Tileyard North: Actress Katherine Kelly opens new gin distillery in Wakefield creative space

The distillery, owned by local family business Forged Spirits, officially opened its doors on November 2 in Tileyard North – a creative industries space in the newly renovated Rutland Mills.

On joining the Tileyard North family, owner Gary Ford said: “We’re all a family and support each other, and we can feel it growing and building.

"This spirit of supporting local businesses and celebrating local talent is a wonderful example of a common theme in the wider Wakefield community. It is a huge success not only for the business, but for Wakefield as a whole.”

The new distillery was opened by actress Katherine Kelly, known for her roles in Happy Valley, and more recently The Long Shadow, and her partner Tony Pitts, known for his roles in Emmerdale, Rogue One and War Horse in a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Katherine grew up in both Barnsley and Wakefield and attended Wakefield Girls’ High School.

As part of the ceremony, Gary thanked all the people who have supported the business in its development up to this point.

He also offered gratitude to the celebrity guests of the occasion.

He said: “A heartful second thank you to Katherine and Tony, for attending here today.

"To come and support us speaks real measures about what kind of people they are. Thank you very much.”

The new distillery features a 300 litre copper still and offers an opportunity for gin enthusiasts to take a look behind the scenes to discover how their favourite tipple is crafted.

Additionally, the distillery will offer a ‘gin school’ experience, giving visitors the chance to create a unique recipe and distil their own individual bottle of gin.

Next door, there is also a new bar, appropriately named The Distillery, which has a viewing panel through to the workspace, so guests can relax whilst getting a glimpse of the still.

On the opening of the new distillery, Tileyard’s Co-Founder Nick Keynes, said: “The Tileyard team couldn’t be happier that Forged Spirits has chosen to build their business out of Tileyard North and we very much look forward to participating in the next phase of their exciting journey.”