The Cocktail Challenge

For the last couple of years a lot has been written in these pages and a lot has been said in training courses across the country about the potential there is for cocktails in pubs, both in terms of attracting new customers and increasing profit margins. But the sense is that little has really been achieved and no progress made. Indeed, some still argue that there is no place for cocktails in a pub's offer.

So we decided it was time to find out once and for all if it really could be done.Get involved

As a result we are looking for four pubs from across the country, from community locals, top-end food pubs in the country, to high street boozers, to take part in this challenge. Each pub will have consultations from representatives from Volare and The Bar Academy, who will assess the pubs and then offer their expertise. We are looking both for pubs which are either having trouble with their current offer or looking to introduce cocktails for the first time.

Each pub will then feature in The Publican over the summer, as we analyse the progress of the project, see how well the new cocktail offers are doing and look at whether they really are having a beneficial effect. This is NOT an exercise where the consultants will look to rebuild your back-bar. It is an opportunity to see what cocktails you can create using the spirits you already have - perhaps with the simple addition of one or two extra fruit juices or classic liqueur brands. The team will also look at how pubs can market a cocktail range without losing the integrity of the traditional pub. So in other words by looking at chalkboards - both inside and outside - and even the poster frames in the lavatories.

Jeremy Hill, managing director of Hi-Spirits, owner of Volare cocktail liqueurs, wants to take this opportunity to see whether a cocktail offer can really work in pubs. "This is a great opportunity to really see if cocktails make a difference. Competition among pubs post-July 1 is going to be fierce. The battleground will be quality of offering so things are only going to become more sophisticated. There's going to be no room for dumbing down," he says. "Our mission is to show how serving quality cocktails can be financially beneficial without being operationally challenging. It's not rocket science, it just needs some planning and operational savvy.

"With Volare Cocktail liqueurs we have created a modular approach to building a cocktail list. This means that by adding just two or three products to your back bar you can produce up to 14 different cocktails."If you wish to take part in The Publican/Volare Cocktail Challenge please email Caro Bignall on caro@hi-spirits.com