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The Evolution of Female Bartenders: A Historical Perspective

  • Writer: Amy Whatmough
    Amy Whatmough
  • Sep 23
  • 10 min read

Updated: Oct 6

What Does a Bartender Do?


As the summer turns to autumn, sunny pub gardens and rooftop bars filled with drinkers fizzle out. I find myself reflecting on my friends in the hospitality industry, pondering the question, "What does a bartender do?" A more intriguing proposition, however, is "What did bartenders do?" The roles of bartenders, particularly female bartenders, have significantly influenced economics, civil rights, and social norms in both American and British contexts. In this article, I aim to unpack the role of female bartenders in the economics of the past and present, using London and New York as case studies. I will conclude by discussing the modern bar scene and the increasing appeal of alcohol to women.


A Personal Journey into Bartending


Having worked as a bartender for over five years, I have a personal interest in the origins of drinks, their influences, and the trending bars that shape our social experiences. Initially, I believed that female bartenders were a minority in the hospitality sector—a fluctuating statistic depending on the country and type of establishment. Research proved challenging, as I struggled to find reliable statistics on the percentage of female bartenders. However, the data I did uncover suggested a near 50/50 gender split in both the USA and UK (Martin, 2025). As of 2023, the total number of employees in pubs and bars reached approximately 470,000, an increase from 460,000 in 2019 (Statista, 2024). So, is bartending still a male-dominated profession? While stereotypes persist, the reality is more nuanced. Historically, women were integral to bars, taverns, and inns, often serving in front-of-house roles. Landladies and barmaids were essential to the functioning of respectable establishments (Powers, 1995). Yet, as the decades progressed, fewer women found employment in the hospitality workforce. When and why did this seemingly favourable occupation change?


The Impact of Prohibition


One significant turning point in both economic and domestic spheres was Prohibition in the USA during the 1920s and 30s. The United States faced heavy economic losses and a surge in illicit alcohol smuggling (Sutcliffe, 2025), affecting both men and women across various sectors, not just hospitality. As the USA modernised, larger cities like New York began to scrutinise the "virtue" and "respectability" of women in the workforce. This topic is explored in Diane Kirby's 1997 article, Barmaids: A History of Women’s Work in Pubs. After World War I, returning men reclaimed jobs that women had filled during their absence, including positions in traditional male drinking establishments. This shift led to laws in multiple states that barred women from entering bars. Women had bolstered the wartime economy only to be sidelined once the war concluded.


Despite the lack of a nationwide law prohibiting women from working as bartenders and barmaids, individual states and cities enacted their own regulations. According to these laws, no respectable woman should be found in places where alcohol was served (Kirby, 1997), lest she be deemed indecent and suffer reputational damage. Women could drink privately or at parties, provided they were chaperoned by a man. Establishments that employed women faced legal repercussions and economic losses, as male patrons expressed their displeasure (Powers, 1995). The Hotel and Restaurant Employers and Bartenders International Union (HREI), formed in 1890, imposed strict regulations against women in the industry (Powers, 1995). However, female membership in the union grew from 2,000 in 1908 to 181,000 by 1950, indicating a clear trend towards the feminisation of the hospitality industry. Despite this rise in female membership, campaigns against women in bars emerged after World War II in the USA, targeting those soliciting drinks from men. Known as "b-girls" or "bargirls," they were branded as sleazy and immoral (Sholtis, 2020), often compared to prostitutes. This stigma effectively socially banned women from drinking publicly in some states.


The Changing Landscape Post-Prohibition


After Prohibition ended in 1933, by 1948, 17 US states still had laws forbidding women from bartending. By 1960, this number had grown to 26 (Silverman, 2025). Yet, women remained the predominant customers when ordering cocktails in states where they were permitted entry into bars. Female-only spaces occasionally existed within bars or pubs, and even hotels had designated Ladies' rooms and tables. The women who frequented these establishments were often the mothers, sisters, daughters, or wives of men who worked or owned them. Meanwhile, men continued to drink ales and hard liquors, both illegally during Prohibition and afterwards.


In the United Kingdom, the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act preceded the Equality Act of 2010, initiating the dismantling of outdated and sexist laws. While there were no laws outright prohibiting women from entering bars or pubs, it remained socially acceptable to refuse service to women until a 1982 London court case ruled this practice as an infringement of rights (Kirby, 1997). This legal loophole stemmed from the perception that bars and pubs were traditionally male spaces, and women would not desire entry. However, the reality was that bars and pubs were losing male customers, leading me to believe that women indeed influenced economics and alcohol sales. For instance, from 1900 to 1933 in the USA, drink orders shifted from straight liquor to mixed drinks, as I will elaborate on in the following sections. Women’s movements, such as the UK’s Suffragettes, began to advocate for equal rights, resulting in an increase in female patrons in bars (Sholtis, 2020) as a form of protest.


