Booze cruises on the increase
Licensees continue to see customers walk out the door in favour of booze cruises to Calais.
In the build up to Christmas people are skipping across the channel to stock up on drink, with Majestic Wine announcing that French sales are up by 2.8 per cent in the last year.
Despite reports that less people are visiting France in general, Majestic Wine's French connection is strengthening and much of the credit has been given to a web site that allows customers to pre-order.
At www.wineandbeer.co.uk, Majestic Wine has listings of all the products on sale and by pre-ordering visitors can simply walk to the door in Calais where it is ready and waiting.
John Apthorop, chairman at Majestic Wine said: "The increase of 2.8 per cent was a good performance given the fall in the number of UK shoppers visiting the French Channel ports. Pre-ordering before travelling before travelling using the on-line service now accounts for 16 per cent of sales."
The issue of cross-channel alcohol sales hit headlines recently after the European Commission forced the government to climb down over tough sentences on those bringing cheap booze into the UK.
And the latest figures from Majestic Wine suggest that the problem is growing.
Garry Rye, licensee at the White Horse in Dover, Kent, said: "We'll definitely lose custom this Christmas but if I want wine for myself I'd go over the Calais, it's a lot cheaper over there. We can't blame them for selling it, it's up to our government to lower taxes and allow us to compete here.
"I can't compete with the prices in France but then I can't compete with the prices in supermarkets in this country, customers will be as easily lost to the trade through Sainsbury's promotions."
The debate over the cost of beer in other parts of Europe compared to the UK has been raging for a number of years. But Kent brewer Shepherd Neame has been among the interested parties and chief executive Jonathan Neame believes numbers are falling.
"We are concerned that the recent government decision could stimulate the market," Mr Neame. "However, there is no evidence of a widespread trend of increasing cross-channel sales, indeed P&O have recently laid people off and our own business continues to perform strongly. Of course, if it were to become so, it would be of concern."
