The opportunity for hospitality businesses to operate without social distancing is being dangled in front of licensees, but there could be a trade-off – customers would be required to show a ‘coronavirus certificate’ better know as a vaccine passport, if UK government leaks are to be believed.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested, when asked during last weeks House of Commons Liaison committee, that the use of vaccine passports in pubs would be “up to the individual publican,”
However, UKHospitality has warned against the use of a vaccine passport scheme as a condition of removing restrictions.
The trade body has cautioned that a voluntary scheme would create confusion and inequality among businesses, customers and staff and would act as a de-facto open-ended delay to the reopening process.
UKH has also opposed the introduction of a mandatory passport scheme that would be unworkable, cause conflict and could be counter to equality rules.
UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said, “There is a concern among businesses that the eventual rolling back of restrictions, vital to business survival, may be linked to the use of a vaccine passport scheme. That cannot be allowed to happen. It would put businesses owners in a hugely invidious position and has the potential to effectively impose further unnecessary restrictions on businesses that cannot or will not operate a passport scheme.
“It is crucial that visiting the pub and other parts of hospitality should not be subject to mandatory vaccination certification. It is simply unworkable, would cause conflict between staff and customers and almost certainly result in breaches of equality rules.
“Even introduced on a voluntary basis, vaccine passports have the potential to cause huge amounts of confusion among businesses, customers and staff. It could potentially give rise to a two-tier system of viability among businesses and a situation in which young staff members, due to be vaccinated last, are able to work in a pub, but not able to visit it socially.
“A vaccine passport system may be useful in opening up international travel more quickly and it might play a role at large-scale events in the near future, but it should not be used for day-to-day hospitality. A vaccine passport scheme in pubs and the wider hospitality sector would not be the liberating move the Prime Minister believes it to be. It would see further restrictions imposed at the worst possible time.”
However, others do not feel quite as strongly. If passports were required to negate social distancing many licensees would opt for the passports. Said one, “Obviously the preference is to be open without social distancing and without the need for vaccine passports. But if it is a choice between social distancing and passports I think it should be up to the individual licensee to make that choice. It may allow businesses to open that, if social distancing is still in place, could not.”
While John Burns of Bloc+ comments, “Personally I think if we want to get our industry opened in the short-term there are three options for customers: either show you have been vaccinated or have had a test within 72 hours – or show you are exempt. I think this would be fair. We are asking people to prove they are not carrying the virus and an app on the phone could show us this. Not everyone will be happy, but you cannot please all of the people all of the time. It’s not just about protecting our customers it is about protecting staff too. I have a duty of care to both.”
He continued, “It would be a disaster if we had to close again. We really can’t afford another lockdown.”
BLOC+ BAR IN GLASGOW’S BATH STREET HAS BEEN A FIXTURE ON THE LIVE MUSIC SCENE FOR MANY YEARS, AND ACTUALLY CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. MAIRI CLARK SPOKE TO FOUNDER AND OWNER, JOHN BURNS ABOUT WHAT THE LAST TWO DECADES HAVE BEEN LIKE.
Twenty years ago, the design of Bloc+ was a breath of fresh air in Glasgow’s on-trade. John Burns, then in his late twenties, had been on the club scene for a good few years, flyering and running nights at The Tunnel, Archaos and over in Edinburgh. But the rave scene of the nineties was dwindling, raves were getting cracked down on and, with a young family, by 2001 Burns felt it was time to start getting a proper income.
He says, “I originally thought I was opening a pub by day and techno Mecca by night. I had never run a pub, but when you’re that age, you think “it can’t be that hard”. Well, it was. After months of exciting and exhausting planning and discussion, we opened our doors on January 11th 2001. These were my formative years in the bar trade.
“We were more of a style bar back then, with banging techno at the weekends. In reality we were more of a meeting room for sheriff officers! We never made a penny in those days.
“Luckily, back then I was a master of disguise and also suffered from a rare and convenient hearing disorder whenever they asked to speak to the owner. “Naw mate, I’ve never heard of him.”
