UK wine sales are set to rocket as drinkers shun the local pub in favour of a quiet night in.

That's the message from two reports into Britain's drinking habits.

Biggest wine drinkers

France Italy Germany United States Argentina Spain UK Source: Vinexpo

According to wine exhibition Vinexpo, the UK has one of the world's fastest growing markets for imported wines, with sales set to grow by 20% over the next four years.

And the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) claims the increase in home consumption - and the UK's growing taste for wine - is threatening the survival of the traditional local pub.

Beer fights back

In a new report, Camra suggests UK licensed premises are closing at the rate of 20 a month - and 27% of adults never set foot inside a pub.

Camra is promoting the health benefits of ale

Camra spokesman Iain Low said: "People are staying at home and they are either drinking wine or beer, quite often bought on trips to the Continent."

He said the brewing industry hoped to fight back by promoting the potential health benefits of traditional real ale "in the same way that the British wine industry has promoted wine".

It was also now possible to get "reasonable" wine in British pubs, he added, when at one time it was "virtually undrinkable".

Camra is launching National Pubs Week, on 22 February, aimed at boosting the traditional British local, under the slogan "there's a pub for everyone".

Rapid growth

The UK beer market, currently worth about �16bn a year, has declined by about 5% over the past five years.

But according to Vinexpo, wine sales have increased by 35% over the same period.

In 1997, the average UK adult drank 18.7 litres of wine a year, Monday's report claims.

By 2001, this figure had reached 21.8 litres per year, and the report expects it to top 25.4 litres by 2006.

In cash terms, Vinexpo predicts wine sales to grow by a further 19.8% to �6.9bn by 2006.

Posh plonk

Wine drinkers are also developing more expensive tastes, the report claims.

The worldwide market share of wines costing the equivalent of �3.20 or more in shops has risen from 5.9% in 1997 to 12.9% now.

The report says demand for bottles costing the equivalent of �6.40 or more in shops worldwide will rocket 42% by 2006.

The average price of a bottle of red, white or rose wine in the UK is around �4.65, up from �4.35 in 1997,

Thresher change

Vinexpo chief executive Robert Beynat said: "The UK is at the forefront as one of the countries where wine consumption is growing the fastest.

"With regard to imports, it has probably the most varied offer of any country.

"I think that in many ways, what we see on this market currently will be mirrored elsewhere in Europe."

Vinexpo, described as the world's biggest wine and spirits exhibition, is to be held in Bordeaux in June.

Meanwhile, the UK's largest drinks retailer First Quench has changed its name to Thresher Group.

Thresher is the group's best-known high street off licence brand with around 1,000 outlets.

Another 1,000 shops will remain under their existing brands such as Haddows in Scotland and Victoria Wine and Bottoms Up in England and Wales.