Oddbins
Encyclopedia
Oddbins is a United Kingdom-based wine
and alcohol retail chain, established in 1963 by Ahmed Pochee.
was asked by then marketing director, Gordon Kerr, to produce 10 drawings similar in style to his illustrations for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Steadman continued working for Oddbins for the next 12 years.
In the late 1980s, Oddbins experienced financial troubles, due to the levels of debt within the business, and was acquired by US drinks distributor Seagram
. During this period, the height of the business, it was largely permitted to develop with autonomy, albeit with incentive to strongly promote the Seagram brands.
It built up from 100 to 278 locations and was regarded as the favourite of a generation of wine drinkers. It was during this period that character Patsy Stone (played by Joanna Lumley
) of Absolutely Fabulous
fictionally lived in the storeroom of an Oddbins off licence in London.
Sold to French Groupe Castel, who also own the Nicolas
chain, from 2002 until August 2008. It was then bought by the son of Nick Baile, Simon. Oddbins operated 158 stores in the UK, including 20 in the capital, 4 in Ireland and one in Calais
, France.
In early 2011 Oddbins closed a third of its branches, taking the number open to under 100, and proposed to enter a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). In April 2011 Oddbins went into administration, following the breakdown of talks over the CVA after objections from HMRC, which is owed nearly half of the chains' total debt of £20 million. On 26 April, Whittalls Wine Merchants, part of Raj Chatha's European Food Brokers (EFB) Group, bought 37 of the shops from the Administrators in a move that saved 200 jobs. and acquired the exclusive rights to the name. The remaining 48 shops were closed by the Administrators.
In mid-2011, Oddbins radically changed their pricing strategy to move away from deep case discounts to offer customers a better price on individual bottles. In addition, Head of Buying Emma Nichols overhauled their range.
On 19 October 2011, the new owners officially relaunched Oddbins
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
and alcohol retail chain, established in 1963 by Ahmed Pochee.
History
In 1963, entrepreneur Ahmed Pochee starts up a small business delivering bin-ends and oddments of wine to the restaurants and clubs of London's West End. Ten years later, in 1973, Nick Baile and Dennis Ing bought the company, but it was not until the early 1980s that the company discovered its distinctive style when Ralph SteadmanRalph Steadman
Ralph Steadman is a British cartoonist and caricaturist who is perhaps best known for his work with American author Hunter S. Thompson.-Personal life:Steadman was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, and brought up in Towyn, North Wales...
was asked by then marketing director, Gordon Kerr, to produce 10 drawings similar in style to his illustrations for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Steadman continued working for Oddbins for the next 12 years.
In the late 1980s, Oddbins experienced financial troubles, due to the levels of debt within the business, and was acquired by US drinks distributor Seagram
Seagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. was a large corporation headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that was the largest distiller of alcoholic beverages in the world. Toward the end of its independent existence it also controlled various entertainment and other business ventures...
. During this period, the height of the business, it was largely permitted to develop with autonomy, albeit with incentive to strongly promote the Seagram brands.
It built up from 100 to 278 locations and was regarded as the favourite of a generation of wine drinkers. It was during this period that character Patsy Stone (played by Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lamond Lumley, OBE, FRGS is a British actress, voice-over artist, former-model and author, best known for her roles in British television series Absolutely Fabulous portraying Edina Monsoon's best friend, Patsy Stone, as well as parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Sensitive...
) of Absolutely Fabulous
Absolutely Fabulous
Absolutely Fabulous, also known as Ab Fab, is a British sitcom created by Jennifer Saunders, based on an original idea by her and Dawn French, and written by Saunders, who plays the leading character. It also stars Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha, along with June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks...
fictionally lived in the storeroom of an Oddbins off licence in London.
Sold to French Groupe Castel, who also own the Nicolas
Nicolas
Nicolas may refer to:* Nicolas * Nicolas , a French chain of wine retailers* Le petit Nicolas, a series of children's books by René Goscinny* Adolfo Nicolás, the current Superior General of the Society of Jesus...
chain, from 2002 until August 2008. It was then bought by the son of Nick Baile, Simon. Oddbins operated 158 stores in the UK, including 20 in the capital, 4 in Ireland and one in Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
, France.
In early 2011 Oddbins closed a third of its branches, taking the number open to under 100, and proposed to enter a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). In April 2011 Oddbins went into administration, following the breakdown of talks over the CVA after objections from HMRC, which is owed nearly half of the chains' total debt of £20 million. On 26 April, Whittalls Wine Merchants, part of Raj Chatha's European Food Brokers (EFB) Group, bought 37 of the shops from the Administrators in a move that saved 200 jobs. and acquired the exclusive rights to the name. The remaining 48 shops were closed by the Administrators.
Present
Based in Wandsworth, London under the leadership of Managing Director Ayo Akintola, Oddbins currently operates 37 branches with 19 in London and 10 in Scotland with the remainder split across the rest of England. They operate a trade arm, Oddbins Wholesale, which supplies restaurants, pubs, bars and other businesses throughout the UK.In mid-2011, Oddbins radically changed their pricing strategy to move away from deep case discounts to offer customers a better price on individual bottles. In addition, Head of Buying Emma Nichols overhauled their range.
On 19 October 2011, the new owners officially relaunched Oddbins