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Club Soda initiates crowdfunder to open low & no venue in London
Mindful drinking organisation Club Soda is looking to raise £25,000 to open its first permanent venue in London this autumn.
The crowdfunder campaign offers rewards for contributors based around shopping and events at Club Soda’s new tasting room, shop and bar on London’s Drury Lane.
Club Soda’s new home will also have room for events, workshops and masterclasses, including a continuation of the trade masterclasses it launched earlier in 2022. The company is also planning a bar space and a library to read quit lit, drink bibles and other mindful drinking resources. In time, Club Soda also hopes to be able to offer hotdesking space to fledgling low and no brands.
Speaking to the drinks business, Club Soda founder Laura Willoughby MBE, said: “We are long overdue a specialist bricks and mortar retailer in the UK (Paris even has its own alcohol-free shop!). The reward crowdfunder helps us secure the right space in an amazing location – we will run tastings and training for the consumer and trade which will help catapult low and no to the next level in the UK. These are exciting times. There is something for everyone in the crowdfunder, from buying a box of beers to a cocktail class for your team.”
Willoughby added: “The success of our pop-up store in January bowled us over. People loved having the chance to sample alcohol-free drinks and pick the right ones for them. And so many people asked us to stay open for longer. So we want to create a home for low and no in the capital, putting in-store sampling front and centre in our offer. With the support of Club Soda’s members and friends, we want to create a place to drink more mindfully and live well.”
The move builds on the organisation’s central London pop-up alcohol-free off-licence, which extended its tenure multiple times to fulfil customer demand.
While overall alcohol consumption is expected to have declined in 2020, the low- and no-alcohol market is continuing to expand, with consumption expected to grow 31% by 2024, according to the IWSR.