“That was also the era of the good old Glesga gangster, taxing anyone they could, which brought us a few hairy moments and the odd “You’re getting ripped when we come back”. So that was fun! It certainly was a lively place with lively characters passing through and I guess that sums up our city as well.”
The inspiration for Bloc+ came from a pivotal moment in John’s life the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. He says, “I vividly remember watching the TV in awe as that symbol of dictatorship was torn down. So BLOC+ for me meant showing the positive sides of the Eastern Bloc through music, art and design.
“Throughout the early ‘90s, my love was all things techno and I was a huge fan of the rave scene, so it’s fitting that I attended my first proper festival in 1991, in the reunified Berlin. It was called “The Love Parade” and it was an incredible display of unity, packed with top-class techno and rave shows and a good 250,000 people, partying and celebrating over one very long weekend. This trip quite literally changed my life and opened my eyes to all sorts of possibilities.”
At the time, John was planning his debut in the trade, Scottish band The Shamen had enjoyed nearly a decade of success, and embodied the electronic techno that John felt needed an outlet.
He says, “I was already a huge fan of Russian constructivism and that interest, combined with my new- found love of that part of the world, was a galvanizing factor behind BLOC’s design and feel. Constructivism is described as: “Abstract and austere, [aiming] to reflect modern industrial society and urban space, [rejecting] decorative stylization in favour of the industrial assemblage of materials. Constructivists were in favour of art for propaganda and social purposes, and were associated with Soviet socialism, the Bolsheviks and the Russian avant-garde.” That last part in particular resonated with me.”
And from there the unmistakable look of Bloc+ was born. Collaboration and discussion with designer Jonathan Scott, the designer behind many of the early covers of The Shamen
John says, “It was this steady, unforced, organic evolution that brought us to where we are today. Of course, the transition wasn’t always smooth. What was needed rather was a gang-hut for creative, awkward, alternative- minded folks of many stripes to meet, merge and make magic happen.”
In 2003, John had about a fiver in the bank, having invested all his savings in the pub. Enter David Parry – known fondly by John as The Madman.
John says, “Davy is a one-man party that never ends and has also been my best friend for the last 30 years. He played an enormous part in BLOC’s survival in the early days when the company was on its arse and on the brink of bankruptcy. He saved us from disappearing into the growing abyss of failed small independent pubs and a belief that things would come good eventually.”
It was the arrival of Craig Carrick in 2005 that ruffled a few feathers. some of the old school types were unimpressed by the amusing new signs that he put up and they let us know. John explains, “Craig put up signs such as “It’s not only canoes that tip”, “Nae winching’ at the bar (unless it’s a very close relative so we can phone the polis)” which brought out a few funny glances.
“By around 2004/05, the pub had acquired its own identity and, ultimately, that became more meaningful than any vision I ever had to start with.”
Bloc+ rejected the “pay to play” model for bands, instead it chose to pay bands and throw its weight behind the free-entry concept, resulting in a breeding-ground for undiscovered talent. Their ethical approach was by simply paying, feeding and watering all musicians who performed.
John says, “I constantly would hear people saying so and so came to Bloc+ and discovered a new band. That’s what we wanted.” The USP of Bloc+ is that it is the embodiment of its audience. It has always been inclusive, its neon sign on the wall says ‘Not For Everyone’.
John says, “We wanted a safe refuge. A home from home for people who wanted to feel appreciated and at ease. This was reflected in our clientele. We had a spread of ages, genders, dress and accents. It became clear that BLOC+ could appeal to anybody from any walk of life. What also became clear was that not everybody liked that fact. Snobs, yobs, racists, bigots and general wankers never really seemed comfortable and that was cool with us. In fact it was a problem that sorted itself out.
“As I see it now, the second era of BLOC+ – Phase II – ran from about 2005-2011. This marked a huge watershed in our musical history and, in essence, is when BLOC+ really found itself. We burst into the world of live music in typically noisy fashion, with young local acts all the way up to international touring bands making regular appearances. The old guard shipped out and a new breed of tattoos, beards and chequered shirts took the place over. That sea change was largely instigated by Craig. He was a raw young talent and rough around the edges, just like BLOC+. A true maverick whose thinking outside the box brought us inspired new ventures such as “The Wee Jaunt” (a bus-load of gig-goers ferried around pop-up concerts in bizarre locations) and “Blochestra”, which was, for a time, the beating heart of BLOC+ and really captured the community-minded spirit of our brand. It was all very unpolished, 100% DIY and pure fucking magic!”
