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UK distillery openings hit new highs in 2019
The UK witnessed its biggest spike in distillery openings last year with at least 80 new sites registered, according to new figures from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Registered distilleries in the UK rose again in 2019 distilleries
The number of new distilleries registered in 2019 translated to a 22% increase compared to the previous year, as numbers reached at least 422 in the UK, up from 361 in 2018.
England now has 228 distilleries, with 62 new registered openings last year. Scotland has also increased its distillery numbers by 26, meaning there are now 186 distilleries in the country.
In 2018, the number of distilleries in England overtook Scotland for the first time. The gin boom has been noted for giving a boost to England’s distillery numbers, which have more than doubled in the last five years.
According to HMRC, the UK exported £672 million (US$859m) worth of British gin in 2019, taking gin sales at home and abroad to more than £3.2 billion (US$4.1bn).
Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said: “It’s fantastic to see a growing number of British distilleries up and down the country, year on year, providing jobs and boosting their local economies.
“A freeze at the last budget has certainly helped our innovative British distillers to invest and boost exports.
“And because we also know that an increase in wine duty has reduced exchequer revenue, we are asking the chancellor to take the time to consider a clear win-win. A cut to excise duty would boost both British business and treasury coffers.”