Ground has been broken on a “state-of-the-art” facility for the UK’s oldest wine merchant in Andover.

As revealed by the Advertiser in January, Berry Bros. & Rudd is constructing a distribution warehouse and offices at the Andover Business Park, which will have over 100,000 square feet of storage space. The bespoke facility is set to be the largest of its kind in Europe, and capable of storing over 14 million bottles of wine.

Edward Rudd, business investment director for Berry Bros. & Rudd, said: “To offer the largest fine wine storage facility for private clients in Europe will help us realise our ambition to support fine wine collecting now and in the future. We are delighted to make this investment to position the UK as a leader in Europe and the world for fine wine collecting.”

Plans for the site were submitted at the end of 2020, outlining the proposals for the warehouse, offices, and access to the new facility, to supplement outline planning permission for the area which was given in 2017.

The warehouse will be built on Plot Five of Andover Business Park, adjacent to the previously constructed UK headquarters of Rich Products and the site of a future warehouse for Wren Kitchens, which was given approval in June this year.

The site will include offices and a meeting room for staff, as well as 10,684 square metres of storage, in addition to 27 car parking spaces.

Trees and bushes will be planted around the site, while solar panels will be placed on the roof of the building to meet almost 15 per cent of its energy needs. The developers of the site, Goodman, say that the building “will be carbon neutral” on completion, generating its own energy supply alongside using rainwater harvesting and providing electric vehicle charging points.

George Glennie, development director at Goodman, said: “Our approach is to meet the increasing demand for strategically located logistics space with easy access to large consumer markets.

“This site at Andover Business Park is set to become the largest fine wine storage facility in Europe. On completion, it will provide Berry Bros. & Rudd with state-of-the-art, flexible and  carbon neutral space to service their clients’ rising demand.”

Berry Bros. & Rudd was founded in 1698 by a woman known only as the Widow Bourne. Starting off by selling groceries, it specialised in selling wine and spirits, and is the official supplier of wine to the Royal Family.