The popular gin bar and distillery went into administration earlier this year
Jen and Seb Heeley-Wiggins of The Spirit of Manchester Distillery(Image: Darren Robinson Photography)
The owners of an award-winning distillery and bar have issued an update after suddenly closing their doors earlier this year.
In