Great Western Coffee Shop

Why a tipple on the train is a trend we are raising a glass to

Rail operators and supermarkets are reporting a surge in the amount of wine they sell on board and at station outlets, as stressed commuters take to rounding off their working week with a relaxing glass

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On First Great Western services from London, sales of wine have risen from 59,000 small and full bottles to more than 68,000 ^ an increase of more than 15 per cent.

And in the past year M&S has seen its sales of single bottles and pre-packaged glasses of wine rise by 12 per cent, mainly at outlets in or close to rail stations.

On First Great Western^s 6.30pm service from Paddington to Weston-super-Mare on Friday, Clarissa Bladen-Hill and her husband Matt were celebrating the start of the weekend over a bottle.

"We^re going to see friends and family in the West Country. I^ve had a really long week and it^s just nice to relax with a glass of wine on the journey," said Mrs Bladen-Hill, 33, a management consultant from Battersea, south-west London, who was drinking a sauvignon blanc.

She added: "It^s so nice to sit here and have a drink. We couldn^t do this stuck in traffic on the M4, could we?"
Her husband Matt Hill, 39, a supermarket manager, who was on merlot, said: "We really wanted some prosecco, but the shop had run out, so we get a red and a white each instead.

"I sell so many of these small bottles at my branch. They are very popular with commuters and picnickers now." Jo Reardon, 33, who works in marketing, was sharing a bottle of Terres Fumees sauvignon blanc with her colleague Ben Parkinson, 30. She said: "After a long day at meetings, nothing rounds the week off like a glass of wine ^ and who says you need to wait until you get home?"

A glass of wine on the train eases the strain: Growing numbers of passengers rounding off working week with a glass on the journey home

Many hard-working people now can't wait for home before hitting the wine
Train passengers are rounding off working week with a tipple on the train
Sales of wine on board and at station shops are up 15 per cent on last year
Lots are choosing to post their pictures on social media under #trainwine