The announcement early evening that Glasgow City and Moray are to remain in Level Three has been met with dismay by Glasgow pub and restaurant owners and the Scottish Hospitality Group.
The First Minister revealed that Moray’s latest figures show that 69 people per 100,000 have tested positive, while in Glasgow it is 80 per 100,000 with a 3.5% positivity rating. Said the First Minister, “It is prudent for Moray to stay at Level 3 for another week.” However, she did that that she was “cautiously optimistic” it would move to Level 2 next week.
She went on to say that Glasgow was “causing even more concern,” and continued, “there is, additional evidence that suggests the outbreak which is heavily centred in the southside is being driven by Indian variant.”
She added, “We need a few more days to assess the data.”
Mario Gizzi, owner of The DRG and member of SHG, said, “It’s an absolute disgrace. Not only have our plans been thrown up in the air but it’s been done last thing on a Friday night. At just one of our sites, The Citizen in Glasgow, we’ve spent more than £6000 in staff costs getting ready and roughly the same in fresh produce. As a standalone unit, all this food will be wasted and can’t be transferred to another restaurant. Even worse I’m now having to pay for extra staff in our call centre to cancel all next week’s bookings. It’s outrageous to have these hugely damaging decisions taken by people who have no idea of how the hospitality industry runs. When you look at the figures the offer of £750 in grant compensation really is a joke.”
Glasgow bar and restaurant owner Michael Bergson is dismayed too. He asks, “Is it not possible that the increase in test positivity in Glasgow’s Southside, which has the largest Moslem community in Scotland, has been driven by people who, in anticipation of this week’s Eid celebration, have gone for tests before seeing family members? Could that not have caused the spike?
“This is beyond disappointing. My business is doing okay and I am stressed regarding this, so I cannot imagine how people who needed this move to Level 2 to survive feel. Once again we have let down by a lack of information, and knee-jerk ineptitude. Hospitality is shouldering the blame for transmission in other area’s of society.”
While Stephen Montgomery of the Scottish Hospitality Group added: “I asked the Scottish Government on Wednesday for a heads-up about any changes and we didn’t get anything back. We’re in exactly the situation we wanted to avoid for the hospitality businesses in Glasgow. Here we are a full year on and it seems decision-makers have learned nothing and it’s shameful to be treating people this way. Staff are getting ready for their shifts, or have been working flat out to prepare for opening, and have ordered stock. You can’t just turn this stuff on and off like flicking a light switch.”
“We do hope the Glasgow community will support businesses and each other by taking up the offer of surge testing and vaccinations. We need Test and Protect to get this under control and everyone has to do their part, we are in this together. |
Restaurateurs and hoteliers Tony Conetta and Mario Gizzi of The DRG Restaurant Group are known for aligning their high-end concerns with the times, and they’ve pulled it off again with the refurbished Amarone in Edinburgh. It reopened on April 26 and what a transformation folks.
DRG has 20 restaurants and a boutique hotel in its portfolio and just to set the scene for you, Amarone Edinburgh is on St Andrew’s Square within the art deco Capital Building, slap bang in the heart of Edinburgh’s shopping and central business districts, and just a stone’s throw away from the likes of Harvey Nichols. The new-look, plusher Amarone doesn’t look out of place one bit in this exclusive wee corner of the capital.
One of the key aspects the refurbishment celebrates is the beauty of what is a sizeable space and perfect for social distancing because there’s an airiness to the ground floor complete with its raised area. There’s also a private dining room in the basement called Vault.
The outdoor terrace has been significantly upgraded too. It’s been extended, and is now covered and heated.
So what’s new about it? Six-seater round booths, arched passageways that lead into their own respective spaces, plus the glazed orb lighting that’s jewel-like as it hangs dazzlingly in the main dining area complete with its nine-metre domed ceiling. The beautiful wooden floors, sumptuous booths, grand pillars, marbled wall panels, and pictures are other highlights.
The majesty and grandeur of this space are further accentuated by what they’ve done with the gantry and the fact that it now mirrors the front-facing period arcade windows. It looks so at home in this beautiful setting they could have always been there.
Responsible for some of the lighting installations was Tom Adam of Elkis Lighting. He said, “I did the track lighting, LED tape, and gantry lighting. We worked with the design team and what a great team they were to work with, always striving for excellence. I have to say, the communication was great from start to finish. They wanted to create a dramatic dining experience and that’s what we did, chiefly by being a bit experimental and using versatile quality lighting.”
The metalwork is likewise something to write home about. Concept Metals Director Andy Duncan did it and he said, “ It was fantastic working with DRG again. They always go above and beyond with everything they do and the metalwork really does sing and adds to the overall design which I have to say is absolutely outstanding. The dark wood and satin finish brass are classic looking and I was really pleased with the end result.”
New decor, furniture, and lighting should all contribute make the Vault private dining room the go-to for customers looking for that special occasion or meeting.
