Co-founder of Hove restaurant Wild Flor, Rob Maynard, has announced the upcoming opening of a new wine and beer shop in Steyning, West Sussex, named Chanctonbury Wines.

Sharing the news on social media, the shop is due to open on October 4, and will be run by Rob and his partner, Beth Maynard.

With Wild Flor appearing on Brighton’s Best Wine List, Rob told Drinks Retailing that the retail offering will feature an extensive range of wines, predominantly from Europe.

“I’ll be focusing on bringing the wines I love onto the shelves which for me is a Euro-centric list with a good whack of South Africa and western USA.

“There’ll be great beer from local breweries too, as well as some beers I love from Germany and Belgium.”

Explaining the decision to expand into the off-trade space, Rob said: “I’ve been working in restaurants for more or less 15 years. Chanctonbury wines is myself and my wife Beth branching out and kicking off a new business out of town.

“I grew up in Steyning and have a lot of family there, and I feel there’s a huge lack of quality wine for a deceptively long distance.”

To coincide with the bricks-and-mortar opening, Rob said that he and Beth will be “launching an ecommerce platform straight off the bat”.

“We also have designs on a subscription-based wine club as well as plans to host regular tastings in the shop,” he added.

However, Rob said that the venue will remain solely off-trade for the foreseeable future: “It won’t be a drink-in venue. I’m keen to keep the operation clearly defined and not sleepwalk into being a wine bar…for now!”