From Scandi-style speakeasies to decadent dive bars, the UK’s bar scene is currently enjoying a renaissance. “The UK is always ahead when it comes to pushing the bar scene forward,” says Adam Taylor, who leads the team at Project Halcyon Distillery in Manchester, a subterranean, hard-to-find bolthole that has the feel of an illicit warehouse bar, and boasts its own onsite lab and distillery.
“Since Covid, there’s been a massive cultural shift in the bar world,” says Taylor. “A huge gap has opened up between the cost conscious two-for-one cocktail bar and the expensive cocktail bar, where people come for experiences. There really isn’t much in between.”
Fuelled by the rise of TikTok tenders who coached the nation through the at-home making of lockdown aperitifs, the industry has roared back with newfound cache as people flock to enjoy decadent drinks such as cocktails made with a splash of Fernet-Branca from stylish servers.
“The pantomime that goes into hospitality is valuable,” says Taylor. “Yes, you can probably make an espresso martini at home, but a bar provides so much more than just the drink: the space, the hospitality, new people, new tastes. And the bartender looks a lot cooler than you while making it.”
The non-uniform uniform
Many of the hottest venues have adopted a “bar couture” uniform – crisp white shirt (ideally bicep grazing) beneath a canvas or leather apron, unifying an otherwise diverse and “alternative” cast of bartenders.
“Out of uniform, our team looks like the Lost Boys,” laughs Taylor, who says tattoos, piercings, bandanas and high concept hair are de rigueur. “And we always joke that you don’t have to ask if someone works in a cocktail bar, they’ll tell you – a bit like an ultramarathon runner would.”
Just as the style set has bought into “chefcore” and its non-uniform uniform of chef pants and clogs, “barcore” is tapping into fashion’s enduring love of streetwear, work boots and functional clothing. Inclusive, understated and, yes, perhaps, beautifully boring, “barcore” is for people who want to look good but need to be comfortable.
The bartender’s handshake
And there are other tells: the bar blade in the back pocket, a preference to sit up at the bar, a penchant for booze-brand T-shirts and always ordering a shot of Fernet-Branca, otherwise known as “the bartender’s handshake”. Not for the faint hearted, Fernet-Branca is herbaceous and bitter – but its complexity makes for a rewarding drinking experience.
“It’s the bartender’s drink,” says Taylor. “We keep a jeroboam of it on the back bar and if a bartender comes in, it’s the first thing we’ll serve.”
Dressed like butchers that mean business, and laser focused on keeping a clutter-free, clean countertop from which they can mix and muddle their creations, there’s a pared back professionalism to 2024’s bartenders that is seeping beyond the bar. Its echoes can be felt in other industries – butchery, bakery, floristry – that are being reappraised and valued for their craft and creativity.
Davide Leanza, assistant bar manager at London’s Los Mochis, has worked in the bar industry for several years. He describes the unique feeling that comes from working behind a slick, well-run drinks operation: “It’s great to see and feel everyone excelling at their job and having the situation under control. Guests are well taken care of, nobody is left empty handed, and the movements behind the bar are so synchronised that it resembles a theatre performance or a dance.”
“Not everyone sees bartending as an aspirational profession, but it’s a very noble profession because it’s about prioritising other people,” says Taylor. “There’s a camaraderie that people envy. For example, during service, we’ll stop for ‘family dinner’ – the ritual of everyone huddling around, grabbing their shot, clinking their glasses on the table …”
Seizing the opportunity to unite and toast the present moment is a habit we could all transplant to our own lives, and no matter how busy you are (after all, there’s no busier job than mixing drinks for a thirsty crowd on a Saturday night), it’s always worth taking a break to reconnect as a group, or as a family. Likewise, the ritual of the pre-shift briefing and post-service debrief is something that Leanza says keeps the Los Mochis team “exceptionally united”.
“We’re like a dysfunctional family. We can fall out but we have a culture of always putting that aside when it comes to working,” says Taylor. “And when you’ve got a team of seven people who spend their lives prioritising others, it’s easy for them all to speak to each other with kindness, generosity and respect. We are there for one another.”
Barcore at home
“Barcore” has infiltrated our interior choices in recent years, too, with living rooms taking a deep dive into darker shades such as wine, mauve, dark blue and olive green.
Stepping into award-winning Edinburgh aperitivo bar Hey Palu is like entering a modern Italian living room, complete with 1940s family photographs belonging to its owners Alex and Rachel Palumbo.
“We’ve gone for a modern Scandi look,” says Alex. “In a classic cocktail bar, you’d have leather sofas, posters from classic brands like Fernet-Branca, Campari and Martini – we’ve gone for a modern twist, and added a Fernet-Branca mural instead. The music is never too loud – either modern hip-hop or 1970s rock. Every light has a dimmer. We wanted to create a little piece of modern Italy, somewhere we’d like to enjoy drinking ourselves.”
Hey Palu’s look is easy to transport. With moody coloured, wooden wall-panelling you can bring warmth, texture and sophistication to any space – add some low-strung, industrial pendant lights to get your barcore transformation on its way. To really activate the space, create your own home bar area – a simple bookshelf alcove can do the job, just fill it with unusual bottles, the tools of the trade, and some beautiful glassware.
“Nude glass, specifically the pony, has been dominant for a while now,” says Taylor. To create the full sensory experience, he adds: “We pay special attention to lighting, temperature and smell, using incense at the door.”
With those touches in place, all you need to do is don an apron and get practising for the ultimate bartender’s test. “To get a job in a French kitchen, you have to be able to make an omelette,” says Taylor. “To pass as a bartender, you need to crack the daiquiri.” And enjoy a Fernet-Branca once in a while. Over to you.
Try Fernet-Branca, available at Waitrose