Month: October 2019

The Corner Cafe, Falkirk – A year of success

Post author By 17 Degrees Magazine
Post date October 17, 2019

Turning the corner to a year of success at The Corner Cafe Falkirk.

Andrew, the owner of The Corner Cafe which ‘welcomes everyone in’ in Falkirk has a background in retail management. He was a store manager with Marks and Spencer for many years but always wanted to have his own business. He says, “I always had a passion for creating really exciting dishes and good food. It’s easier to get through the busy times if you’re passionate about what you’re doing.” He is originally from Glasgow but when looking to start his own business he came to Falkirk and felt a vibrancy. Andrew felt that he could bring something a little different. He says, “We are delighted to be in Falkirk, and we have been well received here in our first year of business. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

The Corner Cafe is open 7 days a week from 9am to 4 pm, they are a relaxed, dog friendly cafe with seven team members. Andrew says, “We’ve focused on quality food, coffee and cake and offer breakfast, brunches and lunches to the people of Falkirk.” He is also proud of his weekly specials which you can see on his vibrant Facebook and Instagram accounts. They also strive to promote local whenever they can. They use a local coffee supplier, Henry’s, and promote local artwork on the walls of the cafe.

“Now we’ve reached a year, we’re settled. Customers have been asking for evening events and we are looking at hosting these in the near future,” Andrews says, “We are delighted that our hard work has brought us to our 1st year anniversary and are looking forward to many more years to come.”

Fletcher’s

Post author By 17 Degrees Magazine
Post date October 16, 2019

Fletcher’s Stirling opened their doors on June 20th, 2019. The restaurant was opened by the Binnie brothers, Adam and Connor.

Adam describes himself as the hands-on Director. He balances the daily operations, planning and marketing of the restaurant as well as working full time on the restaurant floor interacting with customers and ensuring high standards are met. He gained his experience growing up in family restaurants operated by both his parents and from working at almost any job in hospitality over the years. Connor’s role is Director/Head Chef. As well as his responsibilities as Head Chef, Connor deals with the daily running of the restaurant with particular focus on the food and kitchen operations. As well as growing up in the family restaurants, Connor has gained experience working in many local hotels including Colessio, Airth Castle and The Royal in Bridge of Allan. Furthermore, Connor added to his experience working in Michelin Star restaurant The Black Swan under Tommy Banks which was voted ‘the best restaurant in the world’ by TripAdvisor. Both Adam and Connor are lucky to work closely with their partners. Gemma, Adam’s wife, has worked in restaurants alongside Adam for over 10 years. Similarly, Harli, Connor’s girlfriend, has worked in the restaurants for many years. They are both Restaurant Managers and focus on staff training and customer service.

The Name Behind It All

Adam says, “As Connor and I were delighted to be opening up our first restaurant as brothers, we made the decision it was only right to name the restaurant after the newest member of our family and youngest brother, baby Fletcher (9months old at the time of writing). We thought by naming it after him it would capture the essence of our family business.”

Fletcher’s Offering

Fletcher’s are open daily from 9am serving breakfast until 12pm! They then serve lunch and dinner right through until 9pm on weekdays and 9:30pm on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, they serve Sunday roast and brunch all day between 12-8pm! Their food is freshly prepared using local suppliers wherever possible including local farm eggs from Egglicious, bread and pastry from local baker Wild Hearth Bakery and selected meat from Skinners of Kippen. Adam says, “We truly believe that using locally sourced food and preparing our food daily creates the exciting meals which the people of Stirling have embraced over our first 2 months.”

Cocktails

Adam says, “We started off with a small list of 4/5 cocktails and as they have proven very popular, we have expanded our list to15 along with weekly specials and cocktail trees. Our cocktail trees are the perfect centrepiece for any table and allow your group to try a selection on cocktails whilst getting the perfect Instagram opportunity.”

The Future at Fletcher’s Stirling

The brothers plan to continue to refresh their menu to keep things exciting for their customers. There is a planned mini refurbishment for the bar area and bedrooms followed by their beer garden in time for next summer.

Christmas at Fletcher’s

Their Christmas menus have been released and they already have a large number of bookings and enquires which is really exciting! Get in touch today to celebrate the festive season at Fletcher’s!

Behind the Wall – Stay local, eat and drink global

Post author By 17 Degrees Magazine
Post date October 16, 2019

Behind the Wall has been a social experience at the heart of Falkirk that has developed and thrived through the years. You may remember when BTW first opened it was just the front bar and how over the years it has expanded. Brian Flynn, co-owner of BTW said: “At the start we didn’t see how big it would get.” But it has always been a comfortable transition when it comes to evolving with the times. They never forget their origins; for example the wood in the bar when they originally opened has been recycled into the building and used for tables and other bits of decor. Jane Lafferty, co-owner says: “We wouldn’t want to lose what Behind the Wall was.”