The furniture is the combined handiwork of CCP and Lecs Upholstery and it just screams quality.
CCP owner Darren Rogers said, “We’ve worked on about nine projects with DRG and they’re always a complete pleasure to work with. From the original design to making the concept a reality, communication never faltered and I really like their forward-thinking approach and the fact that every single design is different. What set this one apart from the rest were the new chairs and bespoke options.”
Lecs Upholstery Director Lorna Phillips added, “We provided the fluted fixed seating with vertical panels on the backrests and there were some interesting types of upholstery in a selection of fabrics and real leather. We’ve worked with DRG several times in the past and it was great working with them again. They are always so professional and easy to work with.”
The last word must go to the two guys whose brainchild it was, DRG co-directors Tony and Mario.
Tony said, “Mario and I are so pleased to be able to constantly improve and nurture our brands according to what the customer enjoys, working with rock star teams behind the scenes including interior design, marketing, not to mention our chefs and e-commerce team who’ve worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic.’
Mario added, “The entire team has been so overwhelmed by the positive reactions from customers to the design improvements we’ve made. They are nothing short of stunning, but it’s always great to get that validation from our customers when we have all worked so hard. The terrace extension looks out of this world and will allow us greater flexibility in the future, plus the whole look and feel of the design is just so sympathetic to art deco Capital building.”
It won’t be financially viable for nearly nine out of 10 pubs in Scotland to open on 15th July if social distancing is not reduced to 1-metre. This puts 23,600 jobs on the line according to a new survey conducted by the Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SPBA) in conjunction with other members of the licensed trade. The news comes as official figures put Scotland’s unemployment at 4.6%, the highest rate in the UK.
The survey, which covered 318 Scottish pubs, over the period 11 June – 14 June 2020, (around 7% of the total), found that it would not be financially viable for almost nine out of ten landlords to reopen their doors if the two-metre distancing guidelines were still in place – potentially leading to the direct loss of over 23,600 jobs within the trade.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, said, “The results make for stark reading. Not only will 87 per cent of those surveyed be unable to open, but those that can trade at the two-metre mark will also potentially have to let 52 per cent of staff go. This would lead to over 23,600 jobs losses in our sector alone.
“Keeping a two-metre rule in place simply does not make financial sense and the fall out will see the loss of thousands of jobs affecting both the Scottish economy and local communities in the process.
“We have seen within the survey that whilst implementing a controlled environment to protect both customers and staff and dropping social distancing measures to one metre, we will see 82 per cent of licensed businesses being able to open their doors to the public and provide a much-needed boost to the industry.
The SBPA and wider group which includes Star Pubs and Bars, Belhaven, Hawthorn Leisure, Admiral Taverns, Punch Taverns, Caledonian Heritable Ltd, DRG, Buzzworks, Montpeliers, Manorview, Signature Pubs, Lisini and Caledonia Inns are keen to point out that as responsible license holders, not only could venues be classed as ‘controlled environments’ that would allow them to track and trace customers through a number of different methods – over 85 per cent of those surveyed planned to use PPE for staff when able to reopen.
Lisa Wishart, MD of the Lisini Pub Co, which operates venues such as Angels in Uddingston, comments, “Here at Lisini’s, it is simply not viable for us to reopen on 15 July due to the current social distancing rules. However, if we followed the World Health Organisation’s directive, not only could we provide a safe environment for our patrons, we would be able to safeguard most of our employees’ livelihood’s as we return to a new normal post Coronavirus.”
Gavin Stevenson from Gellions in Inverness said, “With two-metre social distancing our nearly 200 capacity venue reduces to just 11 people. In a normal year, our profit margin is less than 5 per cent of turnover and obviously, there is no way for us to get even close to financial break-even with such huge reductions in trade. We’d lose more money opening under the proposed restrictions than we would staying closed.”
Nic Wood from Signature Pubs added, “We cannot operate all of our businesses with 2m social distancing restrictions, and closures in the sector will sadly continue with bars and restaurants mothballed beyond the end of furlough. We are not ignoring the transmission rate or the health issues, merely stating that 2m makes some businesses unviable.”
Emma McClarkin concluded, “What’s clear is that the majority of licensed premises will simply not be able to operate under the proposed two-metre distancing, leading to mass unemployment within the sector. We are calling upon the Scottish Government to both reassess the current measures in place if they wish to kick-start the industry and work with us to safeguard over 23,600 jobs.”
The survey showed:
If the 2-metre restriction remained in place, on average 52.59% of staff in the pub sector are expected to be made redundant. This is 23,648 jobs in Scotland.
Only 12.8% of pubs believe it is financially viable to open at 2-metres, in contrast, 82% of pubs believe it is financially viable to open at 1-metre.
The survey covered 318 of Scotland’s 4,647 pubs equating to around 7% of the total number.
