I know, predictable isn’t it? I’m not drinking alcohol this January because I enjoyed it too regularly over the festive period. But, do I feel better? Yes, I really do!
Like trying to exercise after a six week period of non-stop eating and drinking, it just sucks to begin with! I feel a little resentful of the sudden lifestyle changes and the month ahead looks bleak enough – do I really want to enforce more misery into this this dark month?! But, this year I had an exciting alcohol free destination to visit and this turned the dial for me!
Anya Hindmarch, announced her latest concept store in January, The Dry Drinker Off Licence, an entirely alcohol free pop-up store in partnership with Drydrinker.com, the UK’s largest retailer for no and low drinks, that is open and brimming with a wondrous supply booze-free goodies until February 10.
The cool, corner shop concept, which opened on London’s Pont Street on January 7, stocks more than 40 brands offering a huge selection of low- and no-alcohol beers, wines and spirits alongside a selection of retro crisps and sweets Anya’s sense of fun hits you immediately with carefully crafted stickers that make subtle uplifting comments!
There are alcohol-free offerings from well-known brands such as Guinness, Seedlip, Lucky Saint beer, McGuigan Wines, Gordon’s, Lyres Spirit, Three Spirit Drinks and Clean Co. alongside excellent up-and-coming labels.
Anya’s store design pays homage to Britain’s much loved neighbourhood off licence, complete with KP nuts hanging from the wall, 80’s wired baskets of Frazzles and neon stickered tasting notes and ‘Anya’s picks’. You can even buy a packet of cigarettes – only the candied type though!
Anya describes the low and no movement as ‘zeitgeist’ which I fully agree with. Large proportions of 18-30 year olds simply haven’t bought into a drinking culture and they see older generations as too boozy – yikes! So this mentality helps pave the way for a new, much healthier, approach to drinking where it’s fine not to drink but choice is key.
It’s important when respected and known people like Anya notice and support a movement in this way because they put weight behind it and this helps turn it from a trend into a way of life.
Happy January!
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