Behind the Wall has now been serving the people of Central Scotland for 30 years and is over two levels, with three bars, a conservatory and a fabulous heated beer garden with outstanding food, drink and live entertainment to enjoy! There’s also a soft play area for the kids and a newly opened Pizza Pad upstairs! There is something for everyone, so what’s not to love!

Early Years

They were one of the first pubs to serve coffee, which might seem normal now but in the 80’s it was very much revolutionary. They were actually worried whether the people of Falkirk would like it or not, and oh they did! BTW soon became a popular spot for everyone, a place where anyone could walk in themselves, be greeted by a friendly face and enjoy a beverage. At this time, it was uncommon for women to feel comfortable sitting in a pub themselves, BTW changed this perception. It has always been a social experience, for everyone.

The Food Concept

They served basic food right from the very start, explained Brian. This initially was just a servery with salads and sandwiches, but plans were almost immediately made to extend. First came the conservatory and then they built the kitchen and bistro. The food concept came from the owners’ travels. Brian describes the moment they realised what Falkirk needed: “We went to a restaurant in New York which served Tex-Mex dishes and this inspired our menu.” This was in the days before you could get food inspiration online, you had to go to other places to see what else was out there. Their Tex-Mex dishes are now well-known in the area, signature dishes such as their fajitas and nachos and Between the Sheets. Brian says, “We’ve always had a transatlantic thought.” They are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week for a casual dining experience which still brings together flavours from all over the world at family friendly prices. They will be launching a new menu in October, but don’t worry they’ve made sure to keep the fan favourites.

You will have no problem finding your chosen tipple at BTW!

BTW is very well known for its delicious cocktail menu, especially for the infamous Drumstick cocktail! Brian says: “Cocktails have grown massively in the past ten years, vodka revolutionised things right around when we started and it’s grown from there.” Continental lagers and ales also came along around the time BTW opened and Scotland came into the modern day with regards to its pub scene. Nowadays they stock everything from world leading brands to local products and are always listening to requests for updates to their drinks list.

Within the Community

Behind the Wall’s location puts it right in the heart of the town centre, being close to travel hubs such as Falkirk Grahamston, a bus hub and a taxi rank. It’s been a part of the community since it opened its doors in 1985. As you can see from the cover which features three members of the team and Brian, they are a team-focused company which acts as a family. Brian said: “We have had loads of local kids and kids from all around the world come to work here. Couples have met here and started families, children of original staff. It is a family.” They’ve seen staff leave and come back again after university or travelling, it’s always somewhere they can call home. BTW currently employee 60 local people and its owners are also active in the community. Brian has been Chairman of Falkirk Delivers, the business improvement district, for the past four years and Brian and Jane jointly won Business Personality of the Year at the Falkirk Herald Business Awards in November 2018. Behind the Wall has also won many awards. To name a few: Best Bar None, gold and national and platinum awards, Sunday Mail Pub of the Year in Scotland and Daily Record Pub of Year. They have a strong link with the local football club and run a shuttle bus to the Falkirk games on a Saturday. They also show live football in the bar area.

“BTW is a unique destination which aims to provide a safe and comfortable venue for all ages and social groups. We are always here to serve you and adapt to trends and customer expectations. From frothy cappuccinos in the morning to late night music and dancing BTW has something for everyone, whoever you are.”

The Pizza Pad at BTW

In the 90’s they opened upstairs, as Eglesbrech Ale and Whisky Bar. Eglesbrech is the Gaelic name for Falkirk. It was a traditional Scottish ale house.The concept has been slightly changed recently as they have rebranded upstairs as The Pizza Pad at BTW; they saw an opportunity to grow the space. As Brian says when asked what they can attribute years of success to: “We’ve never stood still.”

The mascot of the Pizza Pad is a French Bulldog named Eddy. Jane explained: “We were looking for an identity, and Eddy was our team member’s dog and was very lovable.” The slogan goes, ‘Ready for an Eddy’ which translates to ‘going off to behind the wall for a pizza.’ The Pizza Pad opened in July but the old identity is still there as customers are more than welcome to still just go up for a drink. It still has all the essential elements, fabulous beers, quality spirits and entertainment. Upstairs was always a venue and still will be! You can dine on delicious home cooked pizzas and street fries! Everything’s homemade and they make their own dough, fillings and toppings!

There is never a dull moment at BTW!