Paul Auty

Paul

After joining the wine industry to "kill some time" in 1993, his enjoyment and experience of wine and whisky is integral to his desire to nurture Ake & Humphris as a trusted and treasured place to find great things to drink. He is passionate about sharing wonderful experiences in the glass and delights in discovering what interests others.

In addition to his enthusiasm for wine and whisky he has been known to unwind with West Coast style IPAs.

Try him on some of his favourite subjects: music, Lego and Star Wars! Pastimes include playing at sound engineer using Ableton, recreating buildings he knows using Lego, crate digging for second-hand vinyl in thrift stores and theorising with friends about why Luke Skywalker is better than Han Solo.

Phil

Phil

The friendly face of A&H Collingham, he recently opened the mini wine bar in store. Phil looks after our social media and is a regular blog contributor. He cut his teeth at Oddbins before working with a range of independent wine stores and his own wine education business.

He is a key voice behind the range of wines and beers we choose to list, playing an active part in buying and selection, making use of his extensive knowledge and experience in the industry. He takes the lead on our beer range and works closely with many local breweries.

When he's not at work, he devotes much of his time to his young family, often gaining inspiration from everyday life to fuel his entertaining wine blogs.

Jamie

Jamie

The "foodie" on the team, bringing his knowledge and love of flavours developed whilst training to be a chef earlier in his career. He has commenced a series of blogs all about food and wine matching.

Mostly found at our Leeds Road store, Jamie takes care of our mini wine bar and attends outside events, such as local sustainability fairs, artisan markets and other events where he can share our wines and engage with people.

He enjoys a variety of hobbies, as well as wine appreciation, including football and music, being the drummer in a band.

Nichola

Wine and beer aficionado, and the loveliest lady to chat to when you call in to our Harrogate bar and shop.

A real breath of fresh air, she brings experience in the bar industry and many years of wine knowledge as well as having key involvlement with Women on Tap (pioneers of initiatives that put brilliant women from the beer industry in the spotlight).

If you have a dog you probably already know Nichola, as she is very generous with the dog treats we have in store, thanks to our friends at Posh Paws!

Paul - The Aperitif Guy

Offering the warmest welcome to visitors at our wine bar and shop on Oxford Street, Paul is a font of knowledge on food and wine pairings, and has a particular passion for aperitifs (the clue is in the name!)

He has a love of wine which he discovered at age 14, and never looked back. He particularly loves French wine, and hopes that when he dies he'll go to Burgundy. He says, "Part of the great excitement in working at Ake & Humphris is having the opportunity to get to know even more interesting wines from places I've never tried before."

He's currently working hard behind the scenes to devise a new menu of individual and sharing platters to accompany your drinks.

He's a fan of music from opera to jazz and soul to modern music and poetry too althought his favourite pastime is teaching his grandsons to cook.

Aimee

Joining the team as the bar manager at our Oxford Street wine bar and shop, Aimee brings many skills from her previous roles at great local hospitality venues. She has an eye for detail, ensuring your drinks are served in sparkling glasses and leading the bar team to bring a ray of sunshine to your day with a friendly welcome.

She is busy devising a special A&H cocktail menu which will feature this summer, and is a big advocate of our legendary large Spanish olives.

Outside of work she loves spending time with friends, appreciates culture and sometimes leaps into open water for a spot of wild swimming!

Noah

Joining the team at the end of 2025, Noah has been a regular fixture behind the bar on Oxford Street, with a gentle and friendly nature that wins over our guests.

He's known for his excellent skills at keeping the bar in good order and staying calm when it's really busy.

Noah's favourite wine at the moment is our lovely South African Klein Oranjerie Viognier.

He really loves a pub lunch and offsets this with a bit of time in the gym (and the sauna) and lots of running.

Jimena

Born in the Argentinian wine region, La Rioja and inspired by her grandfather who was a winemaker, Jimena enjoys wine not only for its taste but also for the stories and people behind it. She is actively developing her wine knowledge and has recently taken her WSET level 3 exams.

She loves cooking Argentinian food and we all benefit when she brings in some of her delicious homemade empanadas!

