Is rum the new gin? Well, it's now a £1billion industry and rivalling the other spirit in popularity – and that’s why businessmen want to open a rum distillery in an abandoned bank building in Plymouth.
Mutley Distilleries wants to start “small-batch production of craft liquor” with bottles stored securely in the basement vaults at a one-time Lloyds Bank branch in the Mutley Plain area of the city.
The distilling equipment would be installed on the ground floor so the public can see the process in operation.
A planning application to change the use of the building to allow a “micro-brewery/distillery” has been submitted to Plymouth City Council. A statement said the project would bring an empty unit back into use, add to the vibrancy of the shopping street, improve the mix of businesses and attract more people.
It is the latest in a stream of craft alcohol businesses attracted to opening in the city, including micro breweries, gin distillers, tap rooms and beer shops.
Even during the coronavirus lockdown a new microbrewery started production in the city.
As a manufacturing business, Plymouth’s Steel Brew Co can operate during the current restrictions, because the Government has not ordered factories to shut, and has begun brewing at the city’s Royal William Yard.
Rum, meanwhile, appears to be giving the success of gin a run for its money. The value of the rum market in the UK grew at a rate of 7.5% between 2017 and 2018, according to analyst GlobalData.
This is about double the rate at which sales of gin have increased. The gin market saw annual growth at a rate of 3.8% in the same period.
Rum sales in the UK hit the £1billion mark in 2017, according to the Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA), an increase from £960million in 2016.
The new Plymouth distillery would initially create two or three jobs, with the possibility of more to come later.
The rum would be supplied to food and drink outlets, and there is no plan to sell directly from the building.
But later on the distillery could be used for “hands-on interactive classes” where visitors could make their own recipes under guidance from a manager.
The Lloyds Bank closed in 2017 as branches were culled.
A statement with the planning application said: “Whilst this would perhaps appear to be an unusual request for change of use on a property in a local high street, we feel that this is an exciting opportunity to generate a somewhat different open and vibrant shopfront in Mutley Plain and continue the recent improvements to the street-scene that have been clearly evident of late.
“Creating an intriguing 'attraction' in an otherwise traditional shopping area, it is anticipated that the proposal will draw considerable footfall, if for no other reason than curiosity, and passers-by will be able to see into the premises and appreciate the impressive process equipment.
“In the future it is hoped perhaps to extend the business to provide interactive workshops, so that people can potentially learn about the process and further enjoy the experience through the creation of their own recipes.”
The planning statement, from architects Stackhouse Design, said production would involve brewing a mixture of molasses and yeast in five fermenters, capable of processing 5,000 litres at a time.
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The liquid would then pass into a gas-fired still for collection and then bottling, with secure storage in the basement vaults.
The statement added: “The brewing process nowadays is clean and generally carried out in sealed stainless-steel fermentation vessels and these ensure that any associated 'odours' are kept contained, except for times when periodic inspections and cleaning may be required.”
A small amount of CO2 would be produced and waste liquid could be safely disposed of in the mains sewers.
The application will be decided by the city council, although planning committee meetings have been temporarily suspended due to coronavirus restrictions.
