Xtra-vision chain plans to sell wine at its 186 stores nationwide

HOME entertainment chain Xtra-vision plans to sell wine at its 186 stores nationwide — alongside movies, electronic games, music, sweets, popcorn and ice cream.

Wexford District Court yesterday approved the chain’s application to incorporate a small wine area at its store on North Main Street, Wexford. This follows similar successful applications in Roscommon and Castlebar.

Xtra-vision plans to incorporate wine areas into all of its stores nationwide, which between them employ about 1,200 full-time and part-time staff.

Xtra-vision executive Brian Gilligan told the Wexford court that the company has begun applying to district courts throughout the country for licences to sell wine.

Solicitor Catriona Walsh, acting for Xtra-vision, said a small portion of the shop premises on Wexford’s North Main Street is to be set aside to stock wine.

Ms Walsh also said that staff would receive special training to “make them aware of all of the rules and regulations regarding the sale of intoxicating liquor”. She said the company had already produced a special training document for staff.

Inspector Pat McDonald said that the gardaí had no objection to the licence being granted. Judge Donnchadh O Buachalla granted the application.

In August, it was announced that Xtra-vision had been bought from Blockbuster for €32 million by Birchhall Investments, which is part of the NCB stockbroker group.

The Xtra-Vision group sustained a 30% drop in pre-tax profits to €6.5m in 2008. The company said it had lost revenues to pirated DVDs and the increased competition from new digital movie channels. Revenues from the new wine venture should help offset these factors next year.