Award-winning wine merchant Lay and Wheeler soon to celebrate 150 years in the business believes in moving with the times.

Fresh from success in this year's independent Which? awards, when the firm was named best mail order merchant of the year, the company has announced other developments

Manager of the wine centre in Gosbecks Park, Colchester, Richard Brooks, said a new concept in corporate hospitality and private entertaining with wine-themed events, have proved a huge success as well as the popular tastings and dinners held in the cool tasting cellar at the centre.

"This is an exciting time at the wine centre. Our new focus on event hospitality is finding approval in the marketplace and people now know we are more than a specialist wine shop.

"We have an ideal space for events, long experience in hosting wine workshops and a team of experienced chefs producing modern, vibrant dishes," he said.

But those who have a passion for wine but feel they would be alienated by lack of knowledge should not be put off.

Mr Brooks is quick to reassure Lay and Wheeler has no time for wine snobbery.

"We have all sorts of people come to our tasting. A love of wine is enough and we can do the," he added.

It is the younger market to which the company is now hoping to appeal with its new range of jazzy wines with names such as Madfish from Western Australia.

Published Tuesday December 18, 2001