Residents across Perth are in for a treat this May as a new initiative to drive footfall into the Fair City’s restaurants, bars and cafés is launched.
Perth Cocktail Week, which takes place from Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 9, 2024, will see more than 30 venues from across the city take part in the inaugural event which has been established to support the growing local hospitality scene.
Organised by Scottish marketing and events firm M.ad Agency, the Cocktail Week format, which sees venues offer discounts and deals across 10 days, has been successfully led by the agency in various cities including St Andrews and Dundee. The Perth event is being run with support from Perth and Kinross Council.
The team and local authority believe Perth is perfectly placed to be another success story.
Perth Cocktail Week will see restaurants, cafes and bars signed up offer discounted drinks and food items for the duration of the event. Each venue will offer a signature serve and will have other offers on selected drinks.
The event will allow the venues to attract new customers who may not have otherwise visited, encouraging them to return, and it presents the public with the opportunity to try new experiences and enjoy discounts at the same time.
To get access to the offers, a wristband for the week must be purchased.
The initiative has been adopted by the local authority to help promote the newly opened Perth Museum which recently underwent a £27 million redevelopment. It will also encourage visitors to the area further contributing to the local economy.
Venues already signed up include St John’s Bar and Restaurant, The Cherrybank Inn, The Bothy, The Bank Bar, Brown and Blacks, Deans, The Giddy Goose and many more.
Event organiser and director of M.ad Agency, Alice Christison said: “It’s incredible to see a modern, forward-thinking and proactive council taking steps to support businesses in their community.
“Our Cocktail and Restaurant Week concepts work well. They draw new people into the area, offer a fresh incentive to drive traffic and footfall for hospitality businesses and give the public a way to help support their favourite venues without spending too much money.
“We love the passion from the Council for this project and they should be praised for actively supporting local business. I’m a passionate and proud Scot and have lived and worked in the area for years. Hospitality has been faced with many challenges these past few years, but initiatives like Cocktail Week really have helped increase footfall during traditionally quieter periods.”
Councillor Eric Drysdale, Convener of the Council’s Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee, added: “Perth Cocktail Week is a great opportunity for local businesses to capitalise on interest in the city from the opening of the new Perth Museum, the new home to the Stone of Destiny.
“Each of the businesses involved will benefit from the promotion of Cocktail Week as an overall offer, while being able to show local people and visitors why they should come back again and again.”
Perth Cocktail Week is open to those aged 18 and over and wristbands, which give supporters access to discounted selected cocktails at all participating outlets throughout the event, are priced from £7.95 with a £1.50 booking fee.
Sponsors of the event include Perth and Kinross Council, Great Perthshire and Visit Scotland.
