About us

Emerging from the failure of Threshers and Wine Rack which collapsed in 2009, Eynsham Cellars is an Independent Off-Licence created by co-owners Iain Boyce and Oli Gauntlett.

The two men lost their jobs when Wine Rack collapsed but quickly saw an opportunity in the store in Eynsham which had closed, “I used to manage the store and knew that it had always performed well and had the potential to work even better if allowed to run as an independent store.” said Oli.

Both live in Oxfordshire, Oli, originally a Yorkshire lad, moved to the area eight years ago while for Iain the journey to Eynsham has been a little further and one led by the heart, “Five years ago I left my native Australia to follow a girl to the UK. I eventually made her my wife and we’ve lived in Oxfordshire ever since, it’s fair to say things have worked out pretty well!”

The new store is completely independent and exists primarily to service Eynsham and its surrounding villages. A focus on quality products, in particular wine, is what Oli and Iain believe will help them be competitive against the larger, more established outlets and as it turns out good wine is a passion for them both, “My father told me to trust my palate and that’s the secret to what we put on the shelf. They’re wines that we’ve tasted and think will go down well in Eynsham. It’s a balancing act of getting the best products in while still offering value for money.” said Iain.

The two men have the tastes of the Eynsham locals in mind as they find their place in the close knit community, “Eynsham is a special place. The different village stores are fantastic. There’s everything you need and it’s better quality than what a large supermarket could ever offer.” said Oli.

The new store feels nothing like the old one-size-fits-all chain that it once was. The first thing to go was uniforms and name badges. Oli’s artistic sister Laurie was head-hunted to paint some kooky signs and blackboards, creating a more welcoming and down to earth feel to the place. So much so that Iain’s labrador Patsy decided she liked sleeping behind the counter, and became a semi-permanent fixture. “She gets lots of pats from the customers, but I’m still trying to teach her to make the tea” says Iain.

The duo are clearly excited about their future in Eynsham but perhaps the town and it’s residents are feeling a little excited as well, with many communities in the area losing their decent off-licences Eynsham may just have become the envy of the county.