Award-winning Yorkshire gin-maker to move into new premises in shadow of Whitby Abbey

The building programme, which has been partly funded by the Whitby Distillers Founders Club, is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year. It will feature a pathway, engraved with the names of friends and supporters of the distillery. Whitby Distillery, the makers of Whitby Gin, was founded in 2017 by Jessica Slater and Luke Pentith who have grown their business to become a major player in the sector. The company’s gin is stocked in more than 500 outlets across the UK.

A spokesman said: “The move will enable the distillery to become one of the most iconic distillery visitor experiences in England, providing high-quality leisure and function space for the local community to enjoy.”

Mr Pentith commented: “This move is a gamechanger for us. While we have been very happy in our current premises in Botany Way in Whitby, our new home will take Whitby Distillery to the next level, stepping up production and giving visitors the opportunity to see us distilling and bottling through the week with our tour experiences.

“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 adventure on the atmospheric North Sea coastline, with tremendous knock-on effects for the local economy.”

Ms Slater added: “In the grounds of our new distillery, we are creating a unique pathway leading into our new home. The Spirits Walkway will be a part of history, created and set in a cast iron plates, allowing people to be a part of this wonderful adventure and feature their names or family names on the path. All proceeds from the walkway, which will be laid

when the building programme is completed, will go towards the cost of our new distillery. We are confident that tourists and Whitby residents alike will cherish this walkway for decades to come,” she added.

“We are making a significant investment into the local community and the future of the town. In the longer term, we anticipate employing up to 25 employees.

“As well as the distillery, our plans include a visitor centre, which will showcase our production process and our various spirits, as well as paying homage to the amazing cultural heritage of Whitby and providing an educational and corporate business space.

“Whitby Distillery aims to offer an educational and enchanting visitor experience which can be accessed all year round, as an out-of-season and wet weather destination. The visitor experience venue and exhibition and hire space will build on the strong links Whitby distillery has with the nearby English Heritage attraction.”

Whitby Distillery’s products are created using hand foraged botanicals from Yorkshire. It has already won a raft of awards, including the Best British London Dry Gin category at the World Gin Awards.