Spirited Wines is halfway through making changes to the London stores it bought from Nicolas earlier this year.

Managing director Benoit Thouvenin told Harpers that so far around 20 of the 43 London stores it bought back in February 2012 have been converted to the Spirited Wines banner. "We're finishing the paint jobs in November to be ready for Christmas. We've done about 50% of what we want to change," he said.

Thouvenin said the remaining 50% of stores would be completed by March 2013. He added the rebranding is on schedule, despite having to take a six-week break during the Olympics.

Spirited Wines has closed one under-performing shop so far and was considering closing "a few others". But he said: "There's no emergency to dispose of things." The new range, as stocked in its 14 stores outside the M25, has gone straight into the newly branded branches.

Thouvenin said he was "generally happy" with how the estate was trading. He said the stores in the north and Scotland were proving particularly strong for spirit sales. "We are seeing more people coming in to purchase good quality spirits and whiskies."

The Nicolas deal, which allowed Thouvenin to run the London stores under franchise, is "moving smoothly", with 24 of the stores still operating under the Nicolas fascia.