Masons Yorkshire Gin owners have 'contingency plans' for business after distillery fire

Six members of staff were inside the industrial unit on Bedale Road, near the A1, when the fire broke out just after 8am. Photos from the scene show extensive damage to the roof and witnesses claimed that a sill had exploded. Nobody was hurt.

A nearby petrol station had to be closed while firefighters tackled the blaze and precautions had to be taken due to the presence of large amounts of flammable alcohol. Trains on the nearby Wensleydale Railway heritage line were halted for safety reasons as fire crews crossed the tracks to access water supplies.

Fire investigators concluded that the cause of the ignition was accidental and crews have now left the scene.

The family-owned business has been producing gin since 2013 and has clients all over the world.

Cathy Mason confirmed that they had received offers of assistance from other gin producers and were exploring the possibility of using alternative distilleries until the premises are operational again.

"At the moment we're not sure of the cause of the fire. We're exploring contingency plans. We've had an amazing response from people offering their support, we must have heard from every food producer in Yorkshire. We'd like to thank them all for their help.

"Bedale is our only production site but some other distillers have offered to help us out."

Over 30 staff are based at the premises, which incorporate the business's head offices.

Cathy's husband Karl has previously spoken of his plans to make Bedale a destination town for gin tourism by opening a visitor centre.

The couple had no prior knowledge of the industry, but previously ran a gin and tonic appreciation page on Facebook which gained 10,000 followers. Gin brands then started sending them free bottles, which inspired the Masons to create their own recipes.

They have credited Yorkshire's marketability as a key factor in their success.