When Glyn Thomas’s much loved Greengrocers closed its doors in 2018, locals feared the heart and been ripped out of Ruddington and that our village centre would never be the same again.
It was clear that a shop dedicated solely to selling fresh fruit and vegetables may no longer be viable, nevertheless 2, High Street has now become a new hub of the community thanks to the vision of husband and wife team Anthony and Alex Preston. Together they brought to Ruddington a brand new business called The Bottle Top, which opened on May 10th 2019. More than just an off-licence, their specialist beer, wine and spirit shop would also reinstate a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables without all the plastic packaging, alongside many other eco-friendly products and initiatives.
Since then, the team at The Bottle Top has worked tirelessly to provide something unique to the village – including its craft beers, sustainable wine solutions, hand selected whisky, zero waste goods, fresh bakery items and locally roasted coffee courtesy of The Split Screen Coffee Company. Customers can also enjoy this food and drink onsite at seating areas both inside and outside the historic premises.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic – including three ‘lockdowns’ – we saw The Bottle Top serving our local community by providing essential goods such as vegan items, gluten free goods and fruit and veg boxes that suited the changing needs of residents in Ruddington and beyond.
Alex and Anthony say: “We have been honoured to support our community during some really trying times and have been really humbled by the kind words and support from our customers. The highlight had to be winning Rushcliffe’s ‘Food and Drink Establishment of the Year’. We just didn’t expect it. Since then, we have been looking hard at how we can give back to our community and serve the growing needs of the village. Fruit and veg has to be at the top of the list!”
The team has also made links with local English distilleries to offer something unique to the people of Ruddington, so you can do your bit to save the planet, support local businesses and reduce food miles while enjoying a wee dram. Wine is now provided on tap to allow the filling of your own bottles or can be purchased on a bottle return scheme which will earn you a discount similar to what is already in place on takeaway coffee. Alex and Anthony always welcome suggestions for additional eco-friendly and ethical products which customers would like them to stock. You can get in touch via their social media or email them at thebottletopnotts@outlook.com.
Most recently Alex has been named as one of the UK’s most inspirational and dynamic female entrepreneurs of 2022. She is being profiled among one hundred ‘f:Entrepreneurs’ from across the country, as part of Small Business Britain‘s ‘#ialso100′ campaign. This celebrates the multi-achievements of women running businesses in the UK today alongside a roster of other responsibilities, such as volunteering, mentoring and community support. In Alex’s case, this was also for her part in brewing with Solstice Brewery, her volunteer work on The Ruddington Village Centre Partnership (RVCP), mentor support for small businesses and ‘Young Entrepreneurs’ – both though the Ruddington Village Market initiative. Not only that, additionally Alex has worked alone on setting up ‘Plastic Free Ruddington’, organising community litter picks and helping other businesses reduce their carbon footprint.
Also new for 2022 is ‘Wine Wednesdays’ – where videos presented by one of the team appear on the shop’s Facebook and Instagram channels each week highlighting the various wines they stock from sustainable suppliers, along with tasting notes and suggested food pairings.
The Bottle Top is also part of Rushcliffe Borough Council’s ‘Green Rewards’ Scheme which offers discounts, vouchers and prizes for playing our part in combatting climate change and becoming ‘net zero’. This is achieved by accumulating points and earning prizes for many activities we do every day at home, or out and about, that help lower our carbon footprint.
The Bottle Top opens 9am to 6pm Monday to Thursday and from 9am to 9pm Friday and Saturday.
You can find The Bottle Top at 2, High Street plus on the web and social media here:
www.thebottletopnotts.co.uk
@thebottletopnotts
www.thesplitscreencoffee.co.uk
@thesplitscreencoffee
