ORGANISERS of a village flower and produce show went ahead with an auction of home-made wine – despite concerns the sale could attract unwanted attention from the taxman.

For a decade, wine entered into Soudley Show has been sold off at the end of the event to raise a few extra pounds for funds which are put back into the village.

But that was put in doubt after trustees of the village hall – where the show was held on Sunday (August 26) – expressed concern that the winemakers had not paid the duty on their creations.

But the chair of the flower show said that trying to ban the auction of a few bottles of wine made “sledgehammer and nut come to mind.”

Jan Ellis said she had contacted Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs for advice – which did appear to back up the trustees’ interpretation of the law.

The Review approached one of the trustees, but was told no comment would be made.

A letter from village hall trustee Mr Christopher Hawkins, responding to criticism from former hall trustee Mr Larry Still, appears in this week’s paper.

Mrs Ellis said: “We went ahead and auctioned it – I’m afraid we ignored the directive from the committee.

“We auctioned it as we have done for the last 10 years.

“It is probably strictly against the law but if HMRC want to come on us – we auctioned five bottles of wine. It’s all so petty, it incensed us all.

“It’s a bit pedantic because they are terrified of litigation.

“It’s our village and we raise money for the village, that is what we do.”

She said the potential problem over non-payment of duty only came to light when another member applied for an alcohol licence.

Mrs Ellis contacted HMRC and told them it was “opened, tasted” wine that was being auctioned.

“They said you have to work out the alcohol content.

“We are talking about six people who gave us two bottles of wine and put them in the show to be judged – and they should apply for a licence, do a return and pay the excise on it.

“You couldn’t make it up, it’s ludicrous,” she said.

Wine Duty has to paid on wine made to sell that is more than two per cent ABV (alcohol by volume).

Wine that is not made for sale does not need a licence.