Couple celebrate 'amazing' first year in business after opening UK's first French flagship wine and beer shop in Northampton

A flagship French wine and beer shop is celebrating its first “amazing” year in business in Northampton.

Harriet Poupinel and her French husband Florian returned to Northampton last year - after living together for years in Bordeaux, France - to open to Vins and Bieres (V&B) in St Giles Square.

V&B opened at Mr Grants House - the former Ask Italian restaurant - in January 2022 and has become another crown jewel in the St Giles Street area.

The business is a mix between a shop, bar and charcuterie, which offers hundreds of products including hundreds of different wines, beers, spirits, a range of cold meats and cheeses to be enjoyed in store or taken home.

The upstairs of the building is used as a space for ‘masterclasses', tasting sessions and live music, while the front terrace offers outside hospitality.

Speaking to Chronicle & Echo, Harriet said: "It's been great. Amazing. It's mad that it's been a year already. It's just been insane how quickly it's all gone. It's been a really good first year. We've had so much support and we've met so many genuinely really lovely people. Northampton is full of lovely people.

"Various events have been put on that we've enjoyed being a part of as well, like the music festival, pride, the '60s event and all of this in the town centre.

"It's been exhausting but it's been great."

But was opening the first ever V&B in the UK in Northampton the right idea?

Harriet said: "Northampton was 100 percent the right decision to start V&B UK.

"There's always someone you know somehow. I think in other towns it's a rule of seven but I think here it is a rule of three, we're all connected in some way, like I went to school with you or your parents know each other.

"The clientele have been lovely. What's really lovely is when you have complete strangers start talking to each other, like-minded people who have lots in common.

"You've got to look on the bright side and be excited for the future of Northampton. If it is going to look like the pictures then we're all going to be really lucky."

What have the pair learned since they opened?

Harriet said: "We've learned loads of things. Maybe the one thing is wearing lots of different hats because it's a shop and a bar, so there's lots of juggling, but thankfully we have a really good team. We've definitely learned that it is a team effort. It's not just me and Flo it's a whole big team.

"What people enjoy is the simplicity. Although it looks like there's a lot of stuff, the concept itself is pretty simple, it's a shop and a bar with nice things in it and that's about it. What we really wanted to be was as accessible as possible, like come as you are, have a nice drink and enjoy yourselves. "

Going forward, the business plans on celebrating its first birthday officially in April... and Harriet and Flo are expecting to welcome their second child into the world.

The pair added: "We just want to say a massive thank you to our customers and everyone who has joined us on the journey and bring on 2023."