Tag: Edinburgh Cocktail Week

Sparkling service as Lumo shakes-up sustainability for Edinburgh Cocktail Week

EDINBURGH COCKTAIL WEEK 3 – 12 OCTOBER 2025

Wonky fruit, farm-to-glass gin and border-crossing spirits; guilt-free cocktails are set to shake up Edinburgh Cocktail Week this October, with 100% electric train operator Lumo helping festival-goers raise a glass to sustainability and arrive smoothly not shaken.

Running from 3rd to the 12th October 2025, the UK’s biggest cocktail festival is set to welcome more than 25,000 visitors across the city.

This year, sustainability is firmly on the menu thanks to Lumo, the official travel partner of the festival, which offers relaxed, 100% electric train services between Edinburgh, Newcastle, London and, from December, Glasgow Queen Street. Thousands of revellers can swap motorways and short-haul flights for a greener journey direct into the heart of the celebration.

Lumo will also host a special sustainable cocktail reception during the week, showcasing innovative suppliers including:

  • Flawsome! Drinks, the B Corp brand transforming surplus and “wonky” fruit into refreshing juices which are already served on Lumo trains
  • Blowin’ Free Gin, an Ayrshire farm-to-glass start-up distiller
  • Ad Gefrin, the award-winning Northumberland whisky and gin distillery reviving a centuries-old tradition in Northumberland in the North East of England

To mark the partnership, passengers on a recent Lumo journey between Newcastle and Edinburgh were surprised with cocktails and mocktails mixed onboard by an expert mixologist, bringing a taste of the festival to the 125mph train service.

Stuart Jones, Managing Director of First Rail Open Access (Lumo), said: “We’re proud to be back supporting Edinburgh Cocktail Week for 2025, not just as the official travel partner but as a champion of sustainability and collaboration.

“Festivals like this showcase the very best of Scotland’s hospitality, tourism and creativity, and we want to make sure people can enjoy them in the greenest way possible.

“From our 100 percent electric trains to our partnerships with socially conscious suppliers, Lumo is committed to making sustainable choices more accessible, enjoyable and inspiring.”

Gary Anderson, Managing Director of Edinburgh Cocktail Week, added: “This year’s festival promises to be bigger, greener and more inclusive than ever, with more than 120 bars, masterclasses and pop-ups across the city.

“Having Lumo onboard as our official travel partner makes it easier than ever for cocktail lovers across the UK to be part of it without racking up an environmental hangover. I’m particularly excited about Lumo’s sustainable drinks reception, which brings together some brilliant suppliers from Scotland and beyond.”

Karina Sudenyte, Co-Founder and CMO of Flawsome! Drinks, said: “We’re very proud that our sustainable drinks are available for Lumo customers and particularly delighted to be supporting this fabulous event in Edinburgh.

“We’ll make sure that the cocktails on offer will not only be delicious, but also crafted from wonky and surplus fruit to prevent food waste.”

Elaine Borland, Owner of Blowin’ Free Gin, said: “This is an unmissable opportunity for a small business like mine.

“The Lumo team have been hugely supportive, and I can’t wait to see our gin showcased at one of Scotland’s biggest celebrations.”

Jordan Rutherford, Spirit Sales Manager at Ad Gefrin, commented: “To be part of Edinburgh Cocktail Week is unbelievable for us.

“We’re Northumberland’s first legal whisky distillery in over 200 years, and working with Lumo gives us a fantastic platform to share our story.”

With guilt-free cocktails and guilt-free travel, Edinburgh Cocktail Week 2025 proves that the best journeys and the best experiences can go hand in hand with protecting the planet.

Lumo is also proud to announce that it’s the prestigious sponsor of the Net Zero Champion Award at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, which take place in February 2026.

Champagne Socialists?

Scottish business, community and political representatives join Lumo to celebrate Edinburgh Cocktail Week 2024

Chris Murray, MP for Edinburgh East & Musselburgh and Dr Scott Arthur, MP for Edinburgh South West joined Scottish business leaders and members of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce on Friday at Lumo’s sustainable cocktail event to stir-up support for Edinburgh Cocktail Week.

