SISTERS who run a wine bar have relaunched a new takeaway concept after caring for their mum during the final weeks of her life.

Kelly and Kate Latham, of Pairings Wine Bar in York, quickly adapted to provide a wine and sharing boards takeaway service to get them through the coronavirus pandemic.

It was a challenging and emotional time, said Kate.

“We were wanting to spend as much time as possible with our mum who had terminal cancer whilst having to re-invent the business in order to survive. Our takeaway service had been really well received. However, it took a bit of a hit, literally, when we were involved in a car accident whilst out delivering and our vehicle was written off. Thankfully, no one had any serious injuries.

“In hindsight, the car accident was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed us to take the break we needed to care for our mum. We had been told that we may not be able to visit her if she went into a hospice due to lockdown measures, so we decided that we would care for her at home instead. Our amazing mum, Hilary, passed away peacefully at the end of April.”

Founded in 2015, Pairings Wine Bar usually allows guests to explore wine and food pairings in a relaxed atmosphere.

Kelly and Kate decided to re-launch their takeaway service towards the end of May, with a collection service for customers who live further afield.

Kate said: “We have had to make changes to the layout to keep ourselves and our guests safe and to ensure social distancing. Thankfully, everyone has been respectful and courteous to one another and adhered to the policies we have put in place.”

They said the takeaway service will keep them ticking along until they can reopen the venue to the public.

“We are very fortunate to be among some incredible independent businesses who all rally round to help one another as well as local causes.

“During the difficult time of looking after our mum, the support we received from St Leonard’s Hospice’s Hospice@Home team was truly outstanding and as a small thank you, we’ll be donating £1 from every takeaway order to this incredible service.

“We’re delighted to have raised over £500 in the short time since the re-launch and we’re excited to watch this figure grow."

Delivery and collections from Pairings include fine wines, beer, gin, locally-sourced cheese and charcuterie. It is available every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Visit www.pairings.co.uk/takeaway from more information.

Kelly and Kate used The Press Supporting Local Businesses campaign to promote their new takeaway offering.

With the commercial backing of sponsors, the campaign has helped to showcase how local businesses across different sectors have adapted, while observing government safety guidance.