Things have been tough for bar trade rags in the UK which seems to have been hit harder by the ‘GFC’ than sunny old Australia. CLASS changed hands and went subscription only and Theme closed down too, leaving Imbibe magazine to fight it out on its own in bar trade print media. Enter www.barlifeuk.com stage right - an online bar industry forum that is declaring paper dead (long live the internet).

Barlifeuk.com is the brainchild of a bon vivant going by the name of Andy Ives (ex-CLASS, Industry, Australian Bartender magazine and 4bars.com.au) and offers its readers the latest UK industry news, events and bar openings as well as relevant feature items on how to keep your “Tweets Sweet” or how to capitalise on the upcoming World Cup in South Africa. It’s still early days for this brand spanking new site, but give it month or two and that ‘new car smell’ will be gone to be replaced, no doubt, by a little cigarette smoke, a sticky patch where a shot of Jagger once sat and a couple of questionable stains. Get in there and reserve your spot at the bar… or just subscribe to their e-newsletters.