Gin has always been a fan favourite in the UK. According to Kantar's Worldpanel division, gin is officially the UK’s favourite spirit, passing whiskey. Over a quarter of the population have purchased gin (including flavoured/gin liqueur) in the last 12 months, which is 10% up from 4 years ago. In fact, gin brands have also really succeeded in connecting with younger consumers: 4 years ago, 43% of 18-24s told us that they drink gin, it’s now 55%.

Over the years, the UK has seen a rise in gin brands and producers, so it’s no surprise when there are plans of having new gin distill across the UK.  The Warwick District Council has approved a planning application to open a gin distillery in Kenilworth.

Charlie Weetman, owner F Weetman & Sons Christmas and Farm Shops submitted an application to turn a building on his family’s farm property (East Chase Farm) into a gin distillery for the district. The application involved converting a barn building on the property into a gin distillery.

F Weetman & Sons Christmas and Farm Shops are known for their Christmas trees and Christmas decorations.

Charlie’s son, Luke Weetman, and Luke’s business partner Rich Bartle are planning on opening a gin distillery on the East Chase Farm property in Kenilworth.

Luke works as a plumbing and heating engineer, and Rich has been in the Marines for 12 years.

"We were looking for a new challenge and want to give something back to the town,” said Luke in a conversation with Kenilworth Weekly News. "We think it will be good for the town. We will be coming up with our own recipe - a taste of Kenilworth."

Luke and Rich’s plans are to start early digging and get on with the conversion of turning the barn into a gin distillery by February 2020.  They are hoping to open the distillery in late spring, or early summer of 2020.

The planning application's approval came with conditions, which included that all building work should stop immediately if any sign of bats is found during works and Natural England must be contacted, and the building work shouldn’t be a disturbance to nesting birds.

"It's great news. It's all definite now. We're good to start the build now." Luke added.

Looks like summer in Kenilworth is going to be worth a visit!

News Source: Kenilworth Weekly News

Image: Kenilworth Weekly News

If you’re looking to try your hands on different gins, check out the 5 from our Top 100 Spirits list.

1. Deep South Cape Dry

2. OX44 Gin

3. Harahorn Small Batch Gin

4. Elephant London Dry Gin

5. Palma Gin

What are the Top 100 Spirits?

Top 100 Spirits are curated from the winners of the London Spirits Competition (LSC). It is curated and picked up by a leading panel of top-level spirits buyers with current direct commercial buying responsibility or spirits consultants and experts who are also directly involved in the development of new spirits brands or buying spirits for commercial resale.

The list of judges was drawn from leading retail chains, wholesalers, distributors, and on-trade groups across a variety of channels and disciplines including multiple retailing, convenience stores, cash and carries, specialist retailers, casual and fine dining, hospitality and travel industry.

About the London Spirits Competition

The London Spirits Competition looks to recognise, reward and help promote spirits brands that have successfully been created to identify with and target a specific spirits drinker. For any spirits brand to earn its place on a retailer’s shelf or a restaurant’s spirits list -  and then vitally stay there - they need to be marketable and consumer-driven and not just produced in the general hope it can find enough people willing to sell and buy it.

The competition judges spirits in three key areas:

• Their Quality.

• Their value for money.

• What they look like.

To be an award winner you will need to have top quality spirits, that offers both the trade and the consumer great value for money, and you will need to look good and truly stand out on the shelf and on the back bar.

That is why the London Spirits Competition is different. It will single out and shine the spotlight on those spirits brands that consumers really want to buy and have a clear market value for trade buyers.

Enter your spirits into the London Spirits Competition