Majestic, the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer, has opened the doors to its latest store in Christchurch – just in time to help customers stock up for the final Bank Holiday weekend of the summer.
Majestic has invested in transforming 2,970 sq ft of unused space into a wine emporium. Situated on Saxon Square on the main A35 Roundabout – just a stone’s throw from Waitrose, M&S Foodhall and a host of local coffee shops, bars and restaurants – the store is perfectly placed to attract local customers and tourists travelling between Dorset and the New Forest.
The new store sells Majestic’s full range of more than 1,200 high-quality wines, beers and spirits, including a dedicated area for 72 fine wines. The store also stocks low and no alcohol alternatives, soft drinks and a newly extended range of premium snacks including crisps, olives and beersticks.
Majestic has brought its market-leading and award-winning service proposition to Christchurch, where its experienced and highly qualified expert colleagues will host free wine tastings seven days a week. Customers will have the opportunity to try a selection of wines before they buy at the in-store Tasting Counter, and get expert advice from the Majestic team, all of whom are trained through the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET).
Shoppers can also benefit from Majestic’s unparalleled range of complementary services including free glass hire, bespoke wedding tastings, and the retailer’s unique ‘No Quibble Guarantee’, which allows customers to return any wines they don’t like in exchange for a bottle of equivalent value.
Online shoppers can order from Majestic’s full range through its e-commerce website for free next-day delivery via the store’s own dedicated electric van. Customers making their purchases online can also use Majestic’s highly popular ‘Shop Local’ proposition, which allows users to order from the stock available at the Thame store, in real-time, for click and collect within as little as four hours.
The new shop is the first of two new branches Majestic will launch in Dorset within the space of just two weeks. Another new opening in Wimborne Minster in early September will take Majestic’s store count in Dorset to four, joining its successful sites in Poole and Dorchester within its nationwide portfolio of more than 200 shops.
Both new stores will support Majestic’s rapidly growing B2B division, Majestic Commercial, supplying wines to gastropubs, bars and restaurants across the county. Majestic Commercial, which was crowned On-Trade Supplier of the Year at the Drinks Business Awards 2024, currently partners with more than 3,300 hospitality venues across the UK, including the likes of Manchester City Football Club, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts and Marylebone Cricket Club’s iconic Lord’s cricket ground.
The investment in bricks and mortar growth underscores the renewed focus the business has placed on experiential retail and hospitality offerings since its split from Naked Wines plc and subsequent acquisition by Fortress Investment Group in December 2019. Since then, following the reintroduction of former management and with the backing of its investor, Majestic has returned to growth and stability, opening more than 20 new stores and more than quadrupling sales in its Majestic Commercial business.
Majestic CEO John Colley said: “Christchurch is a location we’ve been targeting for some time as part of our expansion plans, so we are delighted to be bringing our award-winning wines and expertise to the town just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend. Whether you’re looking for a rosé to enjoy in the sun, or a fruity red sip with your BBQ, our highly qualified colleagues will help you find your next favourite wine.
“We already have a hugely successful store in Poole and we know there are hundreds of discerning wine lovers right across Dorset – many of whom already shop with us in Poole or online. Opening our two new stores in Christchurch and Wimborne Minster will make it even easier for them to discover new wines, beers and spirits they will love.”
