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Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhán Payne to acquire London Cocktail Week
Following its sixteenth edition, co-founders Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhán Payne have announced their acquisition of the brands London Cocktail Week and London Wine Week from the ownership of Speciality Drinks.
The duo has been at the helm of the festival since its inception but the purchase marks the first time the pair will have full ownership of London Cocktail Week themselves.
On the acquisition, Sharman-Cox and Payne said: “London Cocktail Week is an endeavour we’re incredibly proud of, and we’re delighted to be taking it into a new chapter from 2026.
“As the festival has grown, we’ve showcased the best of London’s cocktail culture on the international stage. We’ve also supported our city’s bars with new revenue opportunities and educational content such as the Bartender Knowledge Exchange.
“We plan to keep listening to the on-trade and evolving the festival to make sure it continues to be the world’s leading cocktail celebration for years to come.”
Sharman-Cox and Payne launched the event while working with Simon Difford at Difford’s Guide.
London Cocktail Week then moved into the Speciality Drinks portfolio of businesses in 2014 and was included in the company’s purchase by Pernod Ricard in 2021.
