BUBBLY is flying off the shelves in Alderley Edge despite the economic downturn - proving the village has still got plenty of fizz.

Sales of champagne are bucking the national trend and remain on the up.

Wine retailers say the Alderley glitterati are still happy to splash out and pop a cork or two to celebrate the festive season - or any other occasion for that matter.

A spokesman for wine merchants Threshers, which has two shops on London Road, said there had been no sign of a cut back on last year’s spend.

Sales assistant Kelly Martin said: "We have not noticed any difference in champagne sales. People seem to be going out less and staying in more."

Another wine merchant full of the joys of the season is Philippe Scodellaro, head of sales at Nicolas.

He said: "So far, so good. The credit crunch has not affected sales of Champagne too much."

Although Mr Scondellaro is happy with sales in the run up to Christmas, he acknowledged that retailers should tread carefully in these testing times.

Trade at Somerfield supermarket in The Parade is still sparkling.

Duty manager Ashley Dawson said: "I’ve not noticed any down turn in sales here. It goes as fast as it ever does."

Jiles Halling director of Champagne Discovery in Alderley Edge organises corporate champagne-tasting events and is yet to experience any fall in sales.

He said: "I have had the same number of bookings as this time last year."

Mr Halling said a decent bottle of champagne will usually cost about £20 but advises those trying to save money to buy cava or prosecco instead which can be enjoyed at a snippet of the price.

Alderley Edge was once dubbed the "Champagne capital of the UK" and remains full of Christmas cheer defying a sales slump everywhere else.

In other regions, retailers have been hit hard by the recession with industry body the CIVC saying national sales of bubbly in October were down 18 per cent from last year.

However, the glitterati of Alderley Edge are full of festive spirit and remain happy to splash out on a good bottle of fizz giving local wine merchants plenty of reasons to be jolly.

Chris Buckley, general manager at Paul Heathcote’s London Road restaurant, said: "London Road has an affluent customer base that is perhaps not as directly affected by the economic downturn. Sales of Champagne have remained fairly steady at around 200 bottles per month.

"People are still willing to spend money in return for quality, both in the tangible product and the service that accompanies it, so that is something London Road also benefits from.

"Trends also change seasonally, so while champagne is still doing well we are seeing increased sales of Bordeaux wine, which is more expensive."

And at the natural home of champagne, The Alderley Edge Hotel, the celebrated drink always remains the top tipple for guests whatever the economic climate.

The hotel which has hosted the Alderley Edge Champagne Oscars for the past eight years passed the crown to Perrier-Jouet this year at a stunning celebration dinner last month.

It was voted favourite by an expert panel of judges and is set to go on to become a best seller in the village this Christmas.

The winning champagne house was presented with the magnificent silver and gilt trophy, handcrafted by Warris and Company of Sheffield, silversmiths entrusted to care for the FA Cup.

The most famous of Perrier- Jouët’s wines is Belle Époque, a Hollywood favourite, whose intricately decorated bottle based on Emile Gallé’s enamelled Art Nouveau anemone design,was revived in 1969 after the discovery in a dusty cupboard of a beautiful bottle dating from 1902.