape from which PDT and Banks Rums were launched.

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16 March, 2022

People

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

People

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

People

Sly Augustin on the ruin and resurrection of Trailer Happiness

Trailer Happiness was struck by a freak weather event this summer, just days before the pandemic restrictions ended. Sly Augustin talks to Hamish Smith about bad luck that is starting to turn good.

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16 November, 2021

People

An interview with the American Bar's Shannon Tebay

The American Bar’s new head bartender is only the second woman – and the first American – to hold the post. Hamish Smith catches up with her ambitions for the historic site.

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29 September, 2021

People

Anna Sebastian on creating a new hospitality culture

Anna Sebastian was one of many to leave operations this year. She reflects on what needs to change, if not for the current generation of hospitality workers, for those of the future.

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22 September, 2021

People

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

People

Hacha to open its doors to Brixton and underprivileged communities

Aiming to ensure employment opportunities for underprivileged members of BAME communities, Hacha’s new Brixton outlet is a project with a social conscience, finds Hamish Smith

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13 July, 2021

People

Phil Bayly & Julio Bermejo's tribute to Tomas Estes

What you know of tequila, of Mexican food and hospitality, is in some part down to the work and passion of the late Tomas Estes. Many in the industry saw him as a friend, but his partner in crime, Phil Bayly, knew him best. His tribute is followed by the words of another tequila legend, Julio Bermejo.

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18 May, 2021

People

Birth of a classic: the story behind the long-awaited Schofield’s Bar

Schofield's Bar was the world-famous venue that didn't exist - until now. Hamish Smith takes the two-hour train from London to Manchester to finally take up a seat at Joe and Daniel Schofield's much anticpated debut bar.

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18 May, 2021