‘Now is a good time to be a wine drinker in the UK'

Bobby’s of Bournemouth is back! This fine institution first opened its doors in 1915 and now, after nigh-on 50 years of being a Debenhams, it returns with a modern twist.

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Big department stores no longer being in vogue, the plan is for a host of different retail outlets and experiences, from ice cream and coffee parlors to a microbrewery, smokery, market hall – even (get this) a pop-up food hall for dogs.

Ashley Nicholson, who’s developing Bobby’s, is quoted in The Guardian as saying that the idea is to create not a shop but a ‘destination’.

In the preface to this year’s Decanter Retailer Awards coverage (see p44), I’m quoted as saying that Covid-19 has changed wine retailing forever. The challenges of the pandemic and associated lockdowns were significant – but this has also been a time of opportunity.

Online was the big one. Those wine retailers that had (or swiftly developed) efficient online operations – often in tandem with a nimble ‘click & collect’ set-up – did well. Virtual wine events thronged the ether, entertaining bored punters and further driving sales.