Tina MacDonald and Maddy Stone were among the workforce operating at Johnny Foxes & The Den last Friday.
But this wasn’t just any ordinary Friday, it was Mad Friday – one of the names given to the Friday before Christmas Eve, which sees crowds flock to their local pubs, bars, and nightclubs to celebrate the festivities.
In terms of Inverness, there were two venues that I knew were certain to draw in hundreds, if not thousands of locals and tourists. This was Johnny Foxes & The Den, on Bank Street.
Their doors opened at 11am on Friday and didn’t close until 4am the following morning.
‘A wild day of fun’
General manager of Johnny Foxes & The Den, Tina, and deputy manager Maddy anticipated thousands of revellers to walk through their doors throughout the day.
To me, the thought of serving and clearing up after this many pub and club-goers is overwhelming. But it wasn’t anything the pair, along with their team, couldn’t handle.
Tina said: “We are seasoned pros at it now, and our December prep starts early for every weekend as we are so busy!”
Johnny Foxes, which opened its doors in 1997, boasts a capacity of 300, while The Den – launched in 2009 – has a capacity of 220.
The total workforce of both venues includes six in management, five in the kitchen, and a further 25 full and part-time members.
There were around 25 members of staff working around the clock on Mad Friday. A further 10-strong door team joined them on the night to ensure the celebrations went without any issues.
“The festive season brings new customers who may not venture into the city centre as much,” added Tina, who has managed various venues in the city for 25 years. She joined the team in November 2012.
“So it’s always great to see new faces who, a lot of the time, then become regulars.”
Johnny Foxes & The Den
Johnny Foxes & The Den are two unique areas.
Maddy said: “Foxes is a more traditional style venue with a great fresh food offering, a wide selection of local and international drinks and live music 365 days a year.
“Lots of local fantastic musicians take to the stage each night and we are very proud to be a great supporter of the live music scene in Inverness.
“Take a few steps through our internal walkway and you arrive at The Den, with a much more modern vibe.
“A great selection of cocktails on offer and local DJs playing throughout the week gives our clientele the best of two venues under one roof.”
The drinks offering also includes a wide range of popular beers, wines, gins, and malt whiskies.
In terms of food, there is a selection of fresh produce catering to all tastes including plant-based and gluten-free options.
Burgers are a particularly popular menu item among customers.
‘We have it all under one roof’
But what has made Johnny Foxes & The Den the success story it is today?
I asked both Tina and Maddy, who joined the team in August 2014 after “popping in for a drink”.
A lot of their responses are displayed in how well they perform on key days like Mad Friday.
“The team works exceptionally hard to ensure a great experience for every single customer who comes through our door,” Tina said.
“We have grown our management, kitchen, and bar team over the last 10 years and many of our team have been here for years, which is no mean feat in fast-paced hospitality.
“We look out for each other, have made great friendships, and are passionate about delivering great customer service and having the best venue in the Highlands.”
Maddy added: “Johnny Foxes & The Den have it all under one roof, from fantastic food to great drinks choices, and then of course the best local entertainment in the city!”
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