Lineker’s is a brand that has become synonymous with having a good time on holiday. There are several throughout the popular British tourist destinations and they all have one thing on common; they know how to look after their clientele. Essentialibiza caught up with Duane Lineker to find what special expectations come with having a Lineker’s in Ibiza…
How would you describe Lineker’s?
Lineker’s Bar is renowned for having one of the best atmospheres you will feel, whether it be watching live sport or hearing a wide variety of the best music Ibiza has to offer. You can chill out and watch the sunset with a cocktail in hand from our beautiful terrace or feel like you’re in one of Ibiza’s famous super clubs with ice canons and amazing music inside.
You are popular with the sport crowd and also as a glamorous pre-party venue, how do you successfully mix the two?
We are very lucky to be able to combine sport and be a credible pre-party venue. We have an amazing location for this on the promenade of San Antonio, we are also lucky with our relationship with most of the big clubs on the island where they will help us sell their tickets by sending some of their headline acts our way to play a small set or make a guest appearance. We also have a very rich history in Lineker’s with sport and I think this is how we combine the two so well.
What’s the secret to succeeding in the highly competitive San An market?
San Antonio has a very diverse market, from the west end to the more glamorous sunset strip, I think we are lucky we can cater for both of these markets and meet somewhere in the middle. The terrace can cater for the more VIP side of things and inside is where you can really let your hair down and hear the best house music around.
Lineker’s is a prominent holiday brand, how does Ibiza differ to some of your other locations?
Each resort differs slightly as the clientele and music preference in each resort is different. The brand does like to keep to the same principles though of making every night a memorable and special night for everyone that walks into any of our venues.
What goes into getting ready for each season?
A lot ha-ha! There is always so much to do and everyone in Ibiza seems to love to leave everything until the last minute. It is very important to recruit and have the right team around the bar. The staff and DJs are usually what separate Linekers from the competition. We usually open quite early on in the season to train up the new staff and iron out any problems before the real madness of Ibiza kicks in.
How do you find good staff and once you have, is it difficult to keep them and keep them motivated?
We are lucky to be one of the more desired places in San Antonio for people to work, so the best staff usually find us and I like to think that myself and the managers have a good eye for the better people that come to the interview days. It is a long summer, especially with the amount of parties the staff usually like to go to but we are generous with their nights off and try to help them as much as we can, which I think they appreciate and show us respect for by working hard every night.
What does a night off look like for you?
Try to catch up on the other Lineker’s bars and our other business’s within the group. Then a very relaxed night usually, I like to go out to the amazing restaurants Ibiza has to offer, then if I do have the energy to go out it will usually be Pacha or Blue Marlin.
What’s your favourite part of the day in the bar?
When it is so busy, usually about 1am, when everyone in the bar is smiling and the atmosphere is almost taking the roof off. This is a feeling that is spine tingling, to know that the team around you can create this amazing vibe.
What’s the most popular cocktail on your menu?
Probably a strawberry Mojito, classic and always refreshing.
How would you describe the menu?
We offer quite a wide selection of cocktails, from the basics like cosmopolitan, to more specialized champagne cocktails and daiquiris. There really is something for everyone on our menu.
What do you get up to in the winter?
Try to recover, usually go back to London and prepare for the season ahead, look into new ventures and try to open up at least one new venture each year. We have a very exciting project we are working on for next year in Ibiza. I’m sure you will hear a lot more about it very soon.