Comments from around the country:-
Kevin McGee from Athletic Arms ‘Diggers’, in Dalry, Edinburgh said:
“I’m bored silly, I’m a people person and can’t wait to open the doors. If it’s 2-meters it’ll most likely be me working with one other on reduced trading hours. In contrast, a 1-meter difference and we can get more staff off furlough, trade longer, start to pay off some bills and support the local community again.”
Stuart McPhee from Siberia Bar & Hotel in Aberdeen said:
“While we have a vast floor space and a versatile outside area within Siberia, the ability to service this at two-metre social distances takes what would normally be three people in a kitchen down to one on a given shift, and four people behind the bar when busy halved to two.
“Regardless of how many people you can fit outside or inside customer wise, there is a direct impact on what kind of service our staffing levels can achieve. Where we will try and maintain our staff by diversifying our service style and rotating in teams post-Covid, it is clear that tough operational choices lay ahead.
“We have solutions and we have things we can implement such as entry temperature checks, PPE & disinfectant fogging now that can make our environments COVID secure and regulated, that could mean we as an industry could be permitted to lower the distance to survive and prevent further job losses across the sector.”
David Stein from Cafebar 1807 in Linlithgow said:
“While I believe we need to listen to the experts, it will be completely unviable for us to open in any capacity until we have a 1m rule.”
Mo Clark from Kained Holdings, who operate several bars including Lebowskis in Edinburgh and Glasgow said:
“The current guidelines of 2m distancing would not allow for the majority of bars to operate profitably. Reducing some sites to 40 per cent trading capacity which simply does not work under most business models.
“The focus for bars and restaurants across the sector which wish to remain viable will be to reduce their cost base which will undoubtedly lead to significant redundancies. Those who are unable to find a path through this will have to shut their doors completely, further increasing the inevitable redundancies.
“Particularly, where vertical drinking has made a business viable, the continuation of the 2m distancing means that many businesses couldn’t even open their doors, let alone be profitable.”
Scotland’s key independent restaurant and pub businesses have joined forces to highlight the need for the Scottish Government to re-examine it’s two-metre rule for social distancing. They fear that if the rule is not brought down to one or below, two-thirds of all pub and restaurants may remain closed beyond 15th July, the provisional date that Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing MSP set earlier in the week for all tourism and hospitality businesses to officially re-open. Their push also comes at the same time as Scotland’s ‘R’ rate is revealed to be the best of any UK nation at 0.6-0.8.
The group, which includes includes Caledonian Heritable Ltd, DRG, Buzzworks, Montpeliers, Manorview, Signature Pubs, Lisini and Caledonia Inns, with a combined workforce in the region of 4,500, are asking the Scottish Government to fall in-line with the World Health Organisation’s guidance, which details a one metre rule for social distancing and adopt the “controlled environment” model which New Zealand used. It allowed, in its second phase, bars, restaurants and cafes, which were described as ‘controlled environments’ to adopt 1-meter social distancing, while still having 2-meter social distancing out with these areas.
As part of the guidance in New Zealand licensees are asked to keep a list of customers in a track and trace effort – so that the social distancing guidelines can be reduced.
Graeme Arnott, Director of Caledonian Heritable, one of the biggest independent pub and restaurant operators in the country, said, ““If labelling the licensed trade as ‘controlled environments’ were included in the upcoming government guidelines for the industry – this would give the responsibility back to business owners to ensure staff and customer safety and allow them to track and trace customers through a number of different methods.”
“Whilst Mr Ewing has given the industry a date to work towards, it will become inconsequential if two-thirds of the industry remain closed due to the unsustainable restrictions currently in place which will no doubt result in a devastating amount of jobs lost within the sector. This week alone, we have seen a tsunami of businesses announce mass redundancies, and we can expect this to continue if we cannot see a step change towards reducing this two-metre rule before 15 July.
The group is also keen to find out more about the new Scottish Recovery Tourism Taskforce and hopes it will be able to assist the Scottish Government in taking a common sense approach to reopening and minimising any further damage to the industry as it enters the next phase.
Graeme added: “We welcome a task force being put in place, but it needs to take actions that will have real positive effects within the industry before any domestic visitor marketing campaign can be worthwhile.”
“We are suggesting measures that keep people safe, whilst being more attainable and easy to maintain within the restaurant and pub environment. It is crucial this is examined if we are to have a sustainable business and economy to rebuild following this pandemic.”
It didn’t come as too big a surprise to hear that DRG, the group owned by Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta, had taken over the former Trading House next door to their St Vincent Place premises Anchor Line and Atlantic. It re-opened last month as The Citizen after the former Glasgow paper of the same name. A name that I am quite familiar with as my father worked at the very same newspaper in 1959.
Mario Gizzi told DRAM, “We really had to buy it. Either that someone else would have come have come in and bought it instead. Now we have a wee circuit here.”
