Last weekend saw the opening of alcohol-free bar, Redemption, the brainchild of Ex-Virgin Marketer, Catherine Salway.
If thoughts of you, sipping away on your umpteenth fizzy
beverage while secretly longing for a vodka cocktail or glass of Prosecco creep
into your mind- banish them immediately. Redemption is set to be unlike any
other alcohol-free venue and I have to admit, with its combination of coconut
martinis and cool ice-teas, the drinks list does sound aptly refreshingly.
With these temptations, alongside live music and guest DJ’s
on offer, one could easily live without a stiff drink. However- and there always
seems to be a but with too-good-to-be-true ventures- the food available will be an unflinchingly
virtuous vegetarian menu. Ahhhhh why is there always catch?
But is it all a bit too healthy?
Having already converted to an alcohol-free life, I’m rather
taken with the idea dancing the night away among other fully-fledged
teetotallers. A life without naughty snacks however- potatoes smothered in
melted cheese or a handful of chocolate M&Ms- seems too hard to handle.
Don’t we all need a little indulgence of some sort? A guilty pleasure to make
the week complete? I’m not convinced by any concept that rejects all kinds of dietary
misbehaviour.
Redemption isn’t a revolutionary idea. The first dry bars
appeared back in 2007 in the north of the country, starting with ‘The Halal Inn’
in Oldham, Greater Manchester, aimed primarily at Muslims wanting to socialise
away from alcohol consumption. Redemption differs in approach from many of the
dry bars of the past by not alienating a large group of the population. It does
not position itself as the reserve of specific religious groups or AA members,
redeeming it to some extent in my estimation.
The pop-up venue, Netil House, Hackney, opens its doors to
the public on 21st July for the next ten consecutive Sundays, before
Redemption takes up permanent residency in West London. Right now, with the sun
glaring through the office windows, I can’t imagine a better way to spend a
chilled-out Sunday with friends than sipping a guilt-free Mocktail. And without
the worry of hangovers on Monday Morning. Bliss….
By Manny Sidhu
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