Richard Siddle: hope after First Quench fall
From the ashes of First Quench there are signs of some life after all. Following on the heels of the news that Wine Rack was going to be salvaged - albeit only 14 stores - comes the announcement that an English vineyard has come to the rescue of another 14 Wine Rack and Thresher stores.
From the ashes of First Quench there are signs of some life after all. Following on the heels of the news that Wine Rack was going to be salvaged - albeit only 14 stores - comes the announcement that an English vineyard has come to the rescue of another 14 Wine Rack and Thresher stores.
When we forecast that the demise of First Quench could result in new players coming into the specialist off-licence sector, an English vineyard was not, to be fair, part of our thinking. But it is a welcome, if surprising, turn of events and demonstrates again there is no shortage of entrepreneurial spirit in the drinks industry.
Sadly these acts of mercy are few and far between for the bulk of the First Quench estate and thousands of staff now face a Christmas out of work. There is also now the ridiculous situation whereby some suppliers are having to pay £10 a case to get back any of their unsold, and in most cases unpaid for wine that is hanging around First Quench's warehouses.
It demonstrates the bizarre set of events the collapse of First Quench has set in motion. Total chaos and confusion at one end of the spectrum, hope and excitement at the other. Whilst the fact the administrators has seen fit to allow the Wine Rack name to continue with only 14 stores has left many in the sector bemused, it does mean a household retail name stands the chance of a new life.
But what is clear is whoever takes on whatever dying embers of First Quench that they can is going to need the help and support of the UK wine trade. It potentially offers new opportunities for our troubled wine agency network to not only find new homes for their wines, but arguably more importantly provide the practical support to make these new ventures work.
It was noticeable how much interest there was around the sector, by those who were and were not present at last week's managers meeting of the new look Wine Rack.
Hope, as they say, springs eternal and jumping on any good news story gives a boost to us all.
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