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THE STORY OF THE

UNITED KINGDOM BARTENDERS' GUILD

•It was shortly after the first United Kingdom Cocktail

Competition, organised by the Wine, Spirit and Catering

Trades Exhibition at Borland Hall, London, in 1933, that

the idea was conceived of forming an Association or Guild

of efficient Cocktail Bartenders. A few far-seeing bartenders

had got to know and like each other and realised how much

could be done in comradeship and to the mutual advantage

of themselves, their emploj^ers, and most important of all,

the customer. A small Committee wasformed and in those

early days not one of the originals envisaged the very rapid

response it would receive and the strides the United

Kingdom Bartenders' Guild would make in such a short

time. By June of the following year (1934) the Guild had

been brought into being. A Council wasset up,two eminent

members of the trade were appointed as Trustees, and

Harry L. Craddock of The Savoy American Bar (London)

was invited and agreed to be our first President. Two

months later, August, 1934, saw the birth of the official

organ of the U.K.B.G.,"The Bartender",a comprehensive

journal dealing with the many important activities of the

Guild, and being of interest to Bartenders, the Trade and

public alike.

By the first week in October, 1934, the U.K.B.G. had

organised its first officially recognised "British Empire

Cocktail Competition ", and in the following week had held

its first Annual Dinner and Dance at Erascati's Restaurant,

London. Both events were an immediate success and gave

added courage and encouragement to those few pioneers

who were not in the least disturbed by the few who ridiculed

the idea and regarded its activities with suspicion and mis

trust. 1935 and 1936 saw the second and third British

Empire Cocktail Competitions, organised and held at

Grosvenor House, London, with its attendant Annual

Dinner and Dance growing bigger and better each year,

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