Luckily for DRG when The New World Trading Company Trading House converted this former bank into The Trading House they did a good job, and much of the layout and period detail had already been restored.
The designers behind The Citizen have kept the original features and augmented them with a fresh new, vibrant and classy look with more than a nod to its newspaper ties. Explains Tony Conetta, “This street really has so much history behind it. We were able to bring it to life in Anchor Line and at Atlantic and we have done the same here. It’s another story for us that is all about celebrating the history of Glasgow and its citizens.”
He continues, “We have some great stuff here. For instance we put out feelers for memorabilia and a photographer called Stuart Fair, who originally worked for The Citizen, but who now lives in France, sent us lots of original pictures. These have gone some way to re-creating what I like to think of as a contemporary press bar. We have montage in the restaurant of citizens of Glasgow and some large contemporary pictures on the walls but we also commissioned Ranald McColl to create various portraits of press characters.”
One of the portraits is displayed in the Editor’s Suite and the others hang to the right of the main bar – they are titled ‘Editor’, ‘Photographer’ and ‘Reporter’” and although the portraits do not actually represent any particular individuals – one has more than a passing resemblance to well known Glasgow journalist Jack ‘the hat’ Mclean – who actually came into the bar recently, and gave it his nod of approval.
Tony continues, “We have created the bar as a real tribute to Glasgow and we have also put in Glasgow’s favourite beer Tennent’s – and at the moment it is the only place in the world that you can get it brewery fresh – unpasturised – as we have installed its tank beer.”
However Mario admits that it is not the first time he has served tank beer. He explains, “When I worked with my dad at McNees years ago, we had beer tanks – which was really the same principle.”
There are four key areas in The Citizen Bar and Dining Room – the first two are as the name suggests, but there is also an upstairs area and an Editor’s Suite – my favourite area – which is a special room tucked away which is more like a cocktail-style of bar. It boasts parquet flooring, a large rug, blood red winged backed chairs, leather booths and a beautiful cabinet on the right hand wall which extends behind the bar too as a gantry. It was made especially for the Editor’s Suite by contractors Hugh Stirling and it is spectacular. It boasts some 28 small glass fronted lockable boxes and shelves and is made entirely of polished oak with brass inlays.
Explains Tony, “These are private lockers where people can put their exclusive alcohol. We are selling these for an annual fee of £1,000 and we have sold more than 12 so far. We will buy the bottles and customers can draw it down. For instance some lawyers or accountants may want to purchase a very good bottle of whisky and when they bring their clients here they can treat them to their special bottle. Drinks companies too can put in very exclusive bottles and bring customers here to try it. We have already got some top brands in including a bottle worth £3,500.
Says Angus Alston of Hugh Stirling, “We are very proud of the quality of fit out in the Editor’s Suite. It was cold and soulless before and now it is warm and inviting.” He continues, “The whole job was a pleasure to work on. It was a good team and everyone worked well together – it was a collective of skilled tradesmen from the Iron work created by Mike Peden to the tradesmen who did the marble bar tops and of course the mosaictiled floor in the main bar which is quite spectacular.”
This brings us back to the main bar itself – which benefits from the light that comes in from the huge original arched windows. Beside the windows there are now three fixed seating booths in a rich dark pink velvet-like upholstery, which contrast vividly with the petrol/teal green upholstered high stools and high chairs used throughout the bar, (reminiscent of the visors that old newpaper editors used to wear). The uphostelry was all done by LECS This is set off, of course, by the beautiful mosaic floor, which looks like it has been there for ever, but which replaces the rustic timber which was there before.
Above the bar, suspended from a wrought iron fitting attached to the original buildings pillars, are spectacular large glass globes which have a gold strand that sweeps round them. There are three of these fittings along the bar – attached to the navy pillars, and in between there are more smaller opaque globes. The bar itself has been refreshed with a Verde Guatemala marble top inset with brass. Upstairs the same colours have been used, but because the ceiling is lower this is more of an intimate space. There is a great table which overlooks the downstairs bar, which you could sit at forever – people watching! This area also houses the kitchen – which is partly open plan.
And last, but not least, there is the dining room – which also has a lower ceiling than the main bar, although it is a continuation. The light here comes from stained glass – which features on the back windows and on the wall adjacent to the bar. But one of the most striking features here is the montage of pictures of the citizens of Glasgow.
This is a welcome addition to the Glaswegian bar scene. Well done DRG!
Scotland is full of enterprising entrepreneurs, particularly in the Scottish licensed trade. Here we highlight just some of the most successful – who were on the acquisition trail in 2016 and outline their plans for 2017.
We also take a look at some up-and-coming groups worth watching.
