Paul’s Excited of Tunbridge Wells

Paul Adams at Fine Wines of Mayfield has opened a second shop, in Tunbridge Wells.

In addition to relocating his Enomatics to the new shop, he is also planning lots of tastings for the year ahead.

“We stopped using [the Enomatics] in the Mayfield shop,” Adams says. “The footfall was so light, but there’s no doubt that they are a great tool.

“Given the footfall we’re already getting at Tunbridge Wells, we will have a rolling programme of mostly local producers,” he adds.

“We’re sitting on the Kent-Sussex border so we’ve already had Gusbourne in here and we’ve got Nyetimber and Rathfinny lined up for early summer.

“There are local cidermakers and a plethora of distillers around the place. We’ll have some international winemakers in as well, and this will all be backed up with the Enomatics.”

Adams accepts that “it’s an interesting and challenging time” to be expanding. But it’s something he’s always intended to do, and he says the “potential within Tunbridge Wells is very good for a wine merchant”.

He adds: “It’s a good catchment area. Everybody needs a good wine merchant and, while people buy online, the idea that you can pop in and pick up a special bottle, among a whole range of other things, I think is still a very strong retail proposition.”

• Doxi, a Norfolk-based producer of bottled cocktails, has submitted plans for a shop at Hellesdon Barns in Norwich. If approved, the premises would sell cocktails, wine and craft beer for off-site consumption. Doxi currently runs an evening bar at a coffee shop.