A big fan of paddle tennis, she loves to stay active, and her greatest joy is raising her two children (and looking after lovely A&H customers, of course!)

Tom

A genuine all round nice guy, Tom joined us after completing a degree in English Literature and American Studies in Manchester and works at our stores in Collingham and Harrogate as well as in the bar on Oxford Street. As you might expect, he's articulate and interesting to chat to!

He has recently completed his WSET level 2 exam, and has a real interest in developing his wine and whisky knowledge.

We know he wants to go travelling but we hope he'll stay a little longer!

Victoria

Our newest team member, Victoria joined us in 2026 after completing a degree in history and international studies in London. Her interest in wine comes from the Spanish side of her family. She enjoys travelling and has discovered a love of wines from the Basque region.

She is keen to expand her wine knowledge and took part in a recent wine buying trip to a major supplier tasting.

Ely

When he's not lovingly restoring his vintage car, you'll find Ely welcoming customers to our Collingham store.

Simon Trickett

Simon

Looking after all things logistics and trade related, Simon really does deliver the goods! He likes wheels, being an avid cyclist as well as spending much of his day out delivering to our lovely trade customers across Yorkshire.

When he's not here, we think he's probably cycling, or maybe sitting down enjoying a lovely glass of Rioja, probably accompanied by cheese and biscuits!

Des Tinline

Des

With a wealth of wine knowledge, his favourite grape is Riesling, without a doubt.

Some have described him as a wine encyclopedia, and his passion for wine (and beer) is evident in-store and via his key blog contributions.

His outside interests include developing his wine and beer knowledge with his friends, visiting great local pubs, reading (hundreds of) books and listening to music (mostly classical.)

Tara Stagman

Tara

Involved with managing the business and looking after the finances, Tara represents the company in the local business community. She is an active member of the Harrogate Chamber of Commerce Management Team.

Her interests outside of wine include a longstanding love of animals and dancing. She loves to go out with friends and enjoy the great local taprooms, pubs, restaurants, and anywhere with a dance floor!

Her favourite tipple is a lightly chilled glass of Chardonnay, closely followed by a cup of Yorkshire Tea!

Edward and Jonathan

Edward and Jonathan (founders, owners and lifelong friends) are directors of the business, having both grown up in Harrogate.

Edward’s interests lie in business leadership and South American wines and spirits, whilst Jonathan has more of a focus on Europe, particularly Spanish specialities, an avid wine enthusiast for many years.

Knowledgable Staff

As enthusiasts, we are itching to share what we’ve learned with you in a down-to-earth style - just as friends do. We all started our wine journey in different ways and for different reasons but one thing that unites us is the joy of discovering something that’s truly exciting. 

In everyone’s day to day life, we all share good things that we’ve found with the people that matter to us. Whether it be a good read, exciting tune, moving art or an unmissable TV program it’s in our genes to share good experiences. At Ake & Humphris, our team wants to share great wine, beer and spirits in the same way with the people that matter to us… you!

If you had to put a number on quantifying how knowledgeable the team is, then it’s probably in the top 15% of the UK, but then again, what good is knowledge if you can’t communicate in a way that makes sense? It’s important to us that you are at the centre of everything we do and just as we learn more about our wines, we also want to discover what matters most to you in a glass. 

When we get to know you, that’s when our experience can really add value to your wine-life. Like a personal shopper for wine, if you will. We can offer suggestions and recommendations that fit like a finely tailored garment. Whether that be for a celebration, special occasion or even just “Tuesday night after a tough day at the office”. The value of getting the right wine, just for you, is for us the most important thing!

We often get asked things like:

  • How much wine should I buy for my party/wedding/business event? 
  • What would go best with my roast/pizza/falafel? 
  • What gift do I get for someone I know/don’t know well?
  • What else would I like if I enjoy “insert wine here”?

For all of these, and many, many more, we want to help, no matter how general your wine, whisky or beer enquiry may be. 

When it comes to enjoyment in the glass, we are your friendly, local, enthusiastic resource. 

We look forward to chatting with you soon.

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