Independent retailer Andy Short is extending his successful Winebulance offer with a new Takeaway Doctor service.

Customers call his Selsey Off-licence in West Sussex with their takeaway orders for local restaurants, which he then places, collects and delivers, along with drinks from his store.

He charges £5 for the service on top of the takeaway bill, and is happy to pick up orders from different restaurants. “Couples and families love it as it means they don’t have to agree on what takeaway to have. If one person wants curry and another wants fish and chips it’s fine, we’ll bring it to them. In fact, fish and chips is one of the most popular as you can’t normally get this delivered.

“People nearly always order wine, lager or soft drinks and snacks from my store to accompany their food orders, which is significantly extending our reach and capturing sales we didn’t get before.”

The service, which is advertised on Facebook and in the local press, is most popular at weekends when it gets about 12 orders a night. “The extra sales are great, but as a service it sets us apart from the competition and raises our standing in the community,” Andy added.