Alchemy Inns have renovated Grangemouth’s Oxgang Bar, Kitchen and Rooms. The company stripped the bar back and have totally rebuilt it and created a contemporary new bar, private dining room and redecorated the nine bedrooms. They have also created a spacious outdoor area which will come into its own when the weather is good. Owner Tommy McMillan told DRAM, “We are really pleased with the way the venue has turned out.”
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.
Every year our Editor Susan Young takes a look at the exploits of people and the companies in the trade to award DRAM’s very own New Year Gongs. Read on to discover our recipients for 2016 – a truly eventful year for the Scottish on-trade.
PR COUP GONG
Oli Norman, one of the guys behind pubs such as Sloan’s, Brel and the newly acquired Griffin, and the man behind Itison, was last year’s Last Man Standing at the Hospitality Industry Trust annual dinner which meant that he had to do a challenge – he opted for a cycle ride that lasted a few hundred miles… and he did it just before he re-opened the Griffin. During his cycle ride, which he did with his brother Ben, he bumped into Nicola Sturgeon… only Oli could manage that PR Coup, and I don’t mean that he ran her over!
DRAMA GONG
This year this goes to David Wither – having arrived at the DRAM Awards with Kevin Doyle he discovered he had left his phone in the taxi… a quick phone call to the driver and it was luckily retrieved. Then during the course of the evening he left it down… once again it was retrieved. But lastly on the way home, having shared a car with Graeme Arnott, he managed to swap evening jackets with him… and didn’t realise until the car had moved away from his house leaving him phoneless and keyless. So he had to clamber over a gate and wake his wife up!
AWESOME GONG OF THE YEAR
James and Louise Rusk (above) are ‘awesome’. A great couple who have opened their third venue the Spanish Butcher and have renamed their company, Rusk & Rusk. Their enthusiasm and energy is a real tonic. There is nothing laid-back about this dynamic duo and I look forward to seeing their business develop even further. As James would say “Awesome!”
PERSEVERED GONG
This goes to Billy Lowe, or perhaps it should go to his pals… since Hibs won the Scottish Cup, Billy has taken every opportunity to press the matter home. He even had baubles on his Xmas tree celebrating the fact, and has just about bought out all the replica trophies, not to mention dog bowls! I’m surprised he didn’t spend the remainder of last year on the “Persevered Scottish Cup Trophy Tour”… or maybe he was behind it! I’ve never seen a man so happy. But he is also celebrating the fact that after a tiny wee hiatus he is now back in the trade having bought The Links and Malones last year.
POACHER TURNED GAMEKEEPER GONG
It came as a surprise to a few folk that I know when it was announced that Kenny MacAskill, former Justice Minister, has now taken up a post on the Scottish Licensed Trade Association’s External Committee… this is the man who was instrumental in driving through (excuse the pun) the drink driving legislation, which has probably done more harm to the trade than any other legislation brought in during the last 20 years. Now that he is no longer banging a political drum he’s now reverted to supporting the opposition – the trade itself. I’m sure his advice to licensees in rural pubs, who have suffered the most, will be interesting.
TREND OF THE YEAR GONG – APPS
Last year I wasn’t far off with my chicken prediction and since then various chicken venues including the fab one from Michael Bergson Buck’s Bar, have opened. But this year I am thinking it is Apps… to make your life easier that is the latest trend. Kiltr has launched an app which allows you to offer your customers free wi-fi, the payback is that you can sell advertising spaces to brands, which customers have to flick through before they get into the free wi-fi – a win-win. And you control the content you put on the app. Meanwhile, Ross Gourlay at Glencrest has developed one called TipMyServer which, in summary, is an app that allows a dinner or customer to give a tip direct to their server or servers or any other registered staff member in any environment such as restaurants, pubs, clubs, hotels etc via the app.
RECORD BREAKING GONG
This goes to Niall Hansard of TLT – the licensing lawyer did what no other licensing lawyer in Scotland has ever done – 6 days – 6 licensing boards, and a two-day appeal to boot. Talk about dedication!
PIC OF THE YEAR GONG
When the team from Gallery 48 came to the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards – owner MacKay brought along his father who was also in the licensed trade. And he brought him up to stage when they won the Caledonian Brewery Award for Innovation. He was as proud as punch and even managed a pose with our dancers… lovely.
BON VOYAGE GONG
Simon Magnus departed for Australia with his hubby Tama to start a new life. Simon who is very well known in the trade was latterly at The Blythswood, but prior to that, he was at Gleneagles, The Hilton and Oran Mor. Our loss is Brisbane’s gain. Good luck to him and hubby. And hope to catch up with him at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games next year.
DOPPELGANGER GONG
This definitely goes to Euan Bain and Tommy McMillan – the two of them turned wearing almost identical outfits on a night out last year… from the colour of their shoes to their tweed waistcoats. The rest of us felt under-dressed, we obviously missed the memo!
ROCK REAR OF THE YEAR
As anyone who knows Donald Macleod of Holdfast will tell you … he is mad about music. And late last year he was part of the consortium that won the Rock Radio franchise. So no doubt we will hear a lot more about him this year, but I thought this funniest story Donald told this year was about his charity cycle ride around the islands in his lycra… the most embarrassing part of the whole trip was from where he got off the train with his bike and had to cycle to his office! To the amusement of everyone that saw him.
MR ‘GOING FOR IT’ GONG
There must have been about three months last year when Steve Graham of Manorview was mentioned to me just about every day! I thought he was employing a personal PR guru. But joking aside, he and his team, are certainly going for it and not just in a business sense Manorview opened Boclair House last year, and it has beefed up its management team, but boss Steve also likes a sporting challenge whether cycling to Paris in 24 hours from London (non-stop) or competing in Triathlons… I shudder to think what his challenge for this year will be!
SUSAN’S A DAFTY GONG
This year I think this must go to me… not only did I stand up Harry Hood for lunch (although I was ill), but I managed to go to Torphichen instead of Mid Calder to see Iain Pert (although to be fair his former pub was the Torphichen Inn, it just wasn’t in Torphichen, and last but not least I amused the folk at Meldrum House greatly when I mistook their memory card for a fridge magnet! There are a hundred and other things… as my team will tell you, but we don’t fortunately, have space!
Tommy McMillan’s Alchemy Inns Group has bought 18th century Dumbuck House Hotel in Dumbarton, from entrepreneur Ian Donaldson. The hotel, has been extended and upgraded over the years and currently the original building houses 12 guest bedrooms, with a more modern annex offering an additional 10 contemporary styled bedrooms, as well as two function halls which can cater for dinner up to 120 people. The hotel also has a contemporary restaurant and lounge bar.
Tommy McMillan told DRAM, “With the recent arrivals of Craig Miller and Michael McShane to Alchemy Inns, I have increased the opportunity to focus on growing our retail footprint.
“I have known Ian Donaldson for over 10 years and admired the way he conducts himself in business. I am delighted to strengthen my relationship with such a highly regarded operator in a quality hotel.”
“At Alchemy, we have ambitious plans and I trust there will be a few more exciting acquisitions to follow in 2014.”
Ian told DRAM, “It has been a pleasure doing business with Tommy. The hotel was doing well, but circumstances meant I had to sell. Meanwhile Ian has just opened Hyde in Glasgow’s Partick. The venture, which is jointly owned by Ian and the Fox family, is featured on our design pages.
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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.
