Gin and tonics flow as distillery bar opens up
Bond Street Distillery opens for special nights in December
THE gin and tonics will be flowing as a much anticipated distillery and bar opens in Hinckley.
Bond Street Distillery has already made the first batch of its own branded gin for customers to try, which drinkers have been sampling at sell-out preview events.
The venue has a bar area on the ground floor, The Bond Street Social, where you can view the 700 litre copper still through a large window.
Bar manager Stuart Tremayne has been working with head distiller Ed Gibson and owner Sally Faulkner to create a unique drinks menu for the clientele.
Stuart said: “The menu for December has something for everyone and so far it’s been going down a storm.
“I think we have converted a few people to try new things and our bar staff have been learning the ropes so that they can ensure that everyone is catered for.”
The second batch of gin will be distilled over the coming weeks, with some bottles of the first edition still available to buy online.
Sally said: “Hinckley No 1 our first batch was always going to be special for us as a company and so it seems to people from Hinckley.
“We have labelled and numbered each bottle individually and so many people have asked us to purchase one.
“Because they are numbered and signed by myself and the head distiller, they are not just a bottle of gin they are a piece of history.”
The venue on Upper Bond Street is based in a three-floor red brick former hosiery factory and includes a gin school and a top floor function room known as the ‘Crow’s Nest,’ which has its own bar.
Featured in the ground floor bar are self-service wine dispensers, where you can use a top-up card to sample different wines before choosing if you want a whole glass or a bottle.
Stills are traditionally given a name, as they are said to each have a personality and variation in how they operate, and Sally decided to name their first one Claire, after her late sister.
They hope to install another two if the business takes off, with many bookings already in the diary, including a couple from Australia who want to visit in the new year.
Sally is from Burbage and previously worked in the hospitality industry before developing her passion for gin.
She said: “I wanted to bring something new to Hinckley, dazzle them and give the local community something to talk about and be proud about.
“So many people have told me how exciting it is to have a new industry, somewhere different to go and most of all something that will grow and develop and be synonymous with Hinckley.”
The opening times for The Bond Street Social over December are:
December 12 - 5pm - midnight
December 13 - 5pm - midnight
December 14 - 5pm - midnight
December 15 - 5pm - 11pm December 19 - 5pm - midnight
December 20 - 5pm - midnight
December 21 - 5 - 11pm Find out more on the Bond Street Distillery Facebook page and website.