Duncan Robertson Big Dunc, funky dunky and Duncan 12th December 1973 – 1st January 2016
Duncan Robertson was a ‘one off’. He was a real character and his death just weeks after his 43rd birthday left his friends and family mourning, but in amongst the sadness there was a lot of genuine laughs too as people reminded themselves what great fun he was. In fact at his funeral service, which was standing room only, both Scott McMillan and Scott McKay reminded the congregation time and time again that Duncan wouldn’t have wanted people to be sad.
Duncan started his working life in his dad’s fish and chip shop in Wemyss Bay, where he was in charge of the sweetie counter. His ability to make his customers feel good stayed with him, and was one of the most charming things about him. But his first job in the licensed trade was in D’Arcy’s in Princes Square, Glasgow, where he first met Scott McMillan and Scott McKay, both of whom went on to be lifelong friends. He was in charge of the coffee as at the time he was only 16.
By the time he was 18 he moved on to work at the Brunswick Cellars where he met lots of artistic types and he himself probably began his own artistic journey there, although it wasn’t until many years later that he set himself up in business painting pictures of buildings.
But I deviate after Brunswick Cellars he briefly worked at The Lounge and The Monkey Bar, the most popular bar on Bath Street at the time, and then he and best pal Scott McKay looked for a place on their own and opened The Candy Bar. This is when I met him, in fact I was at the opening party of The Candy Bar and over the next few years as the bar became one of the most popular in the city, the two boys – who were only in their early 20’s, created a haunt that was fun, where the customer was well-looked after. There used to be a queue to get into in at night winding its way along Hope Street.
While Duncan was happy looking after customers he wasn’t one for dealing with drinks reps, as Scott McMillan recounted. “One time he saw this guy coming, it was 11am in the morning and Duncan couldn’t face dealing with him, so he hid under a table. The guy came in and asked me if Duncan was about. Of course Duncan thought I was going to say “no he’s at the bank’. But I didn’t, I said instead “he is over there under the table”, at which point Duncan crawled out exclaiming, ‘I was just checking to see if there was any chewing gum stuck under the table!”
He used to arrive at work on a Chopper bike, and later a Vespa, and you would see him tootling about town. I didn’t have the privilege of seeing his renovated VW, but I did hear about it! He did his friends tell me have a very eclectic taste in music, but he was a MOD at heart. He was never a fashion plate but he did have a very eclectic fashion sense – from wearing odd converse shoes to green welly boots with shorts, and deerstalkers.
The success of the Glasgow venue saw them opening The Candy Bar in Edinburgh, which too proved to be a success. His days at the Candy Bar his friends say were probably the best days of his life. The boys eventually sold it to Montpeliers. They then bought the 500 Club, a new build at the foot of Byres Road, it was more of a challenge, and they came out of it a few years later, with Duncan then building up a new ‘Hot Dog’ business. He was definitely versatile!
The pull of the trade was too great and five years ago he once again ventured into it when he took on the lease at The Lock Inn, it was an eclectic bar, and when Duncan and I sat down for a bite of lunch he was full of enthusiasm for the new project. It was right across from Kelvingrove Art Gallery, and while the new venture didn’t last, what it did do was re-engage his interest in painting. He used to paint memorable paintings like Oran Mor to people’s houses, he had his own quirky style and set up an art business called Arty Farty.
He was an institution in the West End with this popular Hot Dog stand right outside Oran Mor – come rain or snow he was there, with some great banter, and one liners. Often I’d stop for a chat but sometimes the queue of women around him was too great to get an audience, but that was Duncan for you. He’d lift his hand and wave instead. I also used to see him in Kelvingrove Park with his great buddy his black lab Bomber. Although last time we met he said Bomber wasn’t really interested in long walks being a grand old age.
It’s such a pity that Duncan didn’t live to be a grand old age. But I am sure that he is up there with the best of them laughing uproariously and causing mischief. If you have the time have a look at his facebook page where you will see lots of lovely memories posted by his legion of friends and fans. This one from Ali Burns sums him up, “If you are lucky in life you will get to meet someone so Rock n Roll that they talk you into trying to surf an ironing board!”
If I told you there is a piece of equipment that would make your life easier, make you more profit and save waste and energy would you bite my hand off? I think so. Add to the fact that 100% of the licensees who have put it in would recommend it, and you can see why Heineken are excited about the response from the trade to its SmartDispense System. They claim that it is a draught dispense system that will save you money on every pint. To identify your SmartDispense potential, Heineken has a team of dispense specialist who can calculate the your bars savings, as well as identify the potential of greater sales we know a great quality pint can bring.
I first heard about it on a trip to Amsterdam a few years ago, and the first licensee I came across who had put it in was Iain Pert who had just re-opened McSorleys in Edinburgh a Star Pubs and Bars pub. At the time he told me “It’s so easy and it is saving on wastage.”
Roll on three years, and the system has been steadily installed in bars and pubs across the country. But what makes this different from other cellar equipment?
Well it is innovative because it can be installed even Into the smallest cellars and the cellars don’t even need to be chilled.’
SmartDispense Integral provides cooler, kegs, beer tube and tap in one system. This helps with regard to infection. Previously the three key areas that were exposed – the keg couplers, cellar buoys and fount nozzles, were notorious for quality issues, but not now as it is all integrated.
