A BOUTIQUE cheese and wine bar could be set to open in Salisbury to bring a taste of the continent to the city.

Husband and wife team Andy and Ellen Maul plan to transform the former Bird and Carter deli in Fish Row into Maul’s Wine and Cheese Bar.

Working with local businesses including Danny's Craft Bar & Kitchen and Cambridge Wine Merchants to source local suppliers the couple are hoping to offer somewhere for people to enjoy good cheese and wine.

“There was not anywhere in Salisbury where we enjoyed and you could go and kick back to drink some wine,” Andy said.

“This bar is something we have wanted to do has got seven years in the making and has got a lot of history.

“This was the right time for us and the right time for Salisbury as the city is crying out for a place like this.”

The couple, who have lived in Salisbury for the past seven years, are hoping to renovate the deli with a bar on each floor but keeping much of the existing interior.

“We are going to keep it inline of how it already looks. It is a beautiful property and we felt that it was the right place for the boutique bar that we are going to open.”

Once opened the couple will still be keen to hear ideas from customers about events and how the bar could develop.

“We are going to evolve, and we want to hear from customers to give us feedback about what they would like to see in the bar,” added Andy.

Although the bar will be mostly family run, the couple have proposed to take on a small team of five full and part-time staff.

If its given the green light by Wiltshire Council's licensing team then the bar could be open as soon as early December to coincide with the Christmas market.

“It will be the perfect time as people will be able to explore the Christmas market before coming in for a glass of wine.”