London Cocktail Week has announced that the 2021 festival will once again be supporting and championing the London on-trade by extending to the full month of October. In 2020, the month-long spotlight on London’s bar scene alongside the increased footfall at a time when it was needed the most was a lifeline for the venues involved.
Consumers also applauded the extended 2020 festival, with 96% of those surveyed after the event requesting it remain as a month. They cited the additional dates gave them more opportunities to visit bars they’d not been to before, try spirits and cocktails they’d not tried before as well as support the London on-trade.
For the second year, Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne, the Co-Owners and Organisers of London Cocktail Week have confirmed that The Cocktail Village won’t be taking place, in order to reinforce their commitment that supporting London’s bars will be the heart of the festival activities. Instead, The Cocktail Tours, alongside a full program of in-venue events, will celebrate the best bars in the capital, driving much needed footfall and revenue.
Speaking of the plans, the pair said, “We all hoped that by this time in 2021, the industry would be in a much more positive position, however, the situation for our bars has only become more and more serious. So, once again, we want to step up to the responsibility of what London Cocktail Week can do for our city – it is our duty to use our platform to help rebuild our incredible trade.”
The timings of the proposed governmental roadmap for easing restrictions, as well as the progression of the vaccine rollout, means that London Cocktail Week is well-placed in the calendar to boost consumer confidence to get back into the on-trade. This is especially important for those venues without outdoor seating who will be hoping for a strong final quarter. Once again, the festival will put the safety of guests first and in 2020, 98% of attendees said that London Cocktail Week felt like a Covid-safe way to explore the city.
More than anything however – the extended London Cocktail Week will be a fantastic opportunity for the trade to reconnect – giving a reason to come together and celebrate the end of such a difficult time.
London Cocktail Week 2021 will run from October 1 through October 31. Check out the official website for more details.