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THE COCKTAIL BAR
The Sections in this particular part of our book deal
with bar equipment, bar layout, glasses, etc.,in other words
the tools for the job ! It is only right therefore that prior
to dealing with these items we should briefly consider the
Cocktail Bar itself.
In the first half of this twentieth century the Cocktail Bar
hasestabhshed itself asa recognised rendezvousand meeting
place with its high standards of service and the ability of
the Cocktail Bartender to provide, within reasonable
limits, almost any drink or mixed drink the client desires.
It is without doubt one of the most important, popular
and profitable adjuncts to any first-class licensed Hotel or
Restaurant.
Managements go to a good deal of trouble and expense to
provide this amenity for their clients, carefully considering
its position, its decoration, etc. All too frequently,
unfortunately, whilst providing something most handsome
and pleasing to their clients,in other words,from the front,
they tend to overlook the bartender himself and the service
he has to provide. Consequently many cocktail bars in the
past have been just beautiful shells. When the bartender
has arrived he has discovered it has been most unsatis
factory from the working point of view.
It is obvious that no fixed standards can be laid down to
cover this sort of thing,as every bar varies according to the
size of the establishment, its position, the number of men
working, etc., but there are certain essentials that can be
borne in mind and we set them out below:
(a) Space. A bartender must have room to move,
especially when the bar is busy. There should be
up to 4 ft. between the back of the bar counter
and the cupboards and display shelves at the back
of the bar. Lengthwise, space should be allowed
according to the number of men working the bar,
each having space for a completely equipped
station.
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