Forged Spirit's Gary Ford on his Yorkshire: 'Its the people that give Yorkshire its unique identity'

What’s your favourite part of the county ?

When you are setting up, and establishing a business, you very rarely get any days off, such is the level of commitment that you must have. So, any hours that the family have together will be in and around Wakefield – we live in the Sandal Castle area, and we are very much ‘family’ people, we spend a lot of time together. Home, loving it and appreciating it, has to be your favourite place, doesn’t it?

What’s your idea of a perfect day out in Yorkshire?

A long walk with the family (and our dog, Scarlet) up and around Newmillerdam, taking in the stunning views, then a coffee and a pastry somewhere, maybe a pint, and then home to watch some decent football on the tele. I grab any sort of ‘lazy day’ with relish.

Do you have a favourite walk – or view?

I used to do a lot of running around Sandal Castle, and I recall that I was always looking at the environment, and the gradual change of seasons. Today, I look at the colours of the wheat, and how they change…..will it be a good crop this year, or perhaps not-so-good?

Which Yorkshire sportsperson would you like to take for lunch?

A few, and for different reasons. Geoffrey Boycott because of his resilience and his stubborn attitude, Prince Naseem Hamed for his movements in the ring, a sort of dance with a deadly punch to it, and Jessica Ennis-Hill, because of her stamina and the fact that she is a superb role-model for women, and especially youngsters.

Which Yorkshire stage or screen star would you like to take for dinner?

Sir Patrick Stewart. There are so few actors who have played such a wide range of roles, and in all media. He’s conquered movies with Star Trek and X-Men, performed with the RSC, he’s remarkable on TV. You name it, this man can do it. And he does it with self-effacing charm, while waving a huge banner for his county. He celebrates the place where he was born, and I admire that.

That’s your Yorkshire ‘hidden gem’?

We stumbled on this place quite by chance, and during Covid, when we were all allowed our for walks – we parked up, and found ourselves at the Walton Colliery Nature Park. The pit opened sometime around 1890, and when it closed, natured has slowly reclaimed the area. There’s a disused railway line, a few miner’s cottages, and miles of walks through nature itself.

If you could own, or have access to, one thing in Yorkshire for a day, what would it be?

Castle Howard, where we’d have the most wonderful BBQ in the grounds, with friends and family, a glorious reunion for people that we don’t get to see as much as we’d like to.

What do you think gives Yorkshire its unique identity?

The people. Where else do you get complete strangers offering you how to get to wherever you want to be, and when you are slightly disorientated by your surroundings? People who are complete strangers, and yet they take the time of day to say “hello”? There’s a pride here, and there are still family values. I like and admire that very much indeed.

Do you follow sport in the county, and if so, what?

Wakefield Wildcats had a pretty bad year of it last season, but they are truly fighting back, and seem to be making great headway.

Do you have a favourite restaurant, or pub?

There’s Rinaldi’s and Dolce Vita, both in Wakefield, and also Iris, and we love them all. One of the brilliant things about our city is that everyone supports everyone else, and they really do go the extra mile in value.

Do you have a favourite food shop?

Anywhere that offers good, natural produce, fresh and, hopefully local to the area. We’re so lucky to have a cluster of excellent farm shops, and independent businesses nearby, and they really do deserve our full support.

How do you think that Yorkshire has changed, for better or for worse, in the time that you’ve known it?

I hope that I have a very positive attitude, and I’m thrilled that there is such a diversity of food and drink in our city. Everything from Indian street food to tapas bars, and It’s all of the highest quality. Food has always been a big part of my life.

Who is the Yorkshire person that you most admire?

My wife, Victoria. She was just one of the incredibly dedicated NHS people who served all through Covid, going into Pinderfields every day, and just getting on with her job. And when we were starting up our business, she was the first to say ‘If you’d like, I’ll come and help out’, which she did. She’s a rock, a constant, and as a family, we are so very blessed

Has Yorkshire influenced your work?

Totally, because we decided, very early on, that this was a Yorkshire business, and that we’d use everything that we need to keep us going. The wheat for the vodka comes from the south of the county. The packaging and artwork and the labels are all from nearby firms. Each of these outfits employs local people, each of them experts in their own fields. We all help each other. We support them, they support us. That’s the way businesses should be run.

Name your favourite Yorkshire book/author/artist/CD/performer.

We are big fans of our local indie soul band, Skinny Living, and I much admire the artist Andy Singleton, who does incredible work with paper and card, and who is based in the city centre. We’ve used a lot of his work in our ad campaigns, and he’s a master of his craft.

Gary and his team will be supporting events in One Year – Wakefield 2024, and taking part in the next “Merrie City” Pedlar’s Market, on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August.