London City Bond provides ‘lifeline’ for small suppliers during Covid lockdown

Despite the coronavirus lockdown, warehousing and drinks distribution business London City Bond is remaining operational, providing a “lifeline” for small wine suppliers, according to one UK wholesaler.

The LCB head office in barking

In a message sent to the drinks business last week, Graft Wine Company director Nik Darlington said that the decision by London City Bond (LCB) to stay open “is a lifeline to small wine suppliers”.

According to Darlington, this is because it ensures that businesses such as his own can “continue to trade with customers across the UK who are still able in turn to serve local communities,” he added.

Continuing, he remarked, “Without this vital service, smaller suppliers will be locked out of the market and forced to cease trading. This would leave the market clear for larger suppliers who have the benefit of their own warehouse or distribution network, and thus reduce choice and diversity of supply for businesses and customers around the country.”

Finally, he commented, “LCB should be applauded both for taking necessary precautions to protect staff and their families, and for their determination to continue this essential service for small suppliers and their customers.”

While LCB is still delivering nationwide, it is offering a reduced service, and please see below for the statement sent by LCB to all their customers last week, which outlines its strategy for suppling the trade while protecting its staff during the Covid-19 pandemic.

LCB’s Vinothèque is a 19th century Grade II listed building that was originally constructed as a maltings for a brewery, and is now used to store fine wine in bond

As you will be well aware, the entire country is going through a time of unprecedented struggle and uncertainty which is affecting all aspects of our lives in varying ways and to different degrees of disruption.
 
LCB, as a business, is proud of the service and support we provide to our customers and have strived to offer an unrivalled platform for all businesses who rely upon, and trust us, to manage their storage and distribution requirements.

However, the time has come for us to put our staff, their families and our own business at the forefront of our thinking, and we will for the first time in our 30 plus years history, introduce a reduction in the level of service we offer in order to allow this to happen.
 
From Monday 30 March 2020, we will be introducing a revised delivery service from our warehouses to all postcodes in England & Wales which will no longer be able to offer a guaranteed day for delivery.

Clearly, however, our intention will remain to get this to your customers as soon as practical.
With regard to deliveries outside the London area, we need to ensure that there is sufficient volume to make our trunking arrangements viable and as a result it is intended to send less trunk vehicles to our remote transport hubs. These revised trunking arrangements will by the very nature of the change, bring about a delay in order fulfilment.



Our local drivers will continue to use their E-Pods to ensure deliveries can continue to be tracked. To promote customer safety, and adhere to Government guidelines, customers will have an option as to whether or not they sign the device, and in situations whereby they decline to do so, our driver will deliver the goods and then take a photograph of these which will be uploaded to our system as your proof of delivery. A paper copy will also be left with your customer.

Should any of your customers be unhappy with theses revised arrangements, then do please let us know.
 
We are in the process of identifying a core number of ‘super users’ who will shortly commence working from home with a view to maintaining our supply chain open and ready for business. A list of main contacts will be circulated in due course, along with the escalation route to be followed in the event of any difficulties, all of which will be overseen by the directors of the company.



From a warehousing perspective it is very much business as usual – albeit we will continue to receive and despatch stock with a reduced number of staff. This is necessary to allow support for staff who may have to self-isolate or other circumstances whereby they need to support their own family.

However, the overall objective is to maintain the sustainability of our business for the future.
 
We will review the situation on a regular basis and let you know when we hope to resume a normal service.



Finally, we would like to thank you in advance for both your understanding, and cooperation, in working together to see us through these difficult and challenging times. Your resilience is greatly appreciated by the entire team at LCB.