The Wind Down With Natasha and Jack Durling

This weekend we’re hopping into bed with Natasha and Jack, co-founders of Lockdown Liquor and parents to three young children. Lockdown Liquor started as an initiative to raise awareness and funds for the NHS Charities Together, and became a business following the success of those efforts to spread some positivity during a challenging time. We chat to Natasha and Jack about family Sunday roasts, lychee martinis and making time to wind down together.

Natasha wears Linen Pyjamas in Rose

Jack wears Linen Pyjamas in Ink 

It’s Friday night and you finally close your laptop for the weekend, what are you sipping?

I think for me it would be a chilled Lychee Martini or a Mezcal Margarita.

Do you have a favourite space in your home that inspires calm?

We have a small snug which is the perfect room to curl up and watch a movie and have a few cocktails in the evening.

With a busy family life and two companies to run, how do you find time to wind down?

I think we work hard at getting that work life balance and we do try and switch off at the weekends and spend quality time as a family. We never miss a family Sunday lunch together which is our favourite day of the week.  We also have a monthly date night where we look to explore our passion for food and drink in trying old restaurant favourites as well as the new.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give others looking to spend more time winding down alongside busy jobs?

Make time to do it. We try hard to put the phones away and try and switch off.

What does your perfect weekend look like as a family?

Our kids have several sporting fixtures every weekend which we divide and conquer so you will find us on the side of a football or rugby pitch. Evenings we like to catch up for dinner with friends on a Friday night and Saturdays we love a movie night in and to cook up a nice meal together.

Does your family have a bedtime routine and what does it look like?

During the week, we run a tight ship and all the kids are down after bath time and we have dinner together and catch up on the day. Weekends we take a slightly more relaxed approach and kids like to stay up later with us and we have cocktail/mocktail hour!

What does the future of Lockdown Liquor look like in 2023 and beyond?

Our core aim for the brand is to make premium quality cocktails accessible to everyone. We're working really closely with trade customers in maximising their offerings, improving efficiency, and opening new revenue streams, it's a real focus after what the hospitality industry has been through over the last few years. We'll be doing this without compromising on the quality and removing the negative stigma that has been associated with premixed cocktails previously. Lockdown Liquor has always looked to challenge the industry and category which we continue to strive to do with new products and offerings in 2023 and beyond.