In 2021, London Cocktail Week was acquired by Pernod Ricard as part of its purchase of The Whisky Exchange, this year marks the first festival in more than a decade without the involvement of Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh, and co-founders Siobhan Payne and Hannah Sharman-Cox were faced with the question of how to shape the future of LCW.
“We’ve been given an opportunity to shape what’s next,” co-founder Sharman-Cox explained at a London press briefing this week that the pair’s ambitions for the festival remained local rather than global franchising.
“London is our home and to do something well you have to be there and live it. We wanted to make London Cocktail Week a community project and make it a not-for-profit business.”
Payne added: “LCW has always given back to the city but now all the money is going back to the bars, it feels more invested in our community.”
Festival wristbands, which entitle consumers to £8 cocktails from participating bars, will again be provided free of charge to bars to sell to their guests.
“Bars can now sell wristbands across their venues and keep 100% of the revenue,” said Payne.
“If all 200 bars sell the 100 wristbands they’re given, and there’s no limit if they want more, that will put £400,000 directly into bars.”
The festival will also look to double-down on the educational elements, like The Connoisseur’s Collection and Bartender Knowledge Exchange, that were trailed in 2023.
Alongside the new initiatives, the organisation has also partnered with Equal Measures to improve its equality, diversity and inclusion.
“Hospitality is one of, if not, the most diverse sectors in the UK but there is a glass ceiling at middle management above which the demographic becomes much narrower – that’s what we’re seeking to change,” explained executive director of Equal Measures UK, Vicky Ilankovan.
“We’re working closely to make sure that the way we change and grow LCW is done in a way that works and is wanted. We’re trying to remove the systemic barriers to career progression for the next generation of the industry.”
London Cocktail Week 2024 will return to the capital from 3-13 October.