The Role of Women in Shaping Cocktail Culture


The influences of changing alcoholic consumption patterns, including available spirits, trends, and economic positioning in society, fundamentally altered how women (and men) ordered drinks in bars. One influential figure in this transformation is bartender Ada Coleman, affectionately known as "Coley" (1875-1966). She became the first female Head Bartender at the American Bar in The Savoy Hotel in London in 1903 (Sutcliffe, 2025). Born in 1875, she began her professional bartending career at the age of 24 in London’s Claridges Hotel before quickly rising to work at The Savoy alongside another female bartender, Ruth "Kitty" Burgess. Ada became renowned for her eccentric personality, innovative drinks, and impeccable service. Many bartenders credit her with trailblazing and creating classic cocktail recipes. She is best known for crafting the ‘Hanky Panky’ cocktail for actor Sir Charles Hawtrey, who requested a surprise drink (Sutcliffe, 2025). This cocktail, a delightful mix of gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca, is a variation of a sweet martini known as a Martinez. The Hanky Panky was a major success and remains a staple at The Savoy today. Ada served there for 23 years before retiring as the highly respected Ladies Cloakroom attendant in her mid-60s.


A white woman pours a drink from a cocktail shaker into a glass.
Ada ‘Coley’ Coleman pictured in 1920 at The Savoy (Wikipedia, 2025)

As previously mentioned, women significantly influenced economics through alcohol sales, as drink demands evolved after Prohibition. The barmaids and bartenders who navigated these changes are described as "legends" by Kirby, capable of making or breaking the trade. The commercialisation of women’s spaces also drove up the demand for drinks and leisure venues, yet much scholarship surrounding these topics tends to overlook this impact. When women popularised cocktails and transformed bars into spaces of leisure in both the USA and UK, it coincided with the economic freedom they gained in the workforce (Kirby, 1997). Consequently, women could advocate for their right to drink in public bars, as they represented a growing clientele. The new cocktail culture not only generated revenue but also fostered creativity in bars after Prohibition ended (Sutcliffe, 2025) and, in the UK, before, during, and after World War Two. Women ventured into movie theatres, drive-throughs, amusement parks, dance halls, and hotels, challenging traditional societal norms. This shift unsettled many men in power, as women gained both freedom and disposable income.


The Modern Bar Scene: A New Era


Connecting alcohol to women’s liberation is explored in detail in Elizabeth Sholtis’ 2020 article, Shaking Things Up: The Influence of Women on the American Cocktail. This piece examines drink orders and classic recipes that women popularised or invented. Sholtis begins with the aftermath of Prohibition. Prior to this period, cocktails featured fewer and simpler ingredients. However, once alcohol became readily available again, bars needed to entice customers back with flair. Some women ordered hard spirits, just like men, opting for rum, brandy, whisky, gin fizzes, and Old Fashioneds—the latter being a traditional male drink. Yet, many women preferred to dilute their drinks, using egg white and sugar syrup, known as a ‘Flip’. This concoction is akin to a modern-day ‘Sour cocktail’, which typically includes citrus juices. When hosting parties, women would often prepare a punch recipe: a mix of water, citrus, sugar, liquor, and nutmeg. This approach catered to female tastes, prompting the economy to respond with bars and hotel bars adding these drinks to their menus. This adaptation led to increased revenue for these establishments, as more customers spent time and money within their walls.


Gin emerged as a common ingredient in new cocktails because it could be easily mixed with water or fruit juices (Sholtis, 2020). This versatility gave rise to one of my favourite cocktails, The Bees Knees. Attributed to The Ritz in Paris during the 1920s, it has its origins in Prohibition. The Bees Knees consists of lemon juice, gin, honey, and sometimes egg white. Like the ‘Flip’, it avoids the harsher taste of pure gin, appealing to many women’s palates with its floral sweetness. Other cocktails in this vein include variations like ‘The Last Word’, the ‘French 75’ with champagne, and the classic martini with vermouth. The images below are from my previous workplace, The Castle Hotel, where I was involved in creating and photographing these drinks, circa Christmas 2024 and March 2025.



Over time, I have learned that family ventures and businesses involving women in taverns or inns became self-sustaining professions before being made illegal. Bartending is a relatively recent profession, gaining recognition over the last century alongside advancements in unions, such as the HREI. Social conventions and laws have evolved, including a new zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment in the workplace. This evolution has forced bartending and drinking cultures to adapt, as discussed throughout this article.