In 2011, Craig emigrated to Australia and Bloc+ started to garner attention winning industry awards for its status as a music venue.
Chris Cusack took over from Craig and, John admits, took BLOC+ to a new level of professionalism on the live music front and put us on the touring map, both in the UK and internationally, with his bookings.
However, Chris was not a person with a love of computers. As social media was starting to take hold, Bloc+ needed some digital
input, which was supplied by Halina Rifai who joined in 2015. John says, “That was the beginning of Phase III. A workaholic, hit-woman, consummate professional and social media/PR wrecking-ball, she’s hard as nails and is the one person who really taught us the dark arts of how to use the now-essential tools of social media and more to succeed in the modern marketplace.” Halina changed the Bloc+ brand, developed its reputation for food. Before she moved on to pastures new earlier in 2020, Halina did ultimately bring some order to the chaos.
“We were able to start a very successful trade in home deliveries in 2019 thanks to her considerable efforts,” John says. “Something which has proven invaluable since lockdown struck in 2020. Halina rose to become the queen of all things social media at BLOC+, as well as PR, photos, the label, videos, receipts, communications … plus another 20 or so roles.”
From talking to John, the feeling you get is that Bloc+ is not so much a place of work, but a place where people are drawn to and just happen to get paid to work.
John says, “Our staff are like family. They embody what Bloc+ is. They socialise there, they see each other outside work, who knows what they all get up to? But they have a pride in what they do. Our bar manager, James Aitkinson, is just amazing. He is the ultimate front-of-house maestro. Customers and staff love him. He just knows how to work the tables.”
Covid has had an effect on Bloc+, but John has been determined to remain open for takeaway.
He says, “We’ve established a takeaway service anyway, so it made sense to continue to do it. But I wanted to do it as much for the staff as for business reasons. Our staff live and breathe Bloc+ so despite being furloughed, it’s a way of life. They miss the socialising, their friends, the banter.”
He’s pessimistic on live music being put on in 2021. He says, “I see adverts for gigs in June and July and I think, what do you know that I don’t? I don’t see us putting any music on until 2022.” Bloc+ remains a stalwart of Glasgow city centre and John, who turns 50 this year, believes it will sail through this storm comfortably. He says, “I’m already planning what we’re doing with the label and festivals. I’m doing some promoting and Bloc+ is going from strength to strength. I’m not ready to retire yet, so my plans for the future? Just to stay alive!”.
BOOC+, the book created to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Bloc+ is on-sale now for £20 and can be bought from www. bloc.ru/booc
January 2021 will see Glasgow bar BLOC+ celebrate its 20th anniversary and to mark the occasion founder and boss John Burns has published BOOC+ . He introduces the book as only he can – itself a very entertaining read – and then catalogues the last 20 years through pictures, posters and recipes which capture the bar’s voluminous, vibrant, hedonistic, moreish, irreverent history. The book also contains umpteen testimonials from past employees, the current team and bands from Frightened Rabbit to Rolo Tomassi and Clutch.
The bar was the brainchild of John who is credited with being one of Scotland’s 90s rave scene pioneers, BLOC+ grew from a simple kitsch boozer into a multi-award-winning restaurant and music venue because it was innovative, offered great food, ambitious programming and with a relaxed – some might say raw – sense of humour. Customers could wear winklepickers or workboots and could request Radiohead or Rod Stewart. Many did both.
It became the king of viral food memes, like a fried burger in a Day-Glo blue MD2020 sauce and Buckfast ice-cream, as well as their resident chef (aka The Mad Chef) going viral on Vice. Also keen to be at the forefront of environmental issues, BLOC+ offer an array of vegan cuisine too – well ahead of the current trend.
