If you want a bit of cheering up, the newest venue from The Signature Pub Group could be just the thing. Diablo Loco is a bright and cheerful Mexican bar situated where Clerks Bar used to be in Edinburgh’s Clerk Street, but it bears no resemblance whatsoever, despite it only being a nine-day fit-out.
From the outside, the bright colours give this bar standout as do myraid orange lights. Says Louise MacLean of Signature, “We looked at the demographic in this area which is students, but not freshers, and young professionals who have bought their flats, but who have not moved out of town yet. We wanted to appeal to customers who know what they want. But we felt this area actually lacked a fun bar where people could come to have a party. So we went down to London and Leeds and did some research four of us went, and we all contributed what we liked and what we didn’t like.”
She continues, “The idea was to create an authentic Mexican cantina.”
Well I would say that they have definitely succeeded. From the sparkly sombreros to the brightly coloured pinatas hanging from the ceiling, amongst papier-mache hanging giant chilli… it’s certainly not dull.
Says Louise, “The space was good, but it needed livened up. We didn’t want it to be safe. For instance, when the designers first came up with their design, it was a bit too clean. We wanted it to be dirtier and a bit grungier, but pretty at the same time. We wanted to create what I call “dwell time”. We wanted people to feel comfortable here, so we made the banquette seating comfortable with nice cushioned seating with Mexican style fabrics, and even the bar stools look comfortable. We wanted to encourage people to sit at the bar.”
The result is a mix of tweed and brightly coloured fabric. The bar has been designed with 70% drinks, 30% food mix and the cocktails on offer are a bit different. Explains Louise, “Barry, is our resident cocktail guru – he has worked all over the world and he has created some specifically for the bar substituting tequila for some traditional spirits.”
The bar itself has got fake flowers adorning it, crazy neon signs and plenty of colour. The piece de resistance is the bespoke fount . It is made of metal and features ‘Day of the Dead’ inspired tap handles – ie cleavers and such like. It sits behind some authentic Spanish/Mexican style tiles, and the bar front is white washed wood.
The walls generally have been painted with a distressed effect, which is light in colour however there are also some amazing murals – one of which is situated just as you come in on the left. The basement features a scary pair of eyes – within a mural that stretches across the whole wall. Here it feels like more of a late night tequila den, with an Inferno as in Dante… theme.
Louise concludes, “We wanted to create a place where our customers, and our staff, enjoyed hanging out and we do want to make our customers feel special. So we have created a lot of fun things. For instance we have a ‘gun’ shot which is served in a bullet and we also do shotgun roulette! We also have a cash cannon – money pops out and if you get a red dot, you get a prize. Every night we have different things on.”
One thing is for sure, it would be good to go back at night and see it in full swing.
Kyloe Cow has just been killed off by Edinburgh City Council. The four legged fibre glass piece cow sculpture, which has graced Kyloe Restaurant for the past two years, say planners, has had a “detrimental effect on the character of the listed building and on the amenity of the area caused by its position.” And despite a “Save the Kyloe Cow” campaign including a petition signed by nearly 3,000 people, it must be removed. As a result the city centre steak restaurant will hold a service and wake for its beloved four legged fibre glass friend on Wednesday 18th February at 10.30am. Mourners are being encouraged to attend to say their final goodbyes.
Nic Wood, Owner of Signature Pub Group comments, “The cow sculpture started out as a desperate plea to customers to tell them where we were amidst the debilitating tram works and became a fantastic symbol for our restaurant and a beacon for the much beleaguered West End. I am aggrieved that we have been forced to remove the Kyloe cow and am disappointed that the City of Edinburgh Council are demonstrating such a spectacular sense of humour failure in enforcing this action. However, I am proud that my team can stand here today obeying that instruction yet displaying quite an extraordinary sense of humour and we stand shoulder to shoulder in saying farewell to our cow.”
A tree in a pub sounds like fantasy but it has kind of become a reality in the new-look Amicus Apple in Edinburgh. Part of the £500k re-design has taken the apple theme right back to its roots with a wooden representation of a tree, and it was conceived by owner Signature Pubs’ longtime collaborator, Tibbatts.Abel.
Time was, this Edinburgh basement bar was awash with futuristic white and a heavy use of beechwood in what was a bit of a spartan interior. In its place, there’s now lots of natural wood and rich colours, which all conspire to make the bar’s interior more brooding and earthy – and more in keeping with its subterranean setting.
GM Ross Ovenstone says, “There’s amazing attention to detail evident in this design. From the wooden ‘tree’, with its ‘branches’ reaching across the ceiling, to the collection of thousands of five pence pieces encased in a glass cabinet running underneath the length of the bar. There are a lot of talking points. Amicus Apple Aberdeen is next in line, and there may be some similarities with what we’ve done here for continuity’s sake, but there’ll also be some departures.”
