English gin maker Whitby Distillery has been granted planning approval for the construction of a new £1.5 million (US$1.9m) distillery in North Yorkshire.
Whitby Distillery, which produces Whitby Gin, has been granted approval to construct the new distillery in two derelict barns on the south-west corner of the Whitby Abbey grounds.
Luke Pentith, co-founder of Whitby Distillery, said: “This is absolutely wonderful news. We’d like to say a big thank you to Scarborough Council and English Heritage for believing in us and in our exciting project. Moving our distillery to Abbey Lands Farm is a game changer for us and will enable us to step up production, give us a tremendous platform for growth and introduce a new industry to Whitby.
“It is an honour and a privilege to be restoring these derelict buildings on such a world famous site. For us, this is all about launching an amazing adventure on the atmospheric North Sea coastline, with tremendous knock-on effects for the local economy.”
Founded by Pentith and Jessica Slater in 2017, construction on the new distillery will start this autumn, with a six to 12-month build period.
Once completed, the site will be supported by renewable energy sources and will house a new hand-beaten still. The site will also feature green roofs, planted with wild flowers.
Slater said: “This is a serious commitment to Whitby. We are making a significant investment into the local community and the future of the town, with 10 jobs supported during renovation and, in the longer term, we anticipate up to 15 employees.
“As well as the distillery, our plans include a visitor centre, which will showcase our production process and our various gins, as well as paying homage to the amazing cultural heritage of Whitby and providing an educational and corporate business space.”
The distillery will house the brand’s still, Dora-Grace, which has the capability to produce up to 100,000 full size bottles per year. The new Whitby Distillery has been designed to allow for future growth, with space to install an additional still if required.
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Author: Owen Bellwood