KEVIN DOYLE AND GRAEME ARNOTT – CALEDONIAN HERITABLE
Caledonian Heritable founder Kevin Doyle (above) was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2016 Scottish Bar and Pub Awards and for good reason as his pub and property empire continued to prosper last year. The company reported a pre–tax profit increase from £5.1m to £7m in 2016 and an increased turnover of £34.4m. Key highlights from 2016 include the reopening of Compass in Leith in January after it was expanded and refurbished and a makeover of Ryan’s Bar in Edinburgh plus the opening of Inverness restaurant Encore une Fois (One More Time).
Caledonian Heritable also acquired Grange Inns in April 2016, which included two Cask and Barrel venues, No. 1 Grange Rd and The Waiting Rooms, all in Edinburgh. Caledonian Heritable has over £100m invested in the licensed trade and it owns over 100 licensed premises outright across Scotland including The Theatre Royal, The Dome, The Roseburn and the Tynecastle Arms, with co–investments in a further 100–200 businesses; and supports over 700 staff overall.
On the agenda for 2017 is the refurbishment of The Peartree in Edinburgh, which is currently being expanded into the former Blind Poet next door, which is also owned by Caledonian Heritable. The company’s Edinburgh headquarters at New Charlotte House on Hope Street, situated above Ryan’s Bar, will also undergo a refurbishment, plus we hear there’s plenty of other projects in the pipeline.
Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta, owners of The Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group (DRG), started 2016 strongly with a 25% leap in annual profits on a turnover of more than £30m with a pre–tax profit of £4.37m. Last year also saw Mario and Tony open cosmopolitan seafood restaurant Cadiz on George Street in Edinburgh, just above their Cafe Andaluz. The pair also teamed up with Paul Sloan to open Topolabamba on Lothian Road in Edinburgh. Looking ahead, the group revealed it is to open a new venue in The Registers in Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square with work starting in October. The duo
The duo are investing £2m in the venture which will see the former banking hall of the historic RBS HQ transformed into a 200 cover restaurant and two bars.The pair are also set to expand the popular Cafe Andaluz concept with new openings in Edinburgh and Newcastle. The DRG Group currently comprises of 18 venues, including Anchor Line and Atlantic, and employs 950 staff. We also understand there are plans to install a new aparthotel in the St Vincent Place building The DRG purchased last year, above The Anchor Line and Atlantic Bar and Brasserie.
There are also plans to install a new 64-room, £8m aparthotel in the St Vincent Place building The DRG purchased last year, above The Anchor Line and Atlantic Bar and Brasserie, which is due to open in 2018.
Buzzworks’ Colin and Alison Blair (middle)
COLIN, KENNY & ALISON BLAIR – BUZZWORKS HOLDINGS
Ayrshire–based group Buzzworks Holdings, spearheaded by brothers Colin and Kenny Blair and sister Alison, enjoyed a strong 2016, during which they broadened their already impressive portfolio of properties to include The Corner House in Kilwinning, formerly the Stag and Hound pub. Last year, the company also secured themselves a place on The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For.
This year will see Buzzworks step outside of Ayrshire for the first time with an opening in Bridge of Weir, West Renfrewshire. Work has already begun on a £1m project to transform the former Weir pub and restaurant into a stylish bar and restaurant called The Coach House. It will create more than 40 jobs and is due to open in the summer.
In 2017, Buzzworks will also invest £500k in a major refurbishment and transformation of Scotts in Troon and have hinted that yet another major investment or refurbishment is on the cards for later in the year. The company owns nine venues including Scotts in Troon and Largs, Lido venues in Prestwick and Troon, The Treehouse in Ayr, The Longhouse in Kilmarnock, The Mill House in Stewarton and the new property in Kilwinning. Buzzworks now employees more than 400 employees and reported a turnover of more than £15m in the last financial year.
STEVE GRAHAM – MANORVIEW HOTELS & LEISURE GROUP
Steve Graham’s Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group enjoyed a busy 2016. The family-owned business bought over Cornhill House in Biggar last March, and re-named it Cornhill Castle. This month it revealed a £750k refurbishment of the hotel’s function suite. Last year, the group also opened luxury boutique hotel Boclair House Hotel, in Bearsden, which included an expansive ballroom, a Parisian-styled restaurant and lounge bar, a private dining room and 12 bedroom suites.
The group also closed out 2016 by adding The Star & Garter Hotel in Linlithgow to its growing portfolio in December. The three-storey Georgian mansion, known locally as ‘The Star’, was bought from local businessmen Ross Wilkie, David Kennedy and fellow director John Ward. A six-figure refurbishment of the popular hotel’s bar and restaurant is planned for Spring 2017. Manorview employs 450 staff across its portfolio of nine hotels, which includes The Busby Hotel in Clarkston, The Bowfield Hotel & Country Club in Howwood, and The Lynnhurst Hotel in Johnstone.
The company recorded a turnover of £11m and a pre-tax profit of £1.1m for the year ending March 2016. It has since reported total sales revenues up 33% on the previous year and a like for like increase of 6%, with gross profit margins remaining in line with the previous year.
