ADVERT I SEMENT FEATURE
The team behind local communications agency KUCO look back on their highlights of 2021 THE CAMBRIDGE CONNECTION
A YEAR OF SURPRISES Through a tough year for the hospitality sector, we’ve been privileged to witness the most inspiring resilience from local businesses. Grit and determination has meant our local food and drink scene has continued to rise, as business owners hunkered down and refocussed their business models towards long-term success. It’s been a year of constant shifting, making new connections and forging ahead. As a company, we’ve been called up to work the local angle for international hotel launches, and approached by national brands looking to expand into the city and link to the Cambridge community. Here are some of the highlights from KUCO’s year gone by… The Wine Rooms on Hills Road launched as a destination wine shop with a modern paired menu earlier this year. This bright glimmer opposite the Botanic Garden continues to inspire us with weekly tastings, seasonal food and a passion for all things wine. Meanwhile, The Old Bridge Hotel in Huntingdon continued to shine, awarded Best Value Wine List in Europe in The World of Fine Wine magazine’s awards. This accolade is no surprise to regular diners, with Master of Wine John Hoskins at the helm. His commitment to quality, coupled with staff training and development, holds the key to 25 years of success. Set on a hilltop in Bourn, PAUS. (pronounced ‘pause’) has risen again this year. Reopening in October with a vastly expanded site, this bathing and breathing space is fast becoming a flagship destination in the region. Its secluded lakeside sauna and 1000m sensory trail offer the perfect opportunity to refocus and find balance in 2022 – and far beyond. In a year of barriers and hurdles, expansion was for the brave. The team behind NOVI exemplified everything 2021 needed, when they opened KOTA at Eddington in September. They’ve adapted
REBOUND Stir opened a Histon site (below) and PAUS. expanded (middle); KUCO is helping brands get the message out (bottom)
their model with a strong focus on the kitchen, backed up by a botanical bar. As public appetite for in-person events grew, experiential activation took centre stage. The city’s most popular experience (as rated by Tripadvisor!) Cambridge Gin Lab took to the river, partnering with Rutherford’s to launch a branded punt. In this most quintessentially Cambridge collaboration, sunny gin-tasting sessions morphed into steaming ‘hottail’ trips, as colder climes took hold. CB4’s much-loved bakery and coffee shop Stir Cambridge opened a second site in Histon. Where cafe culture meets community, this village spot is bustling already, and firmly established as a north Cambridge darling. Look out for a third site at Chesterton Mill, opening early 2022!
For more from the KUCO team follow @kuco.comms on social or visit kuco.agency
34 JANUARY 2022 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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