Closure of wine cafe 'a loss to community'

7:00am Saturday 29th September 2012 in Oxford Photograph of the Author By Emma Harrison, Reporter covering Rose Hill, Littlemore and Iffley. Contact me on 01865 425430

Summertown Wine Cafe Buy this photo » Summertown Wine Cafe

OWNERS of a popular wine bar that has shut down have appointed administrators following a quiet summer of trading.

Summertown Wine Cafe in South Parade closed its doors to customers on Friday last week after seven years and appointed Critchleys in Oxford as administrators.

Valere de Weck, who is a director of the business alongside Rob Malcolm and Stephen Scheeler, told the Oxford Mail the poor economic climate and the wet weather this summer contributed to the closure.

He added: “It is very sad we have had to close.”

The second bar owned by the directors, Finborough Wine Cafe in London, also closed on Friday last week.

According to Companies House the directors’ company Eucalypt Ventures was still active as of yesterday.

Summertown resident and publisher Nicholas Hardyman said: “Everybody is very surprised and very sad.

“It really was a central meeting place in Summertown.

“It was also used during the day by people using their laptops to work.

“It was a great place and it seemed full most of the day and evening. It is a great loss.”

Fran Cundy, owner of Liscious Showroom in South Parade, said: “Having enjoyed it and used it extensively I’m sorry to see it close. They made the best coffee in Oxford.”

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City councillor Stuart McCready said: “It was a very popular place, it always seemed to me to have lots of people in it, so it is very surprising.”

City councillor Jean Fooks added: “We have got a lot of coffee shops but Summertown Wine Cafe was one of the best places to go. It will be much missed.”

Summertown Wine Cafe has 262 likes on its Facebook group, and messages of support were posted.

Michelle Sandra McManus wrote: “Very sorry to hear you’ll be closing down, we loved coming in to the cafe when we were in Oxford, and would always include you in our itinerary when back for a visit. It’s a great loss to the community.”

The wine cafe opened in 2005.

Earlier this month the Oxford Mail reported on a dramatic decline in tourism this summer, with less visitors recorded at the Oxford Visitor Information Centre between May and August.

Comments (9)

12:20pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Geoff Roberts says...

“It was a very popular place, it always seemed to me to have lots of people in it, so it is very surprising.” - City councillor Stuart McCready.

Another councillor who doesn't appear to understand business. I think it's a shame this business has gone but having lots of people in a shop does not mean a business is healthy! If you really are surprised this has happened on the basis of that then I'm concerned that we've got a council full of people who do not have the skills to be councillors.
“It was a very popular place, it always seemed to me to have lots of people in it, so it is very surprising.” - City councillor Stuart McCready. Another councillor who doesn't appear to understand business. I think it's a shame this business has gone but having lots of people in a shop does not mean a business is healthy! If you really are surprised this has happened on the basis of that then I'm concerned that we've got a council full of people who do not have the skills to be councillors. Geoff Roberts

12:43pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Andrew:Oxford says...

A business goes into Admin the day before the quarterly rents are payable...

How unusual!

(The Accounts were due as at 30th September too)
A business goes into Admin the day before the quarterly rents are payable... How unusual! (The Accounts were due as at 30th September too) Andrew:Oxford

6:06pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Myron Blatz says...

Surely an opening here for a 'Waitrose Local' branch to serve all those grossly wealthy people in Summertown?
Surely an opening here for a 'Waitrose Local' branch to serve all those grossly wealthy people in Summertown? Myron Blatz

1:41am Sun 30 Sep 12

paul from Kennington says...

Everytime I visited it seemed full enough of people drinking and not just standing around, it wasn't cheap but a great place with a good atmosphere, shame there really is not another place like it.
Everytime I visited it seemed full enough of people drinking and not just standing around, it wasn't cheap but a great place with a good atmosphere, shame there really is not another place like it. paul from Kennington

10:43am Sun 30 Sep 12

Tom Cranmer says...

