A veteran of the banking sector from Glasgow has started an entrepreneurial new career with a scheme to sell affordable quality wine from a bar created out of a converted horse box.
Gillian Snowden's Bijou Wine Co opened for business at the weekend when her pop-up wine bar appeared at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival.
Ms Snowden believes there is a gap in the market to supply wines at events like festivals amid growing interest in the offerings of small producers of drinks.
"Over the past few years, we've seen an upsurge of gin bars and craft beer tents so my offering is to bring great quality wine from small passionate producers at affordable prices," she said.
With a longstanding passion for wine developed on her travels, Ms Snowden spent 20 years working in banking.
She decided to investigate turning her interest into a business following the death of her father from cancer.
Ms Snowden went on to pass her Wine Society Education Trust exams with Merit and gained practical experience at a vineyard and winery in New Zealand in the run up to the harvest last winter.
However, the 41-year-old's banking career appears to have provided a great grounding for running the business.
She said: "On the face of it, my offering is a horse box from which wine is poured. In reality it involves commercial negotiations, employment contracts, financial management, risk assessments, and most importantly in such a small space - process simplification. Whilst this is a micro business it is pulling on every skill I've acquired over my 20 year career."
The Bijou Wine Company has signed up to appear at events ranging from local beer festivals to The Gordon Castle Highland Games.
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