Forth Wines Passion for Wine Award. Winner: Nic Wood, Signature Pub Group (L)
NIC WOOD – THE SIGNATURE PUB GROUP
Signature Pubs were on the acquisition trail last year and shows no sign of stopping. Last May it completed a deal which saw it take on five former Thistle Pub company pubs, formerly part of the Maclays estate. The pubs bought were The Raven, The Hope and Munros in Glasgow; The Wick in Prestwick and Clerk’s Bar in Edinburgh. Just prior to that it also purchased The West Port Bar & Kitchen in St Andrews, which represented their first business outwith Edinburgh.
The company also opened Badger & Co in Edinburgh after a £1.35m redevelopment, refurbished the hotel rooms at the Rutland and launched new apartments. It also bought The Fountain in Edinburgh. And finally, at the end of the year it bought the business and freehold of the Spiritualist in Glasgow’s Miller Street.
It’s estate also includes The Rutland Hotel, Edinburgh, The Rutland Apartments, Edinburgh, The Huxley, Edinburgh, Kyloe, Edinburgh, Heads & Tales, Edinburgh, Badger & Co, Edinburgh, The Basement Bar, Edinburgh, Black Bull, Edinburgh, Element, Edinburgh, The Queens Arms, Edinburgh and The West Port, St Andrews. The company in its last audited accounts had a turnover of just under £12m and made a profit of just over £1.5m. It currently employs 300 people.
RAHUL AND PRAVESH RANDEV – THE R GROUP
R Group restaurant and bar owners Rahul and Pravesh (Bubbles) Randev had an industrious 2016, expanding their portfolio to six with the opening of two successful neighbourhood bar/restaurants. They focus on capitalising on the growing trend of people choosing to dine out locally. The brothers merged former restaurant Irrocco in Lenzie with next door Carriages through a £1m investment and year–long renovation to transform the properties into one stylish pub restaurant, The Grove. They also opened The Larder in the centre of Bearsden, replacing Spanish restaurant Las Ramblas. Both venues are proving a success and have had a great response from customers and critics alike.
In 2017, they plan to open a roof terrace on the top of The Grove which will have its own bar and will be accessible by a lift within the restaurant. There are also plans for an extensive refurbishment of both the bar and restaurant at The Eagle Lodge in Bishopbriggs, which they opened in 2013. This is scheduled for the summer. The R Group operates six venues across East Dunbartonshire including Garvie and Co in Milngavie and Oregano at The Eagle Lodge in Bishopbriggs.
STEPHEN WHITE AND OLI NORMAN – GREAT GLASGOW INSTITUTIONS AND TAVERNS
Late 2016 saw business partners Stephen White and Oli Norman (above) bring together their collection of bars under a single umbrella, called Great Glasgow Institutions and Taverns. Last year the pair purchased the freehold and trading business of landmark Glasgow bar The Griffin in a deal worth around £1.2m.
The bar was relaunched in September 2016 after a £300k refurbishment, which involved the installation of a new kitchen, new function area and the restoration of original features, plus an incredibly popular ‘Gin Palace’ bar. They also announced the latest addition to their portfolio, Maggie Mays on Glasgow’s Trongate, which was another plus £1m deal. 2017 will see the pair redevelop the popular bar – keeping the best bits and improving on its existing features. Both join a portfolio which also includes Brel, Blackfriars and Sloans in Glasgow. Worth watching…
BILLY LOWE – CALEDONIA
Edinburgh entrepreneur Billy Lowe sold his Saltire Taverns business back in 2015 in a multi–million– pound deal, which saw venues including the Le Monde and Angel’s Share boutique hotels in Edinburgh move into the portfolio of the Glendola Leisure Group. But with a 35–year career behind him, it wasn’t long before he was lured back to the trade.
In 2016, Lowe acquired the Links Hotel at Bruntsfield and Malones Irish bar in Forrest Road, which has been renamed McSorley’s. We hear he intends to refurbish both and believes McSorley’s could become Edinburgh’s answer to Colin Beattie’s popular Oran Mor in Glasgow. Lowe also plans to invest over £1m to transform and rebrand the Links Hotel, which he bought in July last year. The revamp is due to start at the end of February. The refurbishment of McSorley’s bar will happen this summer.
Lowe has named his latest business Caledonia, following the Scottish theme set by his previous ventures, Thistle Inns and Saltire Taverns. Lowe also aims to pursue other properties in Edinburgh, so watch this space.
TOMMY MCMILLAN – ALCHEMY INNS
Tommy McMillan flies under the radar, most of the time, and that’s the way he likes it. But the former footballer has been steadily building up a successful pub estate since 2000, and his estate now has some 30 plus pubs. Most of his estate is leased out or run under management, But he also runs a wholesale business Alchemy Drinks supplying pubs and clubs.