Geoff Roberts wrote:
“It was a very popular place, it always seemed to me to have lots of people in it, so it is very surprising.” - City councillor Stuart McCready. Another councillor who doesn't appear to understand business. I think it's a shame this business has gone but having lots of people in a shop does not mean a business is healthy! If you really are surprised this has happened on the basis of that then I'm concerned that we've got a council full of people who do not have the skills to be councillors.
I am more concerned that we seem to have business people that cannot successfully run a business. The Wine Cafe was a very popular establishment, and as a former bar proprietor, I am surprised that they could not make ends meet. I wonder what the owners' drawings were like in the last quarter...
[quote][p][bold]Geoff Roberts[/bold] wrote: “It was a very popular place, it always seemed to me to have lots of people in it, so it is very surprising.” - City councillor Stuart McCready. Another councillor who doesn't appear to understand business. I think it's a shame this business has gone but having lots of people in a shop does not mean a business is healthy! If you really are surprised this has happened on the basis of that then I'm concerned that we've got a council full of people who do not have the skills to be councillors.[/p][/quote]I am more concerned that we seem to have business people that cannot successfully run a business. The Wine Cafe was a very popular establishment, and as a former bar proprietor, I am surprised that they could not make ends meet. I wonder what the owners' drawings were like in the last quarter... Tom Cranmer

9:53pm Sun 30 Sep 12

WitneyGreen says...

We used to be regular visitors, but stopped going as often when the prices rose to a point where it began to feel like a rip-off. Sad, as it was a lovely place with knowledgeable staff.
We used to be regular visitors, but stopped going as often when the prices rose to a point where it began to feel like a rip-off. Sad, as it was a lovely place with knowledgeable staff. WitneyGreen

10:15am Mon 1 Oct 12

Andymills says...

This is a real shame.
The last thing we need is another supermarket! We already have M&S, Coop, Tesco and the recently added Sainsburys - all 200m away!
This is a real shame. The last thing we need is another supermarket! We already have M&S, Coop, Tesco and the recently added Sainsburys - all 200m away! Andymills

6:05pm Mon 1 Oct 12

Andrew:Oxford says...

Tom Cranmer wrote:
Geoff Roberts wrote:
“It was a very popular place, it always seemed to me to have lots of people in it, so it is very surprising.” - City councillor Stuart McCready. Another councillor who doesn't appear to understand business. I think it's a shame this business has gone but having lots of people in a shop does not mean a business is healthy! If you really are surprised this has happened on the basis of that then I'm concerned that we've got a council full of people who do not have the skills to be councillors.
I am more concerned that we seem to have business people that cannot successfully run a business. The Wine Cafe was a very popular establishment, and as a former bar proprietor, I am surprised that they could not make ends meet. I wonder what the owners' drawings were like in the last quarter...
The accounts for last year are available from Companies House for £3.

From experience, directors salaries and "dividend" are usually the last outgoings to be cut in a failing firm.
[quote][p][bold]Tom Cranmer[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Geoff Roberts[/bold] wrote: “It was a very popular place, it always seemed to me to have lots of people in it, so it is very surprising.” - City councillor Stuart McCready. Another councillor who doesn't appear to understand business. I think it's a shame this business has gone but having lots of people in a shop does not mean a business is healthy! If you really are surprised this has happened on the basis of that then I'm concerned that we've got a council full of people who do not have the skills to be councillors.[/p][/quote]I am more concerned that we seem to have business people that cannot successfully run a business. The Wine Cafe was a very popular establishment, and as a former bar proprietor, I am surprised that they could not make ends meet. I wonder what the owners' drawings were like in the last quarter...[/p][/quote]The accounts for last year are available from Companies House for £3. From experience, directors salaries and "dividend" are usually the last outgoings to be cut in a failing firm. Andrew:Oxford

5:18pm Wed 10 Oct 12

souldrummer says...

No doubt a new and totally useless shop will soon open in it's place to compliment all the other totally useless shops in Summertown. Somewhere else for the ridiculously wealthy to waste their money.
No doubt a new and totally useless shop will soon open in it's place to compliment all the other totally useless shops in Summertown. Somewhere else for the ridiculously wealthy to waste their money. souldrummer

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