Have you ever dreamed about wine being delivered direct to your door at the end of a long day?
Now residents and visitors to St Ives can enjoy just that, courtesy of a new electric bike service being introduced to the town.
Jon Keast, owner of Scarlet Wines, has invested in an e-cargo bike that can carry up to 60 bottles at a time.
He will use it for deliveries in town, along with an electric van for transporting wine further afield.
The company believes it could be the only wine merchant in the south west with a now fully electric transport system.
Scarlet Wines' electric bike and van
It means that while St Ives town will be closed to most vehicles to ease congestion and enable social distancing in the narrow streets between 11am and 4pm every day, the e-cargo bike can continue to operate.
Jon said: “This will allow us to top up restaurants with small deliveries if they need them, as well as deliver to private customers who will not need to stray from the comfort of their back gardens this summer as a result.”
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Like many other small businesses, Scarlet Wines has been forced to diversify quickly over the last few months and has used the complete break from normality to adapt its business and refocus.
From a wholesale merchant with a small retail shop, during lockdown Scarlet Wines became a wine delivery service supported entirely by private customers who received welcome packages delivered to their doors.
With the reopening of the restaurant trade on Saturday, the Scarlet Wines store at The Old Forge in Lelant is open once again, but following pleas from customers home deliveries will continue indefinitely.
Scarlet Wines founder Jon Keast
Jon, who is an active campaigner on climate change, saw the Covid-19 crisis as an opportunity to embrace electric transport in preparation for a greener post-lockdown world.
He has also introduced largely organic and biodynamic wines – many of which are also vegan - into the collection he offers.
Jon added: “We need to think more carefully about all kinds of consumption, and that includes wine. As a wine merchant it’s my job to create a portfolio with a green conscience, and to deliver that wine with as little environmental impact as possible.”
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