Whether you are getting the keys to a new venue or reviewing the drinks supplier for an established one, there is usually plenty competing for your attention. Knowing what we will ask for — and when — makes opening your Champers trade account easier to plan alongside everything else.
The journey starts with an online enquiry, followed by a conversation with our team. We then provide pricing and send you the registration form. Once you have returned the signed form and the relevant supporting documents, our Accounts team reviews the information and lets you know when your account is open. Ordering access and your first delivery arrangements follow from there.
Here is how each stage works and what you can prepare in advance.
1. Send us an enquiry
Begin on our Open an Account page. You will be asked for a few essentials, including your contact details, trading name and business type. This gives our team enough information to start the conversation.
It is worth keeping the two stages distinct. The website enquiry tells us that you are interested in trading with Champers; it is not the full customer registration form and does not open an account on its own.
You do not need to wait until the doors are open to enquire. If you are preparing a new pub, bar, restaurant, hotel or nightclub, you can start the process before the venue begins trading. Caterers, events companies, pop-ups and seasonal venues follow the same registration process. In each case, the form and relevant supporting information will still be needed.
2. Talk through what your business needs
After your enquiry, we get in touch to learn about your requirements.
We provide pricing after that initial conversation and then send the account-opening form. If a deadline is approaching, raising it early gives us the best chance to discuss workable arrangements with you. We try to accommodate urgent openings and events, but delivery still depends on available warehouse and delivery capacity — particularly during busy periods such as Christmas and bank holidays.
3. Gather the information for your registration form
The registration form brings the key details about your business into one place. Before you sit down to complete it, it helps to have the following to hand:
- Your business and trading details.
- Contact details for the relevant people in your business, including your trade and accounts contacts.
- Details of two trade references, including their contact information and their relationship to your business.
Complete the form and arrange for an authorised person to sign it on behalf of your business, including acceptance of the Terms and Conditions of Sale.
The trade references belong on the form; they are not two extra certificates to obtain. Preparing their details beforehand can save a stop-and-start search for names, numbers and email addresses while you are completing the paperwork.
4. Put the supporting documents together
The current registration form also contains a supporting-document checklist. It names:
| Supporting document | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| Certificate of incorporation | Relevant to an incorporated business. |
| VAT registration certificate | Relevant where the business is VAT registered. |
| Proof of the business name and address | A utility bill less than three months old, or another formal confirmation of the business name and address. |
The documents that apply may vary according to the applicant and business structure. We accept limited companies, sole traders and partnerships, so it would not make sense to assume that every applicant will hold the same documents. A business does not need to be VAT registered to trade with Champers.
If you are unsure what applies to your business, contact our team before you return the form. That is better than guessing or leaving out something our Accounts team will need to review.
5. We review your registration
Once we receive the signed form and supporting documents, our Accounts team reviews the information. If something needed for the review is missing, the team will ask you for it.
This verification helps us establish a legitimate trade account and support accurate business, invoice and delivery records. We will notify you when the account is open. If you are working towards a launch or event, enquire and assemble your documents in good time so the team knows the date you have in mind.
For a fuller explanation, see “Why we verify business accounts”.
6. Receive access to online ordering
After your account has been approved, we issue your credentials for the Champers Drinks Ordering Platform within 24 hours. That 24-hour period begins after approval; it is not the time allowed for reviewing an application.
Your customer-specific prices and any agreed discounts are in place before platform access is activated. Once your credentials arrive, you can sign in and place orders. If they do not arrive, or you have trouble logging in, contact our Customer Support team so we can resolve the issue.
7. Plan your first order and delivery
Each order needs to reach the minimum value for its delivery area:
| Delivery area | Minimum order value |
|---|---|
| London | £250 excluding VAT |
| Outside London | £450 excluding VAT |
There is no required purchasing frequency for keeping an account, but the relevant minimum applies whenever you order.
| Supporting document | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| Certificate of incorporation | Relevant to an incorporated business. |
| VAT registration certificate | Relevant where the business is VAT registered. |
| Proof of the business name and address | A utility bill less than three months old, or another formal confirmation of the business name and address. |
We deliver across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland where required. For your first order, we agree the delivery date with you. We also consider your preferred delivery days alongside our routes and confirm regular days where feasible. This matters when you are planning stock for a first service, a busy weekend or an event: platform access lets you place the order, while the delivery arrangements still need to be confirmed with our team.
Ready to start the conversation?
Enquire about a trade account and tell us a little about your business. If you would like help understanding what to prepare, contact the Champers team.
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