T'was the night before Christmas Eve

Greetings

We made a vow sometime ago not to blog until the Website was up and running, Little did we know at that time it would be Christmas time. The website is looking nice we think? www.rugbytap.co.uk . The draught element still needs some work before we can courier bright beer next day, nationwide. We will keep the beers available instore to take-home updated. Click and collect is up and running, 'reserve and collect' i.e for those that prefer to pay in-store will follow shortly. It has been noted that a scrolling banner on a touch screen device is not good and any other feedback would be greatly appreciated.

In the last four weeks we have sold over 2,000 bottles of locally brewed (within 30 miles of us)
Ales and in the last two weeks have sold 20 Firkins of Craft Ale, All local except a few sneaky ones from Oakham Ales. A big thank you to all our customers, it's been a cracking solid 5 month start. Thanks.


All are welcome for Christmas Eve shopping we are open 10-6 for Eclectic Wines, Speciality Spirits and over 150 different bottled beers (plus gift cards and gift receipts available). We are however due to higher than hoped for demand pretty well out of draught Ale (plenty of still Cider though(tried Mulling it?)). those of you that had the foresight to pre-order don't fret all is well, you know who you are ! For those of you that didn't, our apologies, We did stress, when asked, that after only 5 months trading under our belts we would do our best to manage stock versus sales of this Artisan product that undertakes it's final fermentation in our chiller (or temperature controlled environment, as we have taken to calling it lately). Alas much like a weary soul wending there way home via the Butchers shop in the vain hope of there being a Turkey left on Christmas Eve!
We are now taking orders for New Years Eve, contact us now.


Seasons Greetings

11 weeks trading-done

Thought would share a few photos we recently had done (Thanks leemartin.co.uk)

 

 

 

Our chiller from which we have sold over 2000 Litres (k3.6 pints)of draught 'bright beer' since we opened ! The vast majority of which had been brewed within 30 miles of our store. Plus Cider is now picking up, over 300 Litres to date.

 

 

Some of our bottles, We have sold 1200 bottles of Ale (You guessed it,brewed within 30 miles)!

Thanks to all our customers for your support so far, If you haven't been down yet what are you waiting for ? We are open every day (till 19.00 thur-sat) so no excuses.

Favourite comments from customers
Are you part of a chain ?
Is this a franchise ?
Great not to see any (insert name of any mass produced Lager with a pseudo continental heritage)
Wow !
This is just what Rugby needs!
This is like a sweet shop for adults!

Least favourite comments from customers
When is your website going live*?
Do you take cards?

Had some great roadworks on Lawrence Sheriff street this last week, gives car drivers a great opportunity to have a good look at us. Also means I can give my kids a rest from continually pressing the button at the crossing.

*Website should be live 'soon' looks lovely but as we all know, looks aren't everything there needs to be some substance behind it so will be worth waiting for to get it right. Has felt a bit like handing out flyers with one arm tied behind your back!

cheers
Arthur

28 DAYS LATER !

Today we are celebrating 4 weeks of trading, We are getting new customers every day and already have some 'regulars'. Heartening to hear 'WOW' as new customers step inside and to hear such things as 'This is what Rugby has been missing'.
Draught ale is gaining new drink at home converts every day and we are picking up more party/BBQ/ Wedding orders all the time. Bottled Beer count now stands at 77 British and 87 Imported.

Wines and Spirits sales to date have been slow growers, Opened a couple of bottles of wine last Saturday afternoon which helped and believe that in time the imbibers who appreciate quality will find us, especially the ones prepared to pay over a tenner for a bottle who can benefit from our 'fixed margin mark up'. Wine and Whisky clubs are in the planning for pre Christmas (Beer also, of course).

Why do so many customers ask 'do you take cards?' yes we are small, yes we are independent, yes there are lots of wooden boxes around and yes the counter is made from old wine barriques but on top of it is an up to the minute multi channel, cloud based epos system (with integrated chip and pin!) that most Grocers would envy. Speaking of technology Website launch has been put back (something to do with code?), Bet alot of you have heard that old chestnut before? Will be the dogs when it arrives!

To summise, a solid start, lots of positive customers and a positive proprietor. Thanks for all the support so far.
 
p.s. We are open Mon-Weds 10-6, Thurs-Sat 10-7 and Sunday 11-4 (inc Bank holidays).
come on down.

