Business
Business
We're in recession, but what does that mean for bars?
The recession is going to be the longest on record, says the Bank of England. So what does this all mean for bars and bartenders? Oli Dodd looks back to look forward.
—16 December, 2022
Business
A short history of bartending
Adam Jamie Hussein’s new book, The Rise of the Bartender, charts the history of mixed drinks and their makers. Here, he provides a potted history of the profession.
—24 November, 2022
Business
The opportunity of failure - how bars can be reinvented
John Ennis of Graffiti Spirits Group spotted signs that a number of his venues were failing. Reinvent to succeed, he says.
—25 October, 2022
Business
Edmund Weil and Rosie Stimpson on their long-awaited Nightjar sequel
Husband and wife team Edmund Weil and Rosie Stimpson have finally opened a second iteration of their popular bar, and London’s West End will be better for it, reckons Hamish Smith.
—16 March, 2022
Business
Staff shortages: bridging the gap
Delving into the staffing shortage, Oli Dodd looks to how we cope as employers and employees in the busy months ahead.
—09 December, 2021
Business
Restrictions in England have ended, so what stays and what goes?
With restrictions ended, Oli Dodd reflects on what that means for hospitality.
—03 August, 2021
Business
Changing government perception
Covid-19 has brought the strained relationship between the bar industry and the government to the surface. Millie Milliken asks what needs to change post-pandemic.
—24 May, 2021
Business
The dos and don'ts of reopening
John Ennis, managing director of the eight-venue strong Graffiti Spirits Group in Liverpool, says the latest reopening is a critical moment in which profitably trumps everything. He lays out what you should and shouldn’t do to emerge from lockdown stronger.
—03 March, 2021
Business
They call it news - you can call it marketing
Meet the drinks journalist – nocturnal by nature, sometimes bedraggled, predictably thirsty, but often useful. Introduce yourself, tell them what you’re up to, build a relationship. They call it news, but you can call it marketing, says Hamish Smith.
—24 February, 2021
Business
Why the Roaring 2.0s could actually happen
The last pandemic was followed by the Roaring Twenties. Could history be about to repeat itself? Oli Dodd says if conditions continue to align, it just might.
—11 February, 2021
Business
Buying your bar: is it now time to own, not rent your premises?
Hamish Smith weighs up the pros and cons of bar owners buying their premises, with the help of some industry operators with first-hand experience.
—08 January, 2021
Business
Unprecedented times? Curfews and licensing restrictions are actually our history
Far from unprecedented, restrictions on hospitality are rooted in our medieval history. Dexter Plato turns town crier
—15 December, 2020
Business
Why bar marketing matters
Marketing is simply letting people know what you’re doing and helping them understand it, says Ryan Chetiyawardana. Why wouldn’t you want to pay for that, he asks?
—08 April, 2020
Business
Brands' pandemic performance and consumer loyalty
There’s a business case for digging deep during a crisis. Lucy Britner looks at COVID-19’s impact on the big drinks companies and consumer behaviour
—04 April, 2020
Business
Creativity in a crisis - how to pivot your bar
Nothing will make up for not having customers, but there are things you can do to build your brand and open up new avenues of revenue – if not for now, then later. Hamish Smith hears how to make the best of a bad situation...
—01 April, 2020
Business
Social media's changing role in the bar industry
Social media has dramatically changed the way we share and consume information. But as platforms mature and consumers wise up to sponsored content, the next five years are set to look very different, finds Lucy Britner.
—13 February, 2020