Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, and Kate Kenyon at her new alcohol-free bar, SOBR, on Thistle Street. Image - Aberdeen Inspired
Scotland’s first alcohol-free bar has opened its doors in the Granite City after garnering attention from across the world – and praise from Aberdeen Inspired as a welcome addition to the city centre.
SOBR on Thistle Street opened last night (Wednesday, October 23) and will offer a curated selection of alcohol-free cocktails, wines, beers, ciders and spirits. Kate Kenyon, the entrepreneur behind the visionary enterprise, hopes it will change people’s minds about the idea of sobriety and sober drinks.
Kate also hopes it will bring more people into the city centre to enjoy a night out after a flurry of media and online attention put SOBR firmly in the spotlight at home and abroad.
“We had some really positive feedback from everybody and most people online have been extremely kind to us. It’s been an overwhelming response,” said Kate, adding the bar had garnered coverage from national newspaper titles and podcasts as well as magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar.
“We actually had someone emailing us from Australia this morning, talking to us about us hopefully supplying their wine. It’s been a global thing, which is just amazing.”
Kate’s hope is that SOBR will change people's minds about the idea of sobriety and sober drinks.
“It’s the first of its kind in Scotland so it’s definitely a novelty and people are a little unsure. But it is a lovely place to be, the décor has been done in such a way you come in and don’t want to leave,” she said.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, and Kate Kenyon at her new alcohol-free bar, SOBR, on Thistle Street. Image - Aberdeen Inspired
“We’ve got some great drinks, and I hope it changes people’s minds of what it means to have sober drinks. We have beer, we have wine, we have great cider and we have fantastic cocktails the team have created. It’s an exciting, lovely place to be and we hope people take that and roll with it.”
Kate, who is also a volunteer member of the Aberdeen Inspired team, said the new bar could also help attract people to come into the city centre and enjoy other venues and attractions as well as SOBR.
“Because we are a sober bar it means after you’ve come to us and you’ve had a glass of wine or cider or whatever that might be, you can get into your car and drive home safely. So if you are living out in the shire or a little bit further from the city centre, and you don’t want to take a taxi or bus or whatever mode of transport then you can do so.
“So hopefully this will encourage people to come back into the city centre, enhance the nightlife and get people going into other places, not just ourselves.”
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said SOBR was a welcome and innovative addition to the city centre.
“It is a real coup for the Granite City to be able to boast of having the first sober bar in Scotland and Kate deserves congratulations and support for having both the vision and the determination to make it a reality,” he said.
“More and more people are looking for alternatives to alcohol when they are out and about and to this beautiful spot on Thistle Street will be a mecca for those wanting a great time with great friends without making it a boozy affair.
“It is just the sort of attraction that will bring people into the heart of Aberdeen to enjoy not just SOBR, but the many other attractions the city has to offer.”
Discover more about SOBR on their website.