The changes are evident from the moment you walk in to Amicus Apple, beginning with the teal painted circular metal tables outside, and the arresting curved glass screen that leads you into the main part of the bar, while sectioning off the seating area with the ‘tree’, at the same time.
At the entrance end there are a few tables looking onto a wall feature that looks like moss, in a vibrant green colour, behind a glass illuminated case. I quite like this as it brings a bit of the outside in.
The copper bar top sits on a glass base which houses the five pence pieces, which at the end of the year will go to a nominated charity, and there are elements of copper along the back bar, which also features exposed brick and a large central mirror with an apple etched into it, flanked by smoked glass – very Swarovski crystal like. The bar is illuminated by a row of smoky grey and brown bell-shaped lampshades that cast a muted glow.
Opposite the bar are two stylish specially commissioned paintings of tattooed people by an artist called Terry Bradley. One of the tattoos displays the name Wood, a nod to owner Garreth Wood, while the other one references Amicus Apple.
Underneath the paintings is a fairly high banquette matching the bar in length, and some, by curving into a little nook with a table, pendant light and mirror.
The furniture and décor throughout is a bright mixture of colours – red, dark green, teal and yellow, with chairs coming in various shapes and sizes. There are also with wooden ‘lunchboxes’ on every table, which house cutlery and complementary sweets.
Although it’s beyond the main area that you’ll find the brightest area by far – the dining room. It is an explosion of reds, blues, silvery greys and whites, all set off by wall-to-wall mirrors and twinkling lights.
A sleek grey velour upholstered banquette runs all the way around the right hand-side wall, with a painted red wooden trim that rises and falls like a city skyline. The dining room is also carpeted, so the overall result is plush and extravagant.
Red flock wallpaper, mirrored ceiling and a medieval banquet style of light hangs above your head, although you have to look up to notice it, in the small area that separates both the main bar and the area for diners.
The area at the front with the tree also merits more of a mention. Set on the back wall, the trunk looks like half a chocolate orange splayed out, with shafts of wood arching above you on the ceiling. Underneath it are two plush booths in rich plums, purples and burgundies, with smoky glass also making another appearance. This is perhaps my favourite area.
That’s not to say I didn’t like the rest of it. I did. Particularly the green moss and Terry Bradley’s paintings.
WFC were the main contractors, site manager, Frazer Reid told DRAM, “The biggest concern for a project like this will always be the time constraints we have to work to, but without patting ourselves on the back, this kind of turn around is the norm for us. This project was completed in 4 weeks and it will be the same time scale for the Aberdeen site which is due to refurbishment shortly. The tree is obviously the stand out feature, and the bar is just stunning. If you had to take time to count all the coins used in the bar front, you’d be taken aback – We literally cleared both the Bank of Scotland and the Royal Bank of Scotland out of 5p pieces!”
“We’re obviously happy with the overall finish of the project, and looking forward to working on the Aberdeen Amicus Apple too. We love working with the client, because they are exactly that… A client that you work ‘with’.”
WINNER:
Steven McLeod
Aurora Hotel Collection
The judges said of the winner, “This person is focussed and motivational. He has grit and determination and the difficulties of the past few years have only made him stronger. He has grown his business over the past twelve months with two new hotels opening and one due to open next Spring. His group now own seven hotels – one for every year that he has been in business and he is still on the acquisition trail. His aim is to have 20 hotels in 20 years! He has certainly got the drive to succeed.” Finalists:
Graham Blaikie, The Mercat Bar, Edinburgh
Lee Murray, Flood Inns, Leven
Nic Wood, Signature Pub Group, Edinburgh
Signature Pubs doesn’t plan on making any immediate major changes to its latest acquisition, The Basement on Edinburgh’s Broughton Street. The pub group bought it from Inspiration Inns’ James Ellis Johnston back in May and plan to operate it as it is, until the autumn. Signature’s Operations Manager Hazel Ward told DRAM, “We are planning a few minor design changes around September time, but in the meantime, we are focusing on getting the staff trained to the company standard and raising morale, starting with some product knowledge awareness training.
“I know that when I was bartending around 15 years ago, The Basement was the place where all the cool, creative types used to hang out. It has lived on as a bit of an institution, although it’s perhaps been lacking in a bit of love in recent years. We plan to get it back to that place, by giving it a bit of love.”
She continued, “We have been consulting with all the staff very closely, even down to them continuing to wear Hawaiian shirts, which they all voted unanimously on. We are keen to maintain its relaxed atmosphere, as it’s one that the regulars keep coming back for. As far as the clientele go, it is made up from a fantastically eclectic group of customers from a broad spectrum of ages, professions and interests, which is ideal.”
