My pal who has a T concession has this morning e-mailed a few of us advising of a massive sale over the next few days and suggests that we hurry. Your local may be the same.

Quote from your link:
Some 86 of the stores are franchises, with independent management, which have not fallen into administration

Ba, Your friend runs a franchise store, therefore, is there a financial reason why he and the other 85 shops have to flog distress stock for cash to pay the wages and expenses of First Quench Plc. Is the stock held by the franchised business, on Sale or Return to Franchisees ?

Could be interesting, as KPMG could demand the return of "untitled" stock (reservation of title) from Franchisees. Majestic could or may decide to pick-up the fine wines in a job lot offer for cashflow on slow moving lines ?

Keep us posted if you hear anymore . It could be that only the bulky dross is cleared from non franchised stores.

The position of your friend's business is quite interesting technically, as
well as the possibilty for a good buy.

Link: http://www.winerack.co.uk/current-offers.aspx

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Duncan

I’m not convinced that the '3 for 2' pricing policy was/is such a good idea. The inflated cost of single bottle purchases puts people off, it did for me.

There was very little on Threshers shelves that I wanted three of, or would risk taking three of to try because I begrudged paying the inflated single bottle price. Hence, no sale.

The Victoria Wine in Lichfield closed down recently.

I looked at the Chanson Vire-Clesse offer in Winerack, they say 50% off at £9.98 was £19.99 no wonder they could not sell it at full retail.
The price for 6 from some merchant offers, vintage 2006 was from £66 - £74. I'd be most interested in the 2008 at less than a tenner, a rather good vintage and Indian Summer in Maconnaise villages, produced excellent chardonnays. Not keepers per se, but lovely flavour they say. Much would depend on the oak treatment by Chanson

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Duncan

I won't miss Thresher. It's pretty much gone already in South Wales. They had two excellent stores one in Mumbles in Swansea and one in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glam.

They were serious competition for the independant fine wine stores in the area. All the rest were just converted Victoria Wine shops and if they were competing with anyone it was Bargain Booze and the Spar.

The 3 for 2 offers went about six months ago leaving behind an array of still over-priced brands and Thresher's Radcliffes range. One of the worst of all the own label ranges.

Although the PF is quite nice and the Spinyback Nelson sb that Bacchus mentioned has just won a gold. I think that was Wine Rack though. That has always been England only.

When, where, how??

Was the branch open today?

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mel

Well, it was yesterday. I did hear of one guy being locked-out by the landlord.

Ba, From what I can gather, that is a nice haul you have there for 70 nicker

I will translate your abbreviations sometime, to see what you got. There is some unusual stuff there. I will try a Wine Rack store in Woodley this week. I'm curious and they had a Saint Emilion satelite that was in Guide Hachette that looked good if 2005. GH only lists the 2005 vintage as a goody. I only want to select a few.

Just now, I'm up to my eye balls in work. So no time for mooching and evaluating the offers

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Duncan

Got off train today and walked past Threshers... well I say Threshers but more like a shelf showroom.

Asked what was going on and said stock had been moved but not due to shut down - I'm not so sure.

Nothing in there on offer tho so I swiftly walked out again

My man told the landlord of the large pub opposite the shop about the offer to start this evening. He bought a load. Then by word of mouth Thresher man was inundated and it even got onto the radio. He had to get staff in and the pub landlord helped out filling shelves (continuously). All three looked done in when I went in about 20.30, and the shop was crowded with students. The shelves were about a third full, and there was nothing left in the warehouse whatsoever. Not a lot left but...

2 x Vicario '08 Soave Classico
1 x Spier Vintage '08 Sel. SB
1 x Sileni '08 Cellar Sel. SB

£7.96 the lot...tee, hee

Ba, you've got a damn good friend there. Fab Prices,

I take it, that you will be up for a late brunch tomorrow

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Duncan

..and he is now bankrupt plus negative equity on his house.. nice...