‘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.

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.

Entries in this year’s Online Retailer and Virtual Wine Experience categories were more numerous and competitive than ever, a testament to an almighty pivot by the wine trade. The supermarket category used to be the most exciting and contentious to judge in this competition – now it’s a far bigger picture, and much better for it.