But in true entrepreneurial spirit, he is also involved in various other businesses too. His estate includes the Dumbuck Hotel, The Black Bull in Polmont and The Canalside Pub & Grill. Future acquisitions are on the cards.
ANDREW MCMAHON AND JAKUB ZAKRZEWSKI – THE BON VIVEUR GROUP
Andrew (Macky) McMahon and Jakub Zakrzewski, who co–founded The Bon Viveur Group, opened their fourth Dundee venture in March 2016, an innovative tapas bar restaurant and art gallery called Gallery 48.
Capitalising on Dundee’s vast creative community, the multi–function venue operates as a bar, restaurant, art gallery and creative hub with a focus on Spanish tapas dishes and creative gin serves, and also runs language and cooking classes. Gallery 48 opened after a £50k refurbishment of The Westport Gallery, and features work by artists from across the city rotated every six weeks. It even won Innovative Business of the Year at the 2016 Scottish Bar and Pub Awards.
For 2017, the pair plan to open another venue in Dundee in the summer, and will be staying close to the West Port area, but are keeping plans under wraps for now. They run four Dundee venues in total, including The D’Arcy Thompson, The Tinsmith, Gallery 48 and The West House and employ 90 staff.
Adam Newth, Arbroath–born chef proprietor of The Tayberry in Broughty Ferry, has plenty in the works for 2017, with two new ventures opening in Fife and Angus. The 26–year–old has taken on the catering at Kinnettles Castle near Forfar, which has been relaunched as an exclusive use wedding and private events venue.
He is also to open a second restaurant in St Andrews in April within Kinnettles Hotel, called The Tayberry at Kinnettles. Newth is leasing the new 40–cover restaurant from the hotel’s owners Ogstons Holdings Limited, which is spending around £1m on the refurbishment. The two new ventures will see the young chef triple his dozen staff, and all three will operate under his business Newth Hospitality Ltd.
Newth is a former Scotland’s Young Chef of the Year and Scotland’s Young Seafood Chef of the Year. He opened his first restaurant, The Tayberry, in 2015. In 2016, it recorded a turnover of £250k. Newth also worked as head chef at Castlehill, helping the restaurant become the first independent eatery in Dundee to hold two AA rosettes.
PAUL SLOAN – HUNKY DORY DINING
In 2016, Paul Sloan and business partner Mario Gizzi opened Chaakoo Bombay Cafe (above) on St Vincent Street in Glasgow, not far from their Mexican eatery Topolabamba. Chaakoo, located on the site of the former Irish theme bar Failte, serves up fusion tapas style Bombay, India and Indo–China inspired dishes. It’s been a huge success so far, and currently ranks as Glasgow’s No.1 restaurant on TripAdvisor, so no surprise there are also plans in the works to roll out the concept in Edinburgh.
The pair also opened a new Topolabamba in Edinburgh on Lothian Road in 2016. In 2017, there are plans to open a new Glasgow venture, Mezzidakia on St Vincent Street, which will operate under Sloan’s Hunky Dory Dining (HDD) company name, and negotiations are ongoing over two other city centre sites. They have set up a company called Fabulously Scottish Hotels (a joint venture between HDD and The DRG) and are planning to open two new hotels in 2017, The Roury in Fort William and another hotel in Oban, joining The Ranald Hotel. Paul Sloan operates a total of nine units across Scotland with additional units let out to tenants. HDD employs approximately 200 employees with that number set to rise to 270 by 2018.
Paul Sloan operates a total of nine units across Scotland with additional units let out to tenants. HDD employs approximately 200 employees with that number set to rise to 270 by 2018.
KEVIN CAMPBELL AND TONI CARBAJOSA
Kevin Campbell and Toni Carbajosa added another successful Greek eatery to their roster in 2016 with the launch of Halloumi on Hope Street in Glasgow, an 80–cover, tapas–style restaurant with a Mediterranean feel and focus on casual dining. The pair then moved into Asian fusion cuisine by rounding off the year with the launch of Temaki, also on Hope Street, in December, which is notable for introducing the ‘sushi burrito’ to Glasgow.
They also have big plans for this year, having just opened Mezze, a new Greek seafood restaurant on the top floor of the North Rotunda, just above La Rotunda, which they also own. The 100–cover restaurant will serve small plates, with an emphasis on Scottish seafood and will have a Mediterranean feel.
There are also plans for a Korean BBQ restaurant in Glasgow’s West End, and the pair also have their sights set on Glasgow’s southside. Their Glasgow portfolio also includes Rioja and Pickled Ginger in Finnieston, city centre restaurant Athena, and La Rotunda.
MO CLARK, GRAHAM SUTTLE AND SCOTT ARNOTT – KAINED HOLDINGS
This up and coming group now has leaseholds on 10 premises the majority of which are based in the Finnieston area of Glasgow. These include Lebowskis, Porter & Rye and The Finnieston, with another bar set to open shortly, as well as a deli.
