Holy spirit: Cathedral to launch its own gin

A CLERGYMAN is hoping to give church finances a tonic by launching Britain’s first cathedral-brand gin.

The Dean of Blackburn, the Very Reverend Peter HowellJones, aims to sell the 40 per cent spirit to cash in on the country’s current gin craze.

And he hopes the gin, called Cathedra, will be sold at cathedrals across the country.

He said: “This is not a novelty, this is a cathedral doing business. Blackburn is not a tourism centre, or a rich part of the world. We need to reach out to markets beyond our town and region to be sustainable long term.”

The gin is one of several ventures aimed at raising the £1million match-funding needed to redevelop Blackburn Cathedral’s crypt.

Cathedra will be available by Advent in some cathedral shops, and online from today at cathedragin.co.uk.