Cheers

END DAY 19

Bottles Local Ale sold so far
Nobbys (10.9 miles)                85 (8 lines)
Purity (26 miles)                      64 (3 lines)
Church End (17.9 miles)          50 (3 lines)
Hoggleys (15.2 miles)              48 (5 lines)
Dowbridge (6.3 miles)             36 (5 lines)
Byatts (10.8 miles)                   35 (3 lines)
Frog Island (26 miles)              26 (4 lines)
Everards (15.9 miles)               15 (3 lines)
Total 359 bottles

New breweries we will be approaching soon (again!) watch this space...
Slaughterhouse (13.8 miles)
Tunnel (16 miles)
Warwickshire (12.2 miles)
Hook Norton (27.6 miles)
North Cotswold (27.6 miles)
Beer Geek (28 miles)
Any other suggestions welcomed.


Draught Ale sold so far 548 Litres (986 Pints in old money)
Purity Pure Gold out in front, Everards Tiger not far behind, Dowbridge Mild picking up converts every day once tasted.
Lots of customers returning clutching their 2 Litre glass flagons, a beautiful sight.















Foreign Bottles sold
USA                  159
Germany           122 (figure boosted by Duff beer !) Fab new authentic beers now in stock, so expect this figure to rise.
Belgium            111

 USA

 GERMANY














 BELGIAN CORNER


Wines starting to shift, Message about the fixed margin mark-up filtering out, I know from 10 years with Oddbins (RIP) that there are clued up Oenophiles out there ?
I believe 'BEER IS THE NEW WINE !' but on certain occasions grape wins out over grain.








Twitter followers   101
Facebook likes       82
Website being built 10th August, Training the week after, so should be up and running by the end of this month ?

 Thanks for the support so far, we couldn't do it without you and if you keep meaning to call into the new Specialist in Rugby, DO IT TODAY !? (open 7 days a week (til 6 p.m. mon-weds(til 7 p.m thur-Sat(Plenty of parking at Asda (50 yards away))))).

p.s The Apprentice back from a Beer festival today so expect a few Norfolk beauties as 'guests' in the near future.
Cheers

Thanks @rugbyadv for feature in Flair magazine. Let you know when digital version available if you don't get one through your letterbox.

END DAY 5

Sold
Draught Ales   (Minicask and 2lt glass Flagon most popular)
Purity Pure Gold 61 Litres
Everards Tiger 46 Litres
Dowbridge Mild 35 Litres
Bottles  Local
Nobbys Brewery 31
Church End 27
Hoggleys Brewery 21 bottles
Frog Island 18
Purity Brewing 18
Byatts Brewery 16
Dowbridge 13
Everards 12
Total 156
U.S.A Craft
Total 59
Belgium
Total 45
Plus a few wines, Malts and Liquers

80% of break-even achieved with the support of the folk of Rugby and surrounding areas, without exception a great bunch of discerning imbibers.
Thanks
Cheers

END DAY ONE

A solid start for a wet Wednesday, Selling a few minicasks of local ales, bottled ones too. Belgium also did well, with a bias towards the darker Dubbel style. Few teething troubles on IT but from a customer point of view, all seemed happy to have a new Real Ale 'offie' in town.

Had a slightly delayed arrival today from Scotland, A guest who goes by the nickname 'the Caley'. He (she?) has gone straight into the 'walk in shop- floor chiller' to settle down for a bit after a long journey. Local (brewed within 30 miles of Rugby) is great (30 breweries we reckon) but we shouldn't be closed to experiencing a different brewing heritage and culture once in a while, should we ?



p.s. He (decided this one's definatley a He) may be 'on tap' by the weekend all being well and was travelling alone (friend unavoidably detained) so with a bit of sun this weekend ??? He may not stick around for long.

cheers
A

2 sleeps to go !!! ***PRESS RELEASE***

PRESS RELEASE

16 July 2012

‘RUGBY TAPS’ INTO TOWN CENTRE TO ADD SOME SPARKLE!  

It will be all hands to the pumps when ‘Rugby Tap’, the latest new business to   set up in Rugby Town Centre, opens its doors for the first time on Wednesday 18 July. The new real ale and more (wine and spirit) off-licence, located on St. Mathews Street, will act as a town centre shop window for locally brewed ales, offering customers, a refreshingly different choice of quality ales, wines and spirits at great prices!

