Independent wine merchant opens Whitby’s first specialist wine shop to public

Tipsea Wines aims to allow residents and tourists to step outside the world of supermarket wines and help lead people into new and exciting wines they may otherwise not try.

Tipsea Wines, an independent wine merchant which was set up in Whitby in 2023 by owners Adam Sheldon and Chris Hadley, has been supplying local restaurants and bars around Whitby and the neighbouring areas – and wanted to offer the public a physical space to browse, buy and learn about wines.

Adam, co-owner of Tipsea Wines, based at Enterprise Way, said: “We have noticed a trend in Whitby, especially with the tourists, they are going out less frequently to dine, but spending more when they do, choosing higher-priced food and drink as it is now more of a treat than ever with rising prices.

“Customers are looking for wines they wouldn’t buy themselves in a supermarket when they dine out .

"It's the same when visitors are camping or staying in self-catering accommodation.

"They are dining out maybe just once or twice and then buying good quality ingredients and cooking for themselves, and are picking up a higher quality wine, which is more of a treat, as they are still spending less than they would dining out.

“Tipsea Wines was set up to provide these quality, exciting wines to supply restaurants in our area and now gives the public a dedicated shop to come and pick up their next bottle.”

Tipsea Wines has had positive support from businesses through trade sales, and now Whitby has its first dedicated specialist wine shop.

"With Whitby’s popularity still growing as the Fish & Chip capital of the world and a coastal beauty hotspot, there is certainly room for more independent shops to give customers the shopping experience they want, alongside the growing number of chain stores,” added Adam.