Manchester Gin to open new distillery
In 2019 Manchester Gin will spread their wings with plans to open a city centre distillery in the heart of Manchester. Based on Watson Street, the distillery will sit directly underneath Manchester Central, the city’s conference and events venue. The team will be renovating six of the grade II star listed railway archways, bringing life to an area of the city that has long been forgotten.
Set to become a true ‘Spirit of Manchester’ distillery, the design concepts will take their cues from Manchester Gin’s Mancunian heritage, their core brand values and inspirations behind their gin.
To open up the space three of the six arches will have floor to ceiling glass windows allowing passers-by to see into the working distillery and be lured in by seeing the gin being made in front of their eyes.
Seb Heeley, co-founder of Manchester Gin, said: “It’s been an ambition of ours, since we started in our dining room, to give people the ability to come and meet us and see how we make our beautiful gins in person. The arches under Manchester Central will be the perfect mix of the old industrial heritage of Manchester with a contemporary look synonymous with our brand.”
The distillery will also play host to a wealth of other activities to ensure that customers can experience the true breadth of the home of Manchester Gin. In front of ‘Wonder Wend’ - a new 1,000 litre still (inspired by their original 60 litre still which made the first runs in their dining room) - there will be a space for people to enjoy gin experiences including tutorials, talks, masterclasses and the opportunity to create their own gin.
Plans for the distillery include a bar and restaurant – two spaces where customers can taste Manchester Gin and an array of other cocktails. Keeping in line with their ethos, the restaurant and bar will aim to champion produce from local artisanal producers. Subject to planning approval the venue will launch in the summer and the new home of Manchester Gin will be 5,300 square feet. The move to this bigger location will allow them to start creating gin in ‘Wonder Wend’. However, they will still maintain their handcrafted approach and family values.
The new distillery promises to bring visitors flocking to central Manchester, while also encouraging business in the area.
Shaun Hinds, chief executive of Manchester Central, said: “Since joining the business 18 months ago, I’ve been looking for the right opportunity to activate our arches and reinvigorate this part of the venue. In getting to know Seb and Jen from Manchester Gin, I have been impressed with their vision for their business which in many ways matches the ambition of Manchester Central and the city as a whole. As an iconic feature of the city ourselves, I knew early on that this development would create a unique destination within the realm of our venue for both Manchester residents and visitors alike. We’re delighted to be part of the next chapter for this tremendous local business.”
The Manchester Gin product portfolio is constantly evolving, introducing new flavours, collaborations and bottles. Manchester Gin has also recently launched a 4.5 litre Jeroboam.