Bargain Booze
Bargain Booze is a United Kingdom off-licence and convenience-store franchise chain specializing in alcoholic drinks and associated convenience products.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Bargain Booze is a United Kingdom retail brand operating off-licence shops and convenience stores. The business began in 1981 in Sandbach, Cheshire, when Allan Whittle and Robert Mayor expanded their wholesale wine and spirits operation into retail. Its first shop opened in Sandbach, while the Bargain Booze fascia was introduced through the first franchise outlet in 1988. This franchise-led approach became central to the chain's growth and enabled the brand to establish a broad network without relying exclusively on company-operated stores. The chain developed around the sale of beer, wine, spirits and related convenience goods, with its strongest presence in the North of England, particularly North West England. Following the collapse of First Quench Retailing, the owner of the Threshers chain, in November 2010, Bargain Booze became the largest off-licence chain in the United Kingdom according to the cited reference material. Its estate later included hundreds of shops and the Bargain Booze Select Convenience franchise format, which combined alcohol retailing with a wider convenience-store proposition. Ownership changed several times. Whittle & Mayor sold the company to BWG Foods in January 2000. BWG was subsequently acquired by Electra Partners in July 2002. In 2006, a management buyout backed by ECI Partners acquired the business for £63.5 million. The company remained majority-owned by ECI until it floated on the Alternative Investment Market in July 2013. That same period brought further expansion: in September 2013, the company acquired Wine Rack, a smaller off-licence chain with outlets concentrated mainly in London and South East England. Wine Rack operated as a separate but related retail brand under the same corporate ownership. Bargain Booze became part of Conviviality plc from 2013. Conviviality also owned Wine Rack, drinks wholesalers Matthew Clark and Bibendum, and operated from a head office in Crewe. Under Conviviality, Bargain Booze used advertising more prominently, launching its first television advertising campaign in December 2013. In December 2017, the business also purchased Central Convenience Stores from Palmer and Harvey, expanding its exposure to the convenience-store segment. The Conviviality period ended abruptly in 2018. In March of that year, the parent company disclosed severe financial difficulties, including a £30 million unpaid tax bill, a series of profit warnings and the need to raise £125 million to avoid insolvency. Attempts to secure investor support were unsuccessful, and Conviviality announced that it expected to appoint administrators. The crisis placed approximately 2,600 jobs across the affected businesses at risk. On 6 April 2018, Bestway acquired the Bargain Booze and Wine Rack brands for £7 million, while C&C Group acquired Matthew Clark and Bibendum. Bargain Booze consequently moved from a publicly traded drinks-retailing group into the privately owned Bestway portfolio. The brand continues to be associated with a franchised United Kingdom off-licence and convenience-store network.
History
Bargain Booze originated as a wholesale wine and spirits business founded by Allan Whittle and Robert Mayor. In 1981, the founders opened the first retail outlet in Sandbach, Cheshire, establishing the basis for a chain that would later focus on off-licence retail. The first Bargain Booze franchise opened in 1988 and marked the first use of the fascia. Franchising became a defining feature of the business, allowing the brand to expand through independently operated stores supported by the central organization. The company changed ownership in January 2000, when Whittle & Mayor sold it to BWG Foods. BWG was bought by Electra Partners in July 2002. In 2006, a management buyout backed by ECI Partners acquired the business for £63.5 million. ECI remained the majority shareholder until July 2013, when the company floated on the Alternative Investment Market. By November 2010, after the collapse of First Quench Retailing and its Threshers chain, Bargain Booze had become the largest off-licence chain in the United Kingdom, according to the cited Wikipedia account. Expansion continued during the early 2010s. In September 2013, the company acquired Wine Rack, an off-licence chain with 22 outlets located mainly in London and South East England. Bargain Booze and Wine Rack subsequently operated within Conviviality plc, which also owned drinks wholesalers Matthew Clark and Bibendum. Conviviality's head office was in Crewe. The group increased Bargain Booze's marketing activity, and the chain launched its first television advertising campaign in December 2013. In December 2017, Bargain Booze purchased Central Convenience Stores from Palmer and Harvey. This transaction complemented the company's traditional alcohol-retailing offer with a broader convenience-store presence. The brand's operating model was supported by approximately 390 franchisees, and the chain remained particularly strong in Northern England, especially the North West. Its estate grew to hundreds of shops and included the Bargain Booze Select Convenience format. The parent company's financial crisis in 2018 became the most consequential turning point in the brand's corporate history. In March, Conviviality issued its third profit warning in one month and stated that it faced bankruptcy unless it raised £125 million. It also disclosed a £30 million unpaid tax bill. The company attempted to obtain support from institutional investors for a share placing, but those efforts failed. At the end of March, Conviviality announced its intention to appoint administrators within two weeks, placing about 2,600 jobs at risk. On 6 April 2018, Bestway acquired Bargain Booze and Wine Rack for £7 million. C&C Group, the owner of Magners cider, separately acquired Matthew Clark and Bibendum. The transaction transferred Bargain Booze from a publicly traded drinks and retail group into Bestway's private portfolio. The brand is therefore best understood as an active United Kingdom off-licence and convenience-retail chain operating through a franchise-oriented model, although current corporate and operational details beyond the cited history are not specified in the available source material.
