1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

THIRTEEN

The heART of a Party There is a motto remembered from our youth,whether we were Boy Scouts or not, which would especially apply to present-day standards when called upon to cater for a large scale Cocktail Party—that well-remembered motto:"Be Prepared = Ever3rthing should be in readiness before the first guest arrives, for remember there never has been a party yet without someone arriving half an hour before the scheduled time. No one entirely believes the excuse that they had mistaken the time, but still, that is their story. Our concern is to get the Cocktail Bar ready in good time so as not to be caught on the wrong foot, because it is certain that if a party starts off in a muddle,that will cast its spell throughout the whole of its duration. Let us start at the beginning and sort out what arrangements must be made and what will be needed. Firstly, the room itself. It should be large enough to allow people to move about freely, without fear of colliding with one another, thereby ruining dresses, suits and carpets. Anyhow, no one envies the poor old sardine packed tightly in its tin, even though it hasn't the added handicap of raising its hands to a drinking position. The essential requirement of the room is that it mustbe wellventilated,otherwise,evenwithouttheaid ofalcohol, there will be a few people"passing out". Next, there should be a supply of seating to enable the elderly, sick, or social wall flowers to rest awhile. The lighting must be just right—not too bright, but at the same time not too dim. A party must be gay and it can hardly be that in gloomy surroundings, besides it will not give the ladies a chance to be"catty"about each other. Invariably the party is given in a private room set especially aside for such occasions. Generally the bar itself is a makeshift affair, made up of trestle tables and covered with tablecloths. It is well to remember that many firms of bar fitters are now putting out excellently efficient Portable Bars for use on these occasions. They are smart and are the answer to all the problems. These

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