FOOD & DRINK
l Going down under
OK, so we've done Irish bars. Scottish & Newcastle reckon that the next big thing is going to be the Australian theme bar. Words Rory Weller G'day rrzatu, stz. 1.. another shrimp on the barbte ant; crack c-pen another stubbic. The Australians are coming 5 and The furw tree for some great cultural <l'7‘lf~(‘l‘,'l‘,lf"i(;$ new that we’re Sick of 'rlsh than» bars. Edinburgh has already {1:1 all 02' Bar and the Boomerang fast food outlet, home of the Busliwacker special, but Bar 01 l‘x/hich has nothing to do With 02 Bar ctr Boomerang), is apparenfl: the zati dinkum real thing
GlaSgcm's ‘.‘\."e.~;l End is the hrs: place in Scotland tr; feel the for-Ce
Skippy ain't on the
menu
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of Scottish & Newcastle’s marketing viSion of 30 Bar Ozzes up and down the country before the year 2000 at an average spend of £160,000 a throw. The money is to be spent on sand- blasted floor and bar furniture, sports paraphernalia like surf boards, big game fish and the supposedly authentic corrugated-iron roof. The Glasgow site was Mexican bar and restaurant Chimmy Chungas, a perennial student favourite, but with Sol sales down, it's in with the Fosters and out with the 805 lime sticking out the top of your drink. The company had tried from the Australian experience in London
and Newcastle and found
" takings rose by 40%. The 4%: . 'No worries mate’ ‘ i;,' slogan that they i,.-. . , r: .1 2- use in the bars f 45“” " rapidly came to
mean instant profits mate and led to clones throughout the land. To help you get into the Australian mood, Bar Oz will be haying beach parties and showmg sports from down under on big screen TVs. ’lf you think about the images you have of Australia, it's how
K everything is larger than life and ' laid back,’ says area manager Andy Gorman, ’lt’s bronzed surfers, cold beer and the general easy-gomg nature.’
The food »— sc ry that should be the 'tucker' — Will be hearty helpings,
swordfish steaks, billy cans
full of spiral Chips (an 01 speCIality apparently) and lots of barbecued dishes Snacks are below £2 and meals are around the £3 mark. You can eat wherever you like, there’s no separate restaurant area. 'When you go out to eat and drink in Australia as a very informal place,’ explarns Gorman 'The food isn’t Cordon Bleu With small p;)rl'()ii8, French style. It's big food, big portions
Australia is all larger than life,
brash and exciting ’ .. Beer being so important to the Australian way of life
Ul:
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12 ASHTON LANE
let/I .Cl
25 years of traditional Scottish cooking
.
Tel 0141-334 5007
102 THE [IST 1?. Sep—ZS Sep 1997
Bar Ozzes, like this one in London, are set to spread
they’ve made it a major feature of the bar Fosters is 'super chilled' and served in frosted glasses and they've fitted extra fridges to make sure your beer Wlll he the coldest in town. The (‘oriipany's strong links V/Illl the Ome brex‘i'ery has meant they've got access to special ’Fosters inen‘orabilia' like massive beer-can-shaped pixonelirgtm Mom unusual beer brands from the southern hemisphere Will also be stocked, like the imported Crown Lager
Gorman is sure this is going to be the best Bar 02 so far 'lt’s the largest, it's in the best area, we've learned from the others and we've got more real Australians working (50%) than any of the others. What's important is it's in St otland, which has been flooded With lll'sl‘. bars People are ready for sometinnc: nth and different and that's what they're going to get '
Glasgow: Bar Oz, 499 Great Western Road, 334 0884. Opens on Sat 26 Sep.
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scorelree food: orgonic groceries : excellent bieod : fine cheeses : herbs & spices : wholesome foods 'G°R °A'S'S°R°O'O'T'S° 20 Woodlands Road Charing X G3 6UR 0141-3538
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