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Fifth annual London Cocktail Week expects to attract 25,000 people

Published:  01 October, 2014

The fifth annual London Cocktail Week, scheduled for October 6 -12, 2014, is expected to draw up to 25,000 attendees throughout the week.

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London Cocktail Week 2013

The fifth annual London Cocktail Week, scheduled for October 6-12, 2014, is expected to draw up to 25,000 attendees throughout the week.

Siobhan Payne, festival director for London Cocktail Week, said: "We are expecting between 22,500 and 25,000 attendees this year. Every year we have been increasing our numbers around 30%."

Throughout the festival 250 bars across London will be hosting attendees and offering £4 cocktails, alongside seminars and masterclasses. Consumers purchase wristbands and go to participating establishments to partake in events and discounted offerings. The week has more than 70 drinks sponsors behind it including major international spirit companies like Diageo as well as smaller local producers, such as Sipsmith Gin.

Payne is a seasoned drinks trade professional and joined the London Cocktail Week as one of two-person team in 2011. She helped founder Hannah Sharman-Cox grow the event to what it is today.

London Cocktail Week is now part of a parent company called ABV Global.  ABV Global is part of Speciality Drinks Ltd, which also owns the Whisky Exchange. London Cocktail Week was acquired in early 2014.

ABV Global which was set up in 2014 is responsible for London Cocktail Week, London Wine Week and a new London Beer Week festival set to launch in February 2015.  ABV Global is also launching its first international event this autumn, the Hong Kong Cocktail Week, in November.

London Wine Week held its first event coinciding with the London Wine Fair in June. Payne said: "It went down incredibly well, which was really exciting for our first year. We sold out of all our masterclasses. We thought with the calibre of people in the wine trade that were in London for the London Wine Fair, it was a great opportunity to host a consumer trade event."  More than 7,000 people participated in the first year of the event across London.

Last year, 75,000 £4 cocktails were served throughout London Cocktail Week.

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