Oxford Wine Company opens second wine café

The Oxford Wine Company is set to open its second wine café in Oxford next month.

Situated in Jericho on the corner of Little Clarendon Street and Walton Street, the new café is expected to attract a younger, trendier demographic than its existing Summertown café, which is located in an affluent area of north Oxford.

The two areas – and the two site – are very different, owner and MD Ted Sandbach said.

“Our expectations are very high as it is such a busy area – there is huge footfall compared to our Summertown café, which is more of a destination.”

The café was originally three separate retail units, but the company was granted permission to change use to create the café. It will offer the same selection of wines, light bites and cold sharing platters as its sister café and will be managed by Ted’s son, George Sandbach.

“It was off the beaten track for retail, but it is in the heart of where people spend money at the weekends,” Sandbach said.

Around 150 wines will be available to purchase by the bottle, with 22 of them available by the glass, and it will be open between 8am and 11pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 9am at the weekend.

It was, he said, a logical move for the company following the success of its Summertown café. “The move balances our portfolio with retail, wholesale and on trade and there is a great deal of synergy between all three operations as well as enhancing our name and presence in the centre of Oxford,” he said.

The Oxford Wine Company’s wholesale business accounts for around 70% of the business, with 30% retail across its three stores in Cirencester, Witney and Oxford.

Although the two cafés are an extension of the Oxford Wine Company’s, they are being run as separate businesses. The fist café was opened in spring of 2013.