Tony Hammond, the founder and chairman of independent wine and spirit merchant Hammonds of Knutsford, has died at the age of 79.
He had been in the hospitality sector for 55 years and was best known for his fondness for an afternoon glass of Champagne while conversing with the staff – sometimes about work or sometimes about just what was going on.
The company remains in family hands with son Jonathan, the current managing director.
In his inaugural column for Drinks International, Branson takes a wider look at the overall non-alcoholic spirits sector to identify which brands will thrive and which won’t survive.