In addition to supporting Edinburgh Cocktail Week, the event sought to mix mocktails and connect key decision makers within the city and beyond, to serve-up cocktails and conversations around driving environmental and economic growth within local communities.

The event, held at Juniper Bar within Hotel Indigo Edinburgh – Princes Street was hosted by open access train operator, Lumo, which provides popular rail services connecting Edinburgh with Newcastle and London along the East Coast Main Line.

The event was in collaboration with Flawsome! Drinks, a company committed to sustainability by repurposing surplus ‘wonky’ fruit for soft drinks and sold onboard Lumo’s fleet of fully electric trains.

Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director of Lumo, said: “We’re proud to support Edinburgh Cocktail Week, an event that not only showcases the city’s renowned arts and dynamic culture scene but also promotes sustainable choices.

“Lumo’s partnership with Flawsome! Drinks is a reflection of our shared goal to reduce waste and advocate for a more sustainable future.

“We are also deeply committed to supporting the local communities we serve and are excited to have submitted plans to expand our services to Glasgow. This expansion will strengthen ties between two of Scotland’s key cities, fostering even greater opportunities for collaboration and a greener future.”

Attracting more than 25,000 visitors across 10 days, Edinburgh Cocktail Week showcases the city’s vibrant hospitality scene while significantly contributing to the local economy, something that Lumo aims to support through connecting customers along the East Coast route with the Scottish capital. 

Dr Scott Arthur, MP for Edinburgh South West, said: “I am absolutely committed to the UK hitting its net zero targets whilst also growing the economy in a way which helps create a fairer society. Sustainable public transport links connecting Edinburgh to key economic centres, like those offered by Lumo, are a key part of that. 

“Whether people are drinking cocktails or mocktails, Edinburgh Cocktail Week is also a great opportunity to help boost our tourist economy. 

“I am proud that Edinburgh attracts people from far and wide, and after a route of beautiful views, arriving in the city’s heart by train will always mean that visitors are emotionally stirred, not shaken.”

Lumo’s partnership with Flawsome! Drinks began earlier this year, introducing a refreshing twist to Lumo’s onboard refreshments with juice’s made from ‘wonky’ and surplus fruit, offering passengers a guilt-free, eco-friendly choice.

The cocktails at the event all included juices supplied by the sustainable drinks company with a range of spirits.

The event was supported by a range of organisations from across Edinburgh and Scotland, including the Holyrood Distillery which distils the whisky served on Lumo’s services to and from Edinburgh.

Lumo is celebrating three years of running services this month and has an approach to customer service that’s far from old-fashioned, recently serving-up a 96% customer satisfaction score.

With over 100 venues participating in Edinburgh Cocktail Week this year, including bars, restaurants, and hotels, the event not only boosted footfall but also provided a platform for venues to increase staffing and manage the surge in demand.

In addition to the bars and restaurants benefitting through direct involvement with Edinburgh Cocktail Week, local hotels and short-term lets also see increased bookings, as the influx of visitors drives demand for accommodation, providing a boost to the hospitality sector and supporting the wider local economy during the 10-day event.

The partnership between Lumo and Flawsome! reflects both companies’ commitment to sustainability, with a focus on reducing food waste and encouraging responsible consumption. The collaboration exemplifies how businesses can work together to address environmental challenges in practical and creative ways.

Lumo was the first long-distance train operator to replace plastic bottles onboard with sustainable alternatives and was named ‘Green Innovation Business of the Year’ at the recent North East Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

MOËT & CHANDON JOINS THE EDINBURGH COCKTAIL WEEK LINEUP

Luxury French Champagne brand joins The Cocktail Village lineup for 2023 

  • Edinburgh Cocktail Week publishes official guide for 2023
  • 22 brands taking part across 10 days at the UK’s biggest cocktail festival 
  • The guide showcases all of the £5 cocktails on offer as well as cocktail maps for the 100 participating bars around the city

With just a month to go until Edinburgh Cocktail Week kicks off, organisers revealed today that Moët & Chandon is the final brand to join the stellar lineup at next month’s Cocktail Village. 

