East of England Co-operative Society has opened its first wine ­merchants.

Le Château, which opened last week in Norwich, is “a modern concept store coupled with the high-quality service of a traditional wine merchants”. As well as beers, wines and spirits, it sells deli foods and other complementary products. Regular wine tastings and events are also planned.

“Le Château is an entirely new concept store for us, but we have very experienced colleagues on board to ensure we provide an excellent service,” said group general manager Roger Grosvenor.