In traditional cellar case study, Heineken identified that cellar cooling and standard dispense systems are less than 10% efficient in actually cooling beer and cider liquid. To improve this SmartDispense has better insulation and coolers which are 20% more efficient than a standard cellar cooling system and the SmartDispense coolers also have a significantly lowerglobal warming potential than the industry standard.
Licensees love the fact that they don’t have to clean their lines every week. The SmartDispense System reduces the need to clean your lines from weekly to to 4-weekly and this is carried out by a service technician, saving your time, water, cleaning chemicals and of course beer!
The SmartDispense range includes integral, under bar and module (max). The module (max) version can be installed on the wall or on the ceiling. Its flexibility means that it is scaleable for even the largest bars and pubs, and can also be utilised in restaurants which perhaps don’t have a beer cellar.
John Gemmell, Heineken’s Trading Director for the North and Scotland explains, “There has been no real innovation in dispense systems for decades, which is perhaps why licensees are so pleased with it. Not only do they get higher throughput per tap, reduced wastage and cost, but confidence in their offering, a better consumer experience and this in turn leads to repeat purchase and higher sales.”
He continues, “Research that we did with licensees who had the system in for three months showed that 100% were happy with the system and 89% highlighted the benefits which included consistently great quality cider and beer; a hassle free easy to operate dispense solution for staff; wastage reduction; cooler cider and beer temperatures. He concluded, “But don’t take my word for it. Just ask some of our customers.” So we did just that.
First up was Allan McGhie, Group Bar Manager at Costley & Costley, the Ayrshire-based hotel and Inn business which includes Lochgreen House Hotel, Brig o’ Doon, Highgrove House Hotel and the Cochrane Inn. He told DRAM, “We’ve had the SmartDispense system installed in five of our venues since August, and we noticed a difference in the quality and consistency that were offering our customers right away.
“Before I signed up with Heineken I was getting a lot of sales pitches from brewers but Heineken did shine through. Basically Heineken offered as a deal we couldn’t’ refuse. The added benefit was SmartDispense which clinched it for us. The Heineken Dispense Specialist came out and visited me, and he took me around a lot of sites that already had SmartDispense, clearly explained the setup and showed me how to look after the product. He also made sure
I understood everything. Six weeks later I signed up with Heineken and the SmartDispense and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.
He explains, “For example take Lochgreen, due to the size of the venue we installed all three variations of SmartDispense – the Integral, under bar and module (max) systems, one in each bar, and of course they all work at different levels. We put the Module (Max) into our Function Bar because it can easily pour 100 pints per hour, all of which are perfect quality. The temperature of the delivered pint is between 2-3 degrees, and there is never any spillage.”
He continues, “We haven’t worked out the precise savings, but it is pretty obvious we are saving on energy. However the increase in sales is very noticeable. The fact that our customers were now willing to order a second pint was immediately noticeable and the number that do this continues to rise.
“I like the fact that it’s not just Heineken that we can offer through it, but we can also pour Amstel and Caledonian 80/- too.
Allan concludes, “As Group Bar Manager it has given me complete peace of mind with regard to hygiene and cleanliness. I know the lines are being cleaned every 4-weeks to a high standard.
Heineken have been very on the ball with regard to checking in with us. I am pretty certain that it is going to pour the perfect pint all year round in all sorts of different conditions. At the Lochgreen, especially in the function bar, we weren’t pouring the best pint. So this has made the world of difference to our sales, as customers continue to praise the quality of the pint, and as a result they buy more beer. Result.”
Another happy Heineken customer is Chris Aitken, owner of Cape in Stirling. He told DRAM, “There are a whole load of inaccuracies in the traditional method of line cleaning and there is a lot of opportunities to get it wrong. Everybody in the licensed trade strives to get the pint 100% perfect so anything at all that’s there to help you with that is great.
“I’ve had only had SmartDispense in for the last two months, but I have noticed a difference already when looking at my stock-taking and wastage. I think there will be a big financial difference within six months. The savings are obvious.
I am an independent licensee so another benefit is that it uses a lot less energy. It reduces wastage which is a another big factor when it comes to saving money. My cellar is also much more organised, which is another bonus. Heineken come and clean the lines every 4-weeks, so it is always someone very experienced that we see, and the reason it only requires to be done every 4-weeks is that it is chilling keg to tap, so there is no yeast growth.
He continues, “Already customers have been complimenting on the quality of our beer and working behind the bar I can see an obvious increase in sales. The average spend per head has increased – for instance if they had two pints before they are having four pints now. I feel that SmartDispense will help draught beer compete with spirits, which have been front of mind with consumers for the past couple of years.
I am 100% positive about it. There is nothing negative about it at all. I feel that Heineken are a step forward compared to some other brewers. If licensees get the chance to get SmartDispense I would certainly recommend it. My staff love it. It involves very little staff effort and there is a lot less human error. It is a lot harder to make a mistake when pouring a pint. In fact I have a bar in Tenerife too, and if I could install it there I would.”
lowerglobal warming potential than the industry standard.
in five of our venues since August, and we noticed a difference in the quality and consistency that were offering our customers right away.
Another happy Heineken customer is Chris Aitken, owner of Cape in Stirling. He told DRAM, “There are a whole load of inaccuracies in the traditional method of line cleaning and there is a lot of opportunities to get it wrong. Everybody in the licensed trade strives to get the pint 100% perfect so anything at all that’s there to help you with that is great.