As we enter the 21st century, a new drinking culture emerges, drawing inspiration from remnants of the past scattered throughout pubs and classic hotels. I find great enjoyment in the London nightlife; trends are constantly emerging, creating a dynamic evening out. From 2023 onwards, we have witnessed a rise in intimate spaces, smaller music venues featuring themed drinks, and bars inspired by popular culture, such as those themed around Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Additionally, we see popular themed bars like Art Deco speakeasies, dungeons, retro discos, or tropical rooftops (O’Neill, 2025). Mixology is gaining popularity, with conceptual experiences for handcrafted cocktails (O’Neill, 2025). Late-night venues remain a favourite among young adults in the workforce. Overall, in London, going out to bars has transformed into a meaningful, intimate event rather than a casual hangout. In contrast, New York City adopts a more casual approach to engage customers, with business owners excelling at managing casual food spots alongside quality drinks, emphasising the "clubstaurant" concept. Wellness, social interaction, and mental health have become central to emerging trends in the Big Apple (Kumamoto, 2025). The flashy venues, glamour, and excessive alcohol consumption have seemingly taken a backseat. Notably, New York City hosts female-only bartender competitions like "Speed Rack," where many up-and-coming bartenders showcasing innovation are women (Archibald, 2024). Nevertheless, traditional pubs, clubs, and popular bars continue to thrive despite the rise of gimmicky trends.


Both cities boast fantastic drinks and quality food, focusing on customer experience and branding in recent trends. I believe these bars and clubs appeal more to women than men, as they offer fewer legal constraints, safer spaces, and a wider array of drink choices, including themed or mixed cocktails rather than just hard liquor, beer, or wine (Kumamoto, 2025). Female bartenders are influential in the New York City bar scene, notably establishing some of the city's most exclusive cocktail bars, such as Clover Club, Temple Bar, and Leyenda (Archibald, 2024). In my view, this grants female bartenders greater freedom and creative space. I also believe that women are more drawn to bars where other women are visible—both as employees and patrons. This observation has been evident throughout my article, highlighting that women are essential customers who contribute to the profits of establishments and the local economy.


We have witnessed the upward mobility of women in bars and as bartenders, thanks to their influence on consumer patterns. More women are choosing to defy historical social values and drink in public. Alcohol, bars, and pubs hold significant cultural and economic value, and I believe this will remain constant, even amid demographic changes. We have seen consumers and alcohol foster diversity and creativity in the workplace, prompting changes to 20th-century laws in America, especially (Sutcliffe, 2025). Cocktails, in my opinion, were among the fastest-growing drink items between the 1930s and 2000s due to their appeal and marketing as a "woman's drink," leading to a behaviour where women dominated that specific market. As explored in Kirby and Sholtis’s articles, diverse drink orders from new female patrons have resulted in significant economic success for bars and pubs, with many classic drinks, like Ada Coleman’s Hanky Panky, being invented. Currently, the demand for new bars, spaces, and events remains unwavering across all gender demographics. Both London and New York City showcase talent in curating these venues, catering to women and fostering innovation, offering fresh perspectives on the overall drinking culture. We must not forget that today’s cocktail culture was propelled to the forefront by women who simply wanted a drink.



Sources

Archibald, A. (2024). Meet 6 “Spirited” Women Who Are Changing NYC’s Cocktail Scene. online] NYC Tourism+Conventions. Available at: [https://www.nyctourism.com/articles/meet-the-women-changing-nyc-cocktail-scene/ [Accessed 28 Jul. 2025]


Kirby, D. (1997). Barmaids: A history of women’s work in pubs. online] Academia. Available at: [https://www.academia.edu/97374044/Barmaids_A_History_of_Womens_Work_in_Pubs [Accessed 19 Jun. 2025]




Holtman French, A. (2021). How Women Fought for the Right to be Bartenders. online] Available at: [https://daily.jstor.org/how-women-fought-for-the-right-to-be-bartenders [Accessed 6 May 2025]


Sholtis, E. (2020). Shaking Things Up: The Influence Of Women On The American Cocktail. online] Virginia Tech Undergraduate Historical Review. Available at: [https://vtuhr.org/articles/10.21061/vtuhr.v9i0.4 [Accessed 18 Jun. 2025]


Silverman, S. (2025). Female Bartenders Barred (1937). online] Available at: [https://uselessinformation.org/female-bartenders-barred-1937 [Accessed 11 Jun. 2025]



Statista (2024). Number of employees in pubs and bars in the United Kingdom. online] Statista Research Development. Available at: [https://www.statista.com/statistics/1118453/employment-in-pubs-and-bars-uk/#statisticContainer [Accessed 3 Jun. 2025]


Martin, D. (2025). Exploring The Demographics of Bartending: Are Most Bartenders Female? online] TheBlog Journal. Available at: [https://theblogjournal.com/are-most-bartenders-female [Accessed 3 Jun. 2025]


Kumamoto, I. (2025). Out Late: What insiders and partygoers are predicting for NYC nightlife in 2025 online] TimeOut. Available at: [https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/out-late-what-insiders-and-partygoers-are-predicting-for-nyc-nightlife-in-2025-022525 [Accessed 4 Jun. 2025]




Images:

Wikipedia (2025). Ada Coleman online] Available at: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Coleman [Accessed 21 Sept 2025]


Acknowledgments:

HERstory Project

The Castle Hotel, Taunton

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