Employing up to three people, the beautifully designed, unique and characterful interior is guaranteed to quench your thirst and provide a tasteful ‘real ale’ shopping experience. This includes a walk-in display chiller from a bankrupt flower business in Yorkshire, a serve over haberdashery counter from a closed down chandlers in Walsall, bookcases and pigeon hole shelving from a school in Harrow and a couple of Bordeaux wine barrels with an oak table top for a counter. The flooring was inspired by planks from old wine crates, all this mixed with a heck of a lot of sanding and voila you have an up-cycled ‘pop up’ specialist indie shop – cheers!

Colin Arthur, owner of Rugby Tap, with over 25 years drinks trade experience managing Hotels, Pubs, Wine merchants and craft brewery sales, in London and the Midlands said: “A shop floor walk-in chiller holds the firkins, creating theatre and helping to bring the massive successful revolution this industry has already undergone over the last 10 years to an even wider audience not currently catered for by the many thriving ‘Real Ale pubs’. I’ve lived in Rugby for over 20 years and I’m really excited to be opening my first business within the town centre. I think we have created something very special and can’t wait to start welcoming my first customers.”

Aftab Gaffar, Director of Operations for Rugby First said: “New businesses continue to open in Rugby Town Centre despite the tough economic climate. ‘Rugby Tap’ offers something very different and unique and I think customers will be delighted with the charm and character of the new interior, along with the exciting and quality range of products on offer. I wish Colin all the best in his new venture.”

For further information please call 01788 576 767, 0794 1178203 or email Rugbytap@virginmedia.com

-ENDS-

10 SLEEPS TO GO !!!
Some friends have started to arrive...

Purity Brewery, Beer Miles 26.

Church End Brewery, Beer Miles 17.9

Hoggley's Brewery, Beer Miles 15.2.

Nobby's Brewery, Beer Miles 10.9.

11 SLEEPS TO GO !!!

SHOP LOOKING COOL, (WE THINK) HOPE YOU DO TO. JUST MINOR DETAILS LIKE SOME BARRELS TO KEEP OUR TEST ONE IN THE FRIDGE COMPANY, SOME ARE 'RESTING IN THE CELLAR' AFTER AN EXHAUSTIVE JOURNEY OF 26 'BEER MILES'. MORE FRIENDS ARRIVING SOON, WATCH THIS SPACE...

12 SLEEPS TO GO ! (12.5 for me)
Shop all done, cellar cleared (phew)
belgian beer nearly done.
american craft beers waiting for one supplier otherwise done.
casks to be bright, pinned down to a Golden, a 'bitter' and a Mild pretty much sorted (i think). Possibility of opening with a Pale Ale also?? depends on anticipated demand over first few days.
Vino orders going in tomorrow
Is it one of the best things in the world to put together your own 'cellar'?
Crisp order sorted (no shortage of tasters for this 'focus group' either).

aob
Website coming along nicely, have a mock up of homepage, looking slick.
Rugby town centre leafletting fri/sat (oficially of course), I'm the one in the Rugbytap T-shirt.
So lets hope it's sunny eh ? can't help thinking though if it's wet then theres more chance of it being sunny in 12 sleeps time and the 'Golden Ale' (bright) will fly out in those cute little 5litre minicasks with a handy carry handle straight into a garden near you.  I am old enough to remember the 'watneys party 7' !! anyone else ?

cheers
Arthur

p.s. 11 sleeps to go ! will include some pics.  

Rugby First (Business Improvement District) just finished filming in the shop! Hope it makes the cut and Rugby is successful for next round of Mary Portas/government funding !? 

THE GLOVES ARE OFF !!! check our habberdashery counter ready to receive yummy ickle cute wee drams !

Rugby beer festival this fri/sat I'm the one in the RugbyTap T-shirt

cheers

photos

Got signage up !! looks good,even on a cloudy June day !

(next door looks interesting !? why do Ladies have all the fun !?)





A sneaky peak of our maaassive chiller, just waiting for some firkins to call it home !

Finally In !!!!!!!!!! quite a bit of work to do, as you can see !

LEASE SIGNED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8.5 hours.....

countdown.........9 hours