A Love Letter to Bar Culture
We’ve spent the best part of the last two decades in bars. As the founders of London Cocktail Week and now The Pinnacle Guide, it’s our profession, no in fact it’s our duty, to be amongst the first through the door of the newest opening, be ahead of the latest cocktail trends, and to be connected with the movers and shakers (quite literally) of the hospitality industry. We were once referred to by a dear friend of ours as “booze-fuelled fairy godmothers”. We really really laughed at the time but actually, if we think about it carefully, despite spending much of our time in one bar or another (or certainly talking or writing about one bar or another) we’re actually not particularly booze-fuelled. Sure, we do love a crisp, wet vodka martini. Absolutely, we like a cold glass of aggressively sparkling brut Champagne. And of course we find joy in trying someone’s incredible liquid creation that has been slaved over for hours and hours, blending, fat-washing, and infusing. But is that really why we love bars so much?! Actually, no. Certainly not nowadays anyway (and we can’t remember much of the early noughties, so it doesn’t even count). Bars are about SO. MUCH. MORE. It’s the buzzy ambiance that simply can’t be recreated at home. It’s the soft lighting and beautiful sweeping bar counter, the great music that doesn’t show up on your own Spotify playlists. The banter with the bartender, the “can we take your coat” hospitality, or the equally friendly “yep, we’ve seen you, you’re so welcome here” nod you receive in a different (but still wonderful) sort of place. The gorgeous furniture, the design that you love but could never (or wouldn’t want to) recreate. The potential to make new friends or bump into old ones. It’s knowing your preferred bar seat you return to again and again or stepping into a brand new venue for the very first time not knowing what to expect.As founders and custodians of The Pinnacle Guide – a 1, 2 & 3 PIN recognition system for the world’s best bars – we are privileged to get an unrivalled look behind the scenes as part of each bar’s application process. We get to see all the care and love that goes into creating a venue long before one of our anonymous reviewers even steps a foot through the door to assess customer experience. And trust us when we say, the attention to detail that goes into creating a truly world class bar is insanely impressive. So yes, bars are definitely more than simply what’s in the glass. They’re the ultimate third space in our opinion, and a true sum of all of their parts. It’s why we often get sad when bars are left out of the “culture” conversation. When people talk about London’s rich “culture”, they are predominantly talking about art galleries, theatres, and music venues. Cocktail bars don’t get much of a look-in.But bars certainly should be part of that cultural conversation. The artistry that goes into cocktail creation is, well, just that: art. Look at the art of hospitality, the art of creating a space for people to feel at home in, the art of balancing the sound within the room and the flavours in the glass. Cocktail and bar culture should be considered a key part of London’s cultural tapestry – London does after all have the highest concentration of award-winning bars globally. Luckily, the tide is changing. Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Culture and the Creative Industries recently said: “Our night culture shapes our story as a city. All over the world people are drawn to London’s dynamism and energy. The grit and the glitter. Our iconic clubs have sparked new sub cultures. Our signature cocktails have led the zeitgeist.“From Soho to Hackney Wick, and Peckham to Camden, cocktail culture helps to shape the soundtrack of our city. But for me cocktails don’t get the recognition they deserve. They bring together artistry, craft and imagination. They have the power to define – or indeed redefine a moment, and let’s face it – the alchemy of a great night out often starts with a cocktail!”Despite this positivity, it’s a funny time for hospitality at the moment. We’ve never had more visibility and publicity for the industry and yet, every headline screams nothing but negativity. Bars and pubs are closing at an alarming rate and young people are shunning nasty ol’ booze in the age of wellness, mindfulness and longevity. Maybe the stats about declining drinking habits are completely true (though we’re yet to be convinced) and no doubt the changing attitudes towards drinking in our country is probably overall, a very good thing for the national health. But these stats really shouldn’t have to mean ”last orders” for our bars. Instead it’s time to reframe “going out” to appreciate a bar experience as a whole. For the entire experience. Not just the drink. And it’s never been a better time to not be drinking alcohol, as the non alcoholic options are incredible and getting better literally every week. In fact, one could argue that by opting out of the hard stuff, you’re better placed to enjoy the cool smoothness of the marble bar counter, appreciate the artwork that has been lovingly curated, or soak up the soundtrack perfectly orchestrated for the time of your visit.Because it would be a real heartbreaking shame if they were gone. In an age of social media, when so many people do so much of their socialising through their phones, it has never been a more crucial time to ferociously protect those special places where we can connect IRL. So it’s abundantly clear, we love bars. They’ll always play an intrinsic role in our lives and we truly believe they’re a crucial part of the rich tapestry of London.
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