International Women’s Day 2024 – Liz Lock of Speciality Drinks
"People are naturally drawn to environments where they feel appreciated and respected, and they're more inclined to develop long-term relationships with businesses that embody these values."
International Women’s Day 2024 – Margaret Nicol of Whyte & Mackay
"It is important to remember that inclusion is not all about one type of community, or another. It affects everyone. As a ‘more experienced’ member of the company it was important to represent that side of the business."
International Women’s Day 2024 – Gemma Wills of Accolade Wines
"I’ve reflected back to times when I have been uncomfortable, or had to behave a certain way just to be heard, and whilst I know this has shaped who I am today, I also hope that future generations will have a much more level playing field."
International Women’s Day 2024 – Lucky Saint’s Mary Lynch & Sacha Harvey
"22% of the beer and pub workforce identify as female, with just 5% of brewers in the UK identifying as female. Although progress is being made, there’s still lots of room for improvement."
World Class GB winner Matt Arnold talks cocktails and travelling to São Paulo
Matt Arnold and his business partners opened Birmingham cocktail bar Passing Fancies in 2022. Last year he won the GB leg of Diageo’s World Class cocktail competition, going on to represent Britain at the global finals in São Paulo.
If you find yourself in Bat country, remember that it’s all about the beer
Although The Hanging Bat’s 11 years in business hardly register on Scotland’s grand scale of pub longevity, in terms of the craft beer boom, this hallowed Edinburgh ‘beer café’ is a veteran.
Substandard cellar management can cost much more than it saves
2024 could be another challenging year for pubs and bars - and with punters increasingly discerning about where they spend their money, the worst thing an operator can do is let standards slip.
A lot has changed since Paul Waterson first stepped behind a bar
Paul has been immersed in the licensed trade ever since, both as an operator and, via the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, as a spokesman and lobbyist for the industry.
Licensees look back on Scottish pubs’ changing spirits selection
"IT WAS take it or leave it back in the day," recalled Peter Ross of his time serving local steelworkers in The Railway Tavern in Motherwell. “You came in and there was no choice. You drank beer and you drank whisky.”
Black pints aren’t the only way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day this March
Irish whiskey has earned a reputation for its quality over hundreds of years – and there’s arguably more of it available to Scottish publicans now than at any time in recent history.