It has been a tough year or two for the bar and club industry, although many new venues continue to open and numerous new premium drinks continue to be launched and developed. London has been particularly resilient in terms of investment, with a string of new clubs being unveiled including Luxx, Runway, McQueen and - the subject of our trade profile this month - Diu.
Another London venue Circus - also featured in this issue - has been thriving on the back of its unique combination of bar, restaurant and entertainment, while our AV report highlights how operators are still investing in top-notch sound systems.
At the same time, premium drinks have proven to have a similar resilience, including bottled beers which, as we report this month, continue to be in growth despite beer volumes declining overall. With the advent of next month’s legislation on customers’ right to free tap water, we examine whether “premium” bottled water has a future.
But looking across the whole of the UK, the industry still faces challenges: beer duty is set to go up again and there is the constant threat of more red tape and legislation. In this issue, we look at how bar owners can boost their chances of survival, finding out from industry experts that there are still opportunities to raise finance and develop a business.
