Local vibes help bar to dual award

LOCAL FOCUS: Gerard Barron says his Hastings bar is all about conversation.

Popular Hastings bar the Common Room took out both the simply Squeezed Outstanding Local and Steinlager Pure Outstanding Bar categories a this month's Hawke's Bay Hospitality Awards. Owner Gerard Barron says the premisses suit many tastes. He answered five questions:

1.What was your reaction after hearing you'd scooped two categories?

Absolutely stoked, for our staff, for our locals and for Hastings.

2.What constitutes an 'outstanding local'?

The Outstanding Bar is the glamour award and winning that was great, but the Best Local is the coolest. I believe you can't be afraid to hand over a certain degree of ownership to your locals, let them have a say in what you do and listen to their ideas. It means you have added to the community and created a space where everyone feels safe and welcome.

3.The bar's decor is wonderfully original. Who's behind the ideas?

The bar's aesthetic is a lot of little grabs from some of the best bars I have been to all around the world. The idea behind lots of different spaces is that everyone can feel they are part of a great atmosphere but still be able to find a little nook that lets you have a conversation with your friends.

4.What's your top selling wine varietal? And beer style?

We have more than 50 different beers but our biggest sellers are our Hawke's Bay local breweries - Zeelandt, Brave and Giant. Our wine list (all by the glass) is mainly made up of small independent local wineries but there are some cool ones from out of town and overseas.

5.If the Common Room had a mission statement, what would it be?

"The fine art of conversation."