No Spray, No Lay: Champagne Society Poppin’ and Lockin’

Held intermittently throughout the year in Castle’s Great Hall, the Champagne Society enjoys an increasing presence on the social calendar. Tickets sell out within days, and its popularity remains testament to its growing successes. Eager to find out what the fuss was about, the Tab took up an invitation from its President and Founder Carlo Caro to throw on a tie and blazer and partake of the quaffing.

Having been tipped off that members are seldom fashionably late, my date and I arrived punctually, just as the Exec had finished setting up. Unusually, tickets are sold in pairs, an interesting system that yields a varied mix of cosy couples, merry singles and the occasional schweff and his intended prey. It appeared, perhaps surprisingly, that the society was far more popular with the fairer sex. We watched as crates of Laurent-Perrier, the official sponsor of the society, were rushed from the fridges, unpacked and arranged smartly on the tables.

A glowing buzz as the Hall starts to fill.

Initial queues to get in the great hall were slow, the fault of a bouncer who did not turn up, but this was soon past, and the exec spent the night vigilantly tending the champagne and cocktail bars, offering all manner of well bended bubbling concoctions. The scale of the hall ensures that you can circulate easily, never too far from a table to park your bottle in one of the handy ice buckets.

Jealous onlookers.

I bump into a contingent of Swedes who had gravitated towards each other by the cocktail bar. “Ah, usually we are to be found spraying it all over each other” a member called Hampus jokes scanning the stained glass windows and beams, “but it’s an atmospheric venue for this event. Impressive.”

Another member, Tomek, comments “We need more of this in Durham. Great music, and people are expected to socialise beyond the college clique – it’s nice to rely on my conversation for once.”

Able to rely on his conversation for once…

Evidently a combination of cocktails and champagne had their effect. Finding a friend leaning heavily against a table I struggle to discern Aaron words: “I’m not that pissed. Good times, good times, please don’t write… please don’t quote me… in that sodding article, you steve. Can you get me some water…?”

At the end of the evening guests either return home or stumble on to Academy, and later I meet with Carlo and Joe Snow, the recently elected Vice-President, at Ebony’s to reflect over the previous event and to learn more about the neophyte society.

Aftermath.

“I want to set the right mood!” Carlo exclaims giggling as he returns from the bar with a bottle of Laurent Perrier Rosé and three glasses. Filling up my glass he immediately launches into how the society roots first shot up.

“It was simple. I found that in Durham there is a particular way of partying I was a little bored with. I was sitting in my room with a friend thinking of a project to entertain me. There was already a whiskey and a wine society, and I thought ‘why not start a society dedicated to Champagne?’”

I put it to him that Champagne, in this economy, surely wasn’t going to attract the best publicity?

“Champagne is my favourite drink and that is that, for me” he immediately charges back. “I know it has a certain reputation, you know, I don’t see it being bought in Studio and Academy for example, but I don’t care whether people think it’s pretentious. It’s a classy drink, and yes, it can be very expensive. But it is such an enjoyable one. This is exactly why I spent two months negotiating with the marketing director at Laurent-Perrier to get a really generous deal. We’re introducing people to the better things in life in a modest way. If you don’t want to pay £25 for an evening drinking high end champagne, then have fun paying over £50 for decorations and little to no booze at a college ball.”

The sort of publicity Champagne can attract.

“Everybody is absolutely welcome to come and I tire of people that dismiss it as ‘exclusivist’” Joe adds. “In fact the events we put on attract a pretty diverse crowd.”
This is borne out when looking over the wine soaked roster from the night – only one college (Stephenson) appeared to be unrepresented. “And we are a really international crowd which brings a definite charm” Carlo replies, proffering his own Venezuelan and Colombian heritage as an example. “Many European members have all told me they like our relaxed atmosphere to meet people, reminds them of what they enjoy at home. No invasive music or shouting, we have a market here.”

So it’s definitely different from Wine Society?

“We don’t have a ball… yet” Joe remarks, “but when we do we won’t have to tell people it’s the best one in Durham – they’ll just know”.

“We are a mischievous bunch, and we scheme. Each of our events is different, expect us to keep everybody on their toes.” Carlo responds.

His favourite tipple.

And what might they be scheming?

“Don’t think I don’t know you journalists will ruin the surprise!” Caro barks humorously, slapping the table.

Joe explains without giving much away: “Well I find it’s a pity after members have turned out so smartly that we have to head on to sweat boxes. We are currently looking at hiring a venue for after the society meeting with soft, balanced music so people can keep conversations going, and nice cocktails to make sure they keep flowing! It’s a logical step. Our next function may even be on a boat.”.

Champagne Society meets four times a year, in Castle’s Great Hall. A standard ticket costs £35 and includes a bottle of Laurent-Perrier and six champagne cocktails. An extra-brut or rose bottle ticket, with 6 additional champagne cocktails, costs £45. Tickets are shared between two people.

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