All Posts

At the dawn of 1951, the UKBG invested time and resources in contacting overseas Guilds on the question of the formation of an International Association. The aim was to meet the representatives of these Guilds in England, in conjunction with 1951 European Cocktail Competition, organised by the UKBG. Sweden, Denmark, Netherland, Switzerland, Italy and France agreed that they would send representatives with the hope of having a thorough and friendly discussion on the possibili

“Look back on the Guild’s beginnings” by Charles Frey, one of the seven founders of the Guild. How was the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild started? As one of the seven original founders I can give you a brief history which, no doubt, will interest many of the present members. Nearly forty years ago Bernard Paul, with either Billy Whitfield or Billy Tarling, walked into the American Bar at the Piccadilly Hotel. During our conversation Bernard Paul said:” I would like to start

The USBG is one of the biggest and most influential bartending trade associations in the world. However, the organization’s roots sprouted from the UKBG and have an impressive history that spans some of the most critical periods of American history. The basis of this article is authored by UKBG’s historical curator, Luca Rapetti ; however, we will continue to add and update content on this blog page as we uncover it! What follows has been pieced together from UKBG records, su