Moet & Chandon, in collaboration with the team from Eve at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, will offer a selection of three Champagne cocktails. Moët & Chandon celebrates life’s memorable moments, and the bespoke cocktail selection has been curated to celebrate the festival’s fifth anniversary, running from Friday, 6th – Sunday, 15th October from 12 noon-11pm daily.

The announcement coincides with the publication of this year’s Edinburgh Cocktail Week guide which includes a rundown of all the £5 cocktails on offer at 100 bars taking part throughout the city during the 10-day festival. The guide can be accessed here.

This year marks Edinburgh Cocktail Week’s fifth birthday. To celebrate, the event has partnered with 100 of Edinburgh’s best cocktail bars, speakeasies and neighbourhood pubs to offer delicious £5 Signature Cocktails.

To get exclusive access to these cocktails, customers simply need to buy one of the festival wristbands and show it at the bar when ordering.

Wristband holders can find all the cocktails within the official guide and maps to help plan their day out and navigate the best cocktail routes across the city. 

No matter which wristband type is purchased – weekday or weekend – wristbands are valid at all participating bars for the full ten-day duration of the festival so event goers can enjoy multiple days out tasting their way around the best bars in Edinburgh.

The celebrations also extend to the highly popular Cocktail Village at Festival Square, the social epicentre of the festival, which will be bigger than ever before. Entry to the Cocktail Village is free with a festival wristband and inside cocktail-lovers will find 22 pop-up bars serving amazing cocktails from £5.

Pop-up bars serving cocktails from £5 include Aperol Spritz, Grey Goose, Patron, Engine Gin, Tia Maria, Hoxton Spirits, Boe Gin and Malibu, as well as a luxurious selection of premium, full-priced cocktails from the Moët & Chandon bar.

There will also be a mouth-watering selection of street food from Duck & Waffle, Pizza Geeks and Taberu Japanese Kitchen, and a live music stage with a jam-packed programme of local musicians and special headline performances, including a Spice Girl Tribute band, to get the party going. 

For the discerning cocktail drinker, Edinburgh Cocktail Week has a collection of award-winning ‘Prestige Cocktail’ bars to visit, where you can enjoy elevated cocktail experiences curated by the city’s top mixologists at the likes of Panda & Sons, Hey Palu, The Waldorf Astoria, Commons Club and The Devil’s Advocate. 

Gary Anderson, Managing Director of Edinburgh Cocktail Week said: “What better way to toast our fifth birthday than with Moët & Chandon champagne?

“We are utterly delighted to announce that Moët & Chandon will be joining us in the Cocktail Village next month and we look forward to raising a celebratory glass with wristband holders.

“We’re incredibly proud to call Edinburgh the home of the UK’s biggest cocktail festival and would like to thank all our customers and partners for their continued support of the festival – it’s amazing to see so many familiar faces year after year.”

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh Business Improvement District said: “Essential Edinburgh is delighted to again be the primary partner to Edinburgh Cocktail Week.

“ECW is now eagerly anticipated and well established in the city’s event calendar, and does a fantastic job in promoting our superb hospitality sector in the city centre. 

“We look forward to another hugely successful event both in the Cocktail Village and around every one of the bars and restaurants taking part. I can’t think of a better way to spend an early October evening than sampling wonderful cocktails in and around our city centre.”

A full list of the brands and bars taking part can be found on the Edinburgh Cocktail Week website and in notes to editors below.

Wristbands are on sale now at www.edinburghcocktailweek.co.uk. 

Wristband options for 2023 are as below (inclusive of booking fees):

  • Weekend 1 – £10.00 (valid Friday 6th – Sunday 8th Oct)
  • Weekday – £8.00 (valid Monday 9th –  Thursday 12th Oct)
  • Weekend 2- £10.00 (valid Friday 13th – Sunday 15th Oct)
  • Ten Day – £14.00 (valid Friday 6th – Sunday 15th Oct)

All wristbands are valid at all 100 participating bars for the full 10-day duration of the festival. Wristbands are valid at the Cocktail Village for the dates detailed above. 

ECW-Guide-2023Download