If you’re opening a wine bar in 2016, location will be a key consideration. There’s never been a truer adage than locatIon, location, location – wherever you open your wine bar will have a direct impact on its overall success. We reveal some location tips when it comes to opening a wine bar in the coming year.

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Go to the Centre

The best place for a wine bar is the town centre. Every year entrepreneurs try opening wine bars in suburbs or just-out-of-town centre locations and they frequently fail. Unlike a local pub, a wine bar is associated with ‘going out on the town’ and that’s where it needs to be.

Don’t Skimp

Whilst the price of a lease in a down-at-heel part of town may seem appealing, it’s worth investing in a better area. Your target demographic for a wine bar will be a higher socioeconomic group than a local boozer or sports bar, so placing a bar in an area that group is more likely to pass through is paramount. It’s worth waiting too for a property in the right location rather than rushing into it with the first one that becomes available, which will more likely to be in an area where shops and bars frequently close down.

Regeneration

The only time when it may be worth considering opening a wine bar in an area that is down-at-heel is when a local government regeneration plan is afoot. In fact an area that is being regenerated as a ‘cultural quarter’ or ‘luxury shopping area’ may be ideal in a few years, even if it’s currently not an appealing location. The other benefit with looking for a property in a regeneration area is that governments may be offering incentives to high-end businesses such as wine bars. This could include reduced rates or lower leases.

Additionally, when looking at somewhere due to undergo regeneration or extensive building work in the local area, be mindful of changes. Your catering supplies and commercial catering equipment from businesses like 247 catering supplies and others will still arrive, but you may struggle to process them due to reduced space.

As you can see location is paramount to the success of a wine bar. Whether you opt for a traditional area or an up-and-coming area of regeneration, make sure your bar is centrally located.