For three days in October, Berlin was once again the place to be for the international bar community, as the Bar Convent Berlin trade show took over the city’s massive Messe exhibition space.
With over 500 drinks industry exhibitors spread across multiple halls, and no less than seven ‘education’ stages hosting a wide variety of speakers and seminars – plus a whole city’s worth of bars putting on trade-friendly evening activations, events and plain old parties – it was no surprise that BCB 2024 attracted over 15,000 official visitors from 87 countries.
But the headline news on BCB’s first day was the announcement that its organisers are bringing the same scale and ambition to London next year, when the existing Imbibe Live event will officially becoming BCB London, part of the global BCB family alongside Berlin, Brooklyn, Sao Paulo and Singapore.
Scheduled for the Tobacco Dock event space in East London across June 30/July 1, organisers promise a ‘high quality platform for industry players to present themselves to the UK and Ireland market.”
Organisers said that the event, like its Berlin parent, will be focused on high-quality spirits, beers and the wider drink categories and showcase the newest products on the market, while providing education and knowhow as well as covering the hottest trends from around the globe.
“As one of the most vibrant cities in the world, London is the perfect location to expand the BCB family,” said BCB event director Petra Lassahn. “For the international industry, the market offers very good conditions for business.”
At the Berlin event, organisers confirmed that award-winning bartender, TV presenter and entrepreneur Jack Sotti had been appointed as the London show’s brand ambassador.
Sotti said: “I am delighted to be part of the team. BCB is a big name in the industry and I’m honoured to be actively involved in bringing BCB to London as a brand ambassador.
“The bar and drinks scene in the UK and Ireland has a lot to offer and it’s high time it got the trade show it deserves,” he added.
Asked why BCB was targeting London while Europe was already so well served by the Berlin event, BCB’s director of education, Angus Winchester, said simply: “London and the UK in general are at the pinnacle of the bar scene at the moment.”
Also present at the Berlin event was Becky Paskin of the OurWhisky Foundation, who was enthused by the prospect of the BCB brand coming to London: “It is paramount that London and the UK has a proper drinks show for the on-trade,” she said.