Openings in 2016 included the Kelbourne Saint in the city’s West End, The Drugstore Social and Lebowskis South Side, all in Glasgow. The group has said that it wants to open two venues per year between now and 2020.
Glasgow restaurant Atlantic Bar and Brasserie will be one of the first restaurants in the UK to launch a Low FODMAP menu this month for customers who are affected by from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
The city centre eatery, owned by DRG, has teamed up with Glasgow-based dietitian Lesley Reid to create a menu that follows an evidence-based diet created by Monash University in Australia and Kings College London.
Research has shown following a Low FODMAP diet can reduce people’s IBS symptoms by 75%. It can also help other conditions such as Crohns and Colitis.
The new menu will be launched Thursday, 17 November and must be pre-ordered 24 hours in advance but a smaller menu will be available for walk-in bookings.
Mario Gizzi, Director at The DRG, said, “When Lesley proposed the challenge to design and create a Low FODMAP menu, it was an exciting opportunity to give customers that find it hard to eat out an enjoyable and pleasurable experience.
“Everyone knows someone that suffers from IBS and the project has been an interesting process to create a menu that tastes really good for customers that suffer IBS on a daily basis.”
FODMAP’s are naturally occurring carbohydrates which are not absorbed in the small intestine and cause fermentation with the bacteria in the large bowel causing the IBS symptoms of pain wind and bloating. These symptoms are often described as IBS and affect up to 15% of the population.
Lesley Reid said, “A large proportion of my clients suffer Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The symptoms of IBS can really affect people’s lives in that they may have to take more time off work, can become socially isolated, affect relationships and generally make them feel miserable.
“The Low FODMAP diet has been a very successful treatment for my IBS clients but the main complaint with it was that it was so difficult to eat out. They could get gluten or dairy free but they couldn’t guarantee that it would be onion or garlic free.”
Atlantic Bar and Brasserie’s new menu has already received a positive response from some Reid’s clients, included one diner who was able to eat mussels for “the first time in years” and enjoyed having a rare “worry free meal”.
IBS sufferer Robin, from Glasgow, added, “The food was very well presented and tasty. I was able to relax for the first time in years and had confidence in the food. It was nice to eat out and not feel as if I was causing a fuss.
“I really like the fact I did not have to worry about the ingredients, that everything had already been checked for me.”
Restaurateurs Tony Conetta and Mario Gizzi of Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group (DRG) have announced plans for a £2m luxury restaurant and bar development in the heart of Edinburgh.
Housed within the Edinburgh Grand building in the former RBS headquarters on St Andrew Square, the 9,500 sq ft development will include a contemporary 200-cover restaurant and two bars. It is due to open in Spring 2018.
It forms part of the £60m regeneration of The Registers, an area in the southeast of St Andrew Square, by developer Chris Stewart Group that will comprise of more than 50 luxury serviced apartments and offices.
Tony Conetta, Managing Director of The Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group (DRG), said, “This is an incredibly exciting project for us, in both an iconic building and location. The Edinburgh Grand’s banking hall is rich in history, both for the capital and Scotland as a whole, and by carefully retaining and restoring the many original features we will bring this heritage to life.
“Our luxury restaurant and bar offering will have a Scottish influence at its heart and will make a significant contribution to Edinburgh’s vibrant food and drink scene.”
The DRG will begin work on their new venture at The Registers in October 2017.
The new bar and restaurant will be housed within the double height former banking hall and will showcase the history of the building, its neoclassical and art deco original features, combined with the ultimate in luxury design.
Chris Stewart, CEO of real estate company Chris Stewart Group, added, “The ambition The DRG has for the space both in terms of design and quality offering is a perfect fit for The Registers, and we are delighted to welcome them as tenants.
“The building at 42 St Andrew Square is magnificent and as home to The Edinburgh Grand serviced apartments and now The DRG flagship restaurant, it will create a huge draw to this part of Edinburgh’s City Centre. With a new pedestrianised area and public spaces, we are rejuvenating a once neglected area to make something special.”
Conetta and Gizzi’s DRG previously developed a historic building for The Anchorline, which opened in Glasgow in September, 2014.
The group transformed a former ticket office of the Anchor Shipping Line in the city’s Vincent Place into a premium restaurant and bar.
The £1.5m development that has brought to life the history of this location where first class passengers booked voyages to destinations including New York, India and Pakistan.
DRG operates a number of restaurants across Glasgow and Edinbrgh under the Di Maggio’s, Café Andaluz, Amarone, Atlantic Brasserie, Barolo, Cadiz and The Anchorline brands.
Tommy McMillan flies under the radar, most of the time, and that’s the way he likes it. But the former footballer has been steadily building up a successful pub estate since 2000, and his estate now has some 30 plus pubs. Most of his estate is leased out or run under management, But he also runs a wholesale business Alchemy Drinks supplying pubs and clubs.
