1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

THE BAR

"Long Bar"in Shanghai,once the most renowned meeting place in the mysterious Far East, where one was always sure to meet a friend, but so seldom knew one's neighbour. Unforgettable also is "Sloppy Joe's Bar", the tourists' rendezvous in Havana, famous for its counter as well as its good drinks. A counter-top on which one's cocktails were always filled to overflowing, it was for ever aswim with a thousand blends, with the excess slowly draining away into the scupper (or gutter) which ran along its length, over on the bartender's side. Tips left by many a generous client were flicked into the gutter, to lie awash until the end of the day, when the last customer had regretfully departed. One could name and recall many such famous haunts. Bars whose mahogany counters will long be remembered, but the world has moved onwards since the days when they were first inspired, and the modern bar demands more up-to-date materials for its counter-tops. The highly polished, and rather unhygienic solid wooden counter has been replaced by more serviceable compositions, such as the fabricated laminated plastics, or rubber compositions and other similar types. These products can be obtained in the most delicate shades of colour to tone in with every scheme of decoration, also, no longer is the present-day Cocktail Bar counter-top unsightly, scarred by the carelessly stubbed cigarette end, or by one dropped and allowed to burn on its pleasing surface. For amongst their many qualities, these plastics are heat resisting, and a stain is easily removed with a rub of a damp cloth. According to the type of material of the counter-top, so is it cleaned. Some are waxed and polished, whilst others require little more than an energetically handled duster, but in every case the manufacturers will always be only too pleased to advise in regard to how and what to clean it with. Unfortunately, sometimes during the busy periods, even the best of counter-tops are inclined to hold little pools of moisture, caused mainly through condensation from iced drinks. This brings up the point in favour of an arm-resting rail, constructed so that it runs along the whole length and almost flush with the counter, but about an inch higher than the top. This will prove a much desired comfort,and save many a wet elbow for patrons who enjoy leaning at the bar. In fact the whole counter-front must

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