- 2018
Bestway acquisition
[1]Bestway acquired Bargain Booze and Wine Rack for £7 million after Conviviality's financial collapse.
- 2017
Central Convenience Stores acquired
[1]The company bought Central Convenience Stores from Palmer and Harvey.
- 2013
AIM flotation and Wine Rack acquisition
[1]The company floated on AIM in July and acquired Wine Rack in September, adding a 22-store wine-focused chain concentrated in London and South East England.
- 2013
First television advertising campaign
[1]Bargain Booze launched its first reported television advertising campaign in December.
- 2010
Becomes the largest United Kingdom off-licence chain
[1]Following First Quench Retailing's collapse, Bargain Booze became the largest off-licence chain in the United Kingdom according to the cited reference.
- 2006
Management buyout backed by ECI Partners
[1]A management buyout backed by ECI Partners acquired the company for £63.5 million.
- 2002
BWG acquired by Electra Partners
[1]Electra Partners bought BWG, bringing Bargain Booze under new ownership.
- 2000
Sale to BWG Foods
[1]The founders sold the company to BWG Foods.
- 1988
First Bargain Booze franchise opens
[1]The first franchise store opened and introduced the Bargain Booze fascia.
- 1981
First Bargain Booze retail outlet opens
[1]Allan Whittle and Robert Mayor opened the first retail outlet in Sandbach, Cheshire, after originating the business as a wholesale wine and spirits operation.
Products and positioning
A value-oriented, community-based off-licence and convenience retailer, with a particular concentration in Northern England and a business model substantially supported by franchisees.
Off-licence retail · 1981
Bargain Booze off-licence stores
The core Bargain Booze format sells alcoholic drinks for take-home consumption, including beer, wine and spirits. The stores form the historic foundation of the brand and are particularly associated with communities in Northern England and the North West. The available reference describes the chain at network level but does not provide a current product assortment or store-by-store format specification.
Convenience retail franchise
Bargain Booze Select Convenience
Bargain Booze Select Convenience is the brand's broader convenience-store franchise format. It extends beyond alcohol retailing toward everyday convenience shopping while retaining the Bargain Booze identity. The format is part of the chain's franchise-based expansion, although the supplied reference does not detail its full range, launch date or current store count.
Wine-focused off-licence chain
Wine Rack
Wine Rack was acquired by the company in 2013 and operated as a related off-licence brand rather than as the primary Bargain Booze fascia. Its stores specialized in wine and were concentrated mostly in London and South East England. Bestway acquired the Wine Rack brand alongside Bargain Booze in 2018.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013First television advertising campaign
United Kingdom
Bargain Booze launched its first television advertising campaign in December 2013, increasing the brand's mass-media presence during its period within Conviviality.
Outcome. The available source confirms the launch but does not report campaign performance or subsequent media investment.
Brand decisions
2018
Bestway acquires Bargain Booze and Wine RackM&ABackground
Conviviality faced insolvency after repeated profit warnings, an unpaid tax bill and unsuccessful efforts to raise emergency funding.
Action taken
Bestway acquired the Bargain Booze and Wine Rack brands on 6 April 2018 for £7 million.
Aftermath
The brands left Conviviality and became part of Bestway's portfolio, while C&C Group acquired Conviviality's Matthew Clark and Bibendum businesses.
Acquisition price. £7 million (6 April 2018)
2017
Acquisition of Central Convenience StoresM&ABackground
Bargain Booze was expanding its presence beyond traditional off-licence retail into convenience stores.
Action taken
The company purchased Central Convenience Stores from Palmer and Harvey in December 2017.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened the company's convenience-retail footprint before the 2018 change of ownership.
Recent events
Bestway Retail announces sale of 37 company-owned stores[2]
Reported:
Bestway Retail announced plans to sell 37 company-owned stores individually across the UK. The potential sales could generate up to £1.6 million.
Sources2 sources
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