Cambridge Wine's Hal Wilson urges independents to lobby their MP for duty cut

Following yesterday's call by Harpers to independent wine merchants to play their part in the industry wide campaign to convince the Chancellor to issue a duty cut on wine and spirits in his March Budget, leading independent Hal Wilson of Cambridge Wine Merchants today explains why he has personally lobbied his local MP, the Liberal Democrat Julian Huppert, and urges other merchants to do the same.

Action Week 2: Call to indies to lobby local MP and media for a Drop in Duty

Harpers is today calling on independent wine merchants across the UK to lobby both their MP and local media to back the Drop the Duty campaign and help raise the profile of their business on this key business issue.

Chief of the Week: Orson Welles - trying to promote Amercian "Champagne"

Today we remember the late, great Orson Welles famous not only for his pioneering work as a film director, but also for his ability to shift (and drink) so much alcohol during his career. Yes, who can forget his booming voice overs for all those Carlsberg TV commercials and the great "Carlsberg. Probabaly the best lager in the world" punchlline.

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Chris Dee takes helm at Booths after 20 years with northern retailer

Chris Dee, who started his career at Booths as a wine and spirits director, has been promoted to the new position of chief executive officer after 20 years with the company.

10 Top Tips for suppliers on how to work better with independent wine merchants

Tim Carlisle, consultant and formerly of wine merchant businesses, Slurp and SH Jones, offers 10 Tips to suppliers on how they could work more effectively with independent wine merchants as part of Harpers' ongoing March for the Independents campaign.

Richard Siddle: why Tesco's product cull will impact everyone in the trade

Here are a few questions for you? Do you work with any of the major supermarkets? If so do you ever take a close look at what is happening in any other aisle of the store other than wine and spirits?  I mean do you assess how a particular category like confectionery, health and beauty or crisps and snacks is merchandised?  How many suppliers in that fixture that retailer works with? What sort of promotions they are running? If you don't then you need to.

Tesco calls on wine suppliers for added payments as Grocery Code Adjudicator starts inquiry

In the last 24 hours Tesco has issued two separate requests for wine suppliers to pay effectively the same additional payment for increased sales volumes they have received for their products following its recent product cull.

Glenrothes releases a 1968 edition to its Extraordinary Cask Collection

Berry Bros & Rudd has unearthed another rare single cask it is releasing to become the third editon in its Extradordinary Cask Collection series.

Oliver Zhou on the likely impact of Coravin's launch in China

I am sure as an industry professional, you have heard quite a bit about Coravin. Yes, I am talking about that state-of-art, revolutionary device that can draw the wine out of a bottle without pulling out the cork while replacing the missing wine with Argon gas. The Coravin system has been adopted by many top-notch restaurant and celebrity sommeliers around the globe and it has significantly changed many high-end venues' wine by-the-glass offer.

12 ways indies can work better with suppliers says Les Grands Chais de France

A growing list of major wine suppliers and producers are now seriously looking to work closer and more effectively with independent wine merchants. Here Tim North, UK director for Les Grands Chais de France, one of the largest French wine producers with estates in all the main wine growing regions, offers his advice to merchants on how to buy and then market and sell their wines. Les Grands Chais de France is one of the partner suppliers behind the March for the Independents campaign.

Great Western Wine reports strong 2014 sales helped by surge in Christmas trading

Great Western Wine has reported strong 2014 sales up 14% on the previous year with a particularly strong Christmas trading period where it increased sales by 25% year-on-year.

Simon Woods assesses how far Kingsland has gone with its independents and on-trade range

Already one of the largest bottlers of bulk wine in the UK, Manchester-based Kingsland is now looking to reposition itself as a one-stop shop for both the on-and off-trade. Recent tastings in London and Manchester provided a chance to see how the range stacks up.

10 tips for merchants to improve buying and selling skills for March for the Independents

As part of Harpers ongoing March for the Independents campaign Angela Mount, former head wine buyer for Somerfield and now retail and management consultant for the wine trade, offers her Top 10 tips on how she thinks independent wine merchants can improve their buying and selling skills.

The Benevolent offers magic, music and dancing at its March Ball

The Benevolent is encouraging the drinks trade to reward well performing staff with a night out at the industry charity's ball at London's Dorchester hotel on March 12.

More singers announced and Skin Côntact's Alex Hunt reveals all he knows - and likes - about music

If the thought of wine legends Joe Wadsack and Charles Metcalfe singing along to the sounds of the wine trade's very own rock band Skin Côntact, was not enough to get you to their one off gig on March 9 at London's Vinopolis, then four more singers have just been added to the line up. 

Merchants urged to get suppliers to sign Best Practice Guidelines for March for Independents

Today Harpers is calling on independent wine merchants across the country to help get their suppliers fully behind the sector by signing up to Harpers' Best Practice Guidelines,  set up to try and ensure relations between independents and suppliers are as effective as possible.

Peter Shakeshaft: what impact a weaker euro will have on the fine wine investment market

Markets are adjusting to the commencement of a large programme of quantitive easing from the European Central Bank announced on January 22 January, and assimilating the impact of a sweeping left wing victory in Greek elections and the potential for the long discussed "Grexit" from the euro.

Action Week 1 - Getting the most out of your suppliers

Harpers March for the Independents campaign kicks off with retailer survey

Today marks the official start of Harpers March for the Independents campaign which over the next month will put the spotlight firmly on the needs and trading issues facing independent wine merchants.