Now amidst the Covid19 pandemic and the crisis facing the hospitality industry across the globe, the bar continues to survive, promoting charity causes, advocating for young musicians and taking pride as part of a vibrant local community.
PURCHASE THE BOOK ITSELF (£20) OR A SPECIAL EDITION WHICH INCLUDES THE BOOK PLUS AN EXCLUSIVE POSTER AND A BONUS CD OR VINYL FROM OUR MUSIC LABEL (£25). PLEASE NOTE THE SPECIAL EDITION IS COLLECTION ONLY. ALTERNATIVELY EMAIL HELLO@BLOC.RU FOR A BESPOKE DELIVERY QUOTE.
The background music ban, implemented by the Scottish Government on 14th August is having a “devastating effect” on Scotland’s pubs according to the Scottish Beer and Pub Association and this is backed up by a poll carried out by DRAM which reveals there nearly 50% of hospitality businesses as seen a drop of between 30 and 40%.
The poll carried out by the DRAM asked pub, bar and restaurant owners to rate what impact the music ban had on their business: 47% reported a drop of between 30% and 40% while 19% said customers had dropped by 19%. Only 13% said it had no impact.
The ban came in because the Scottish Government said that there was an increased risk of COVID transmission if people raised their voices. The Scottish Beer & Pub Association is urging it to reverse the ban to help boost their businesses as they try to recover post-lockdown.
Dennis Forsyth, licensee of Cheers in Fraserburgh, said that his business was hit on the very first weekend after the ban. He said, “Things were doing well despite operating at a 120 capacity, down from 460. That was until the ban on all background music came in. This has completely screwed us up because our weekend trade has plummeted by 40%. It would have been a better idea to introduce some kind of minimal decibel level rather than ban it outright, and I know that I’m not the only business in the area to have suffered because of it.”
While John Burns, owner of Glasgow’s Bloc+ believes the restrictions are doing more harm than good. He said, “I think that the restrictions on background noise are having the opposite effect to what they are intended for. I think that low-level music acts as a buffer to help groups hear what is being said in their own conversation bubble because the music stops conversations from other ‘bubbles’ wafting over. Whereas now customers have to compete with other and so people are talking even louder.”
Inverness-based Cru Holdings co-director Scott Murray (Angels Share, Bar One, Scotch and Rye, The Keg, Dows Bar, The Classroom, Prime) finds the ban “baffling.” He said, “It impacts on the customer experience by sucking out the atmosphere. Pubs need something to break the silence. We haven’t seen this impact out business though yet because demand in the Highlands trumps a lack of atmosphere. “
Ian McColm owner of Tiki Bar and bar/bowling concept Bowlarama in Glasgow said, “At least people can listen to bowling pins flying through the air on account of that fairly ludicrous no background music policy.”
Louise MacLean from Signature Pubs based in Edinburgh believes the Government should work with licensees to resolve the issue. She says, ” Customers don’t want to go to venues that are silent and awkward so inevitably our takings are down.
“We understand the concern about noise but we would happily work with Scottish Government officials and set decibel levels to create a welcoming atmosphere within acceptable limits. Otherwise the future for bars in Scotland looks bleak as autumn approaches and inside spaces become more important.”
SBPA CEO Emma McClarkin comments, “There is an easy middle ground to be had here, where responsible pubs can be allowed to create an atmosphere and ambience that makes them what they are, whilst controlling noise to a level which doesn’t require customers to shout.
“Music adds to the ambience and atmosphere of the pub. Without music our venues are losing more of their soul.”
John Burns (pictured), owner of Bloc+ on Bath Street in Glasgow, has opened a Bloc+ pop-up on the site of the former Nonya on the city’s Claremont Street.
Burns, who was an investor in Nonya, has made a few changes to both the interior as well as the offering.
He told DRAM, “We’re going to open for the summer and then see how it goes from there. We have made a few changes to the interior but nothing drastic, like a few neon lights for example.”
“The offering is mainly food driven with the same cheap deals as Bloc+ and we have a 1 am licence, serving pizzas, and we are looking at opening from 9am at weekends to serve brunches.”