Against the Grain

"A lot of people said to me I could never compromise that much floor space to wine, and actually work with the margins I put on wine. But I'm still here, and making money."

Karl Purdy, Bond

"A lot of people said to me I could never compromise that much floor space to wine, and actually work with the margins I put on wine. The first year was tough, but I«m still here, and making money.

I predict that as people travel more, and drink more wine, that they will become blatantly aware of price and quality. And restaurateurs and people in the business will have to become more aware of these concerns.

I don't agree with the restaurant federation policy of huge mark-ups on wine. If you can't make money out of food you shouldn«t be running a restaurant.

We don't have a house wine, we don't have anything that we get in at £3 and charge £15 for!

I see the business growing every week. We're now getting in small boutique wines that you have to hard sell to people, and I've just brought a French sommelier on board, and will be opening the downstairs as a shop, running tastings at night and doubling our wine selection."

Bond, 5 Beresford Place, Dublin 1

Tel: (01) 855 9244