Baggot Street Wines named National Off-Licence of the Year 2016
NOffLA urges the Government to enact the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill at the 20th annual ‘Off-Licence of the Year Awards 2016’
Print26 January 2016
Chairman of the National Off Licence Association, Gary O’Donovan
Baggot Street Wines has been crowned National Off-Licence of the Year 2016 at NOffLA’s annual off-licence awards.
Now in their twentieth year, the awards which were held last night at the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, Dublin 1, recognise and showcase excellence in the off-licence sector.
NOffLA chairman, Gary O’Donovan took the opportunity to urge government to progress the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill through its various legislative stages. He said the introduction of minimum unit-pricing and affordable structural separation will ensure alcohol is retailed responsibly.
“However, we believe that in order for minimum unit pricing to be truly effective, the government needs to introduce a ban on the below invoice cost selling of alcohol,” O’Donovan added. “The promotion of branded discounted alcohol is used as a means to drive footfall into multiples to sell other more expensive grocery products and actively encourages irresponsible retailing which is a threat to the broader community through alcohol abuse and anti-social behaviour.”
O’Donovan also said that ongoing excise duty levels first introduced during the economic crisis as an an emergency measure, needed to be addressed.
Award winners
The awards, which included 38 finalists, saw The Molloy Group, Dublin named ‘Responsible Retailer of the Year 2016’ and Dylan McEvoy, Gibneys Off Licence, Malahide won ‘RTC Online Trainee of the Year 2016’.
All 38 finalists were awarded certificates of either ‘Merit’ or ‘Excellence’ and a Customer Service Award based on their performance and other awards on the night included:
- Specialist Off-Licence Group of the Year 2016 – The O’Donovan Group, Cork
- Best First Time Entrant 2016 – 64 Wines Glasthule
- Food Retailer Off-Licence of the Year 2016 – Shiel’s Londis Malahide
- Customer Service Award of the Year 2016 – O’Donovans, Ballincollig
- Spirit Specialist of the Year 2016 – James Redmond & Sons
- Beer Specialist of the Year 2016 – Martins Off-Licence, Fairview
- Wine Specialist of the Year 2016 – Jus de Vine, Portmarnock
- Connaught/Ulster Off-Licence of the Year 2016 – McCambridge’s, Galway
- Leinster Off-Licence of the Year 2016 – The Wine Centre, Kilkenny
- Dublin Off-Licence of the Year 2016 – Blackrock Cellar
- Munster Off-Licence of the Year 2016 – Number 21, Midleton
Judging for the awards began in June 2015 with the ongoing judging process culminating in a blind wine tasting which involved participants answering questions about the unidentified wines. Final awards were allocated following this process.
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