Nobody goes to a bar to drink. They go to be distracted, soothed, seen or, sometimes, to disappear in plain sight. The drink is the excuse, and the bar is merely the container for the remedy they seek: hospitality.

What’s this really about?

This concept sits at the heart of great bars, and it’s one that any bartender worth their bitters understands instinctively. Indeed, if you ask any OG drink-slinger what hospitality
means, you’ll hear less about liquid and more about people. For Brent Perremore, creative director at Art of Duplicity, hospitality is an attitude. “It’s treating a guest like an old
friend,” he says. “It should feel effortless and authentic, and be carried out with sincerity.” Not as easy as it might sound – making something appear effortless usually requires
years of practice.

Needs of the many

Bars also occupy a complicated emotional space, with multiple needs being met. “Historically, a bar has always been a place of celebration or commiseration,” Brent says. “But ultimately it’s a little escape from your particular norm – a way to be alone and people-watch, or to be social.” This is why service-first hospitality matters more than technical virtuosity. “One is imperative; the other is a great to-have,” Brent says.

Feeling seen

Skills are learnt, accumulated and sharpened over time, while hospitality is a choice, repeated hundreds of times per shift. A  fawless martini served without care is still forgettable. If hospitality begins with intention, it’s sustained through observation. For Caitlin Crockart, bar manager at Trade Bar & Social, the work starts before a word is exchanged, by noting a guest’s posture. This cue sets the scene, with Caitlin acting out the role of friend, entertainer or quiet presence. From there, micro-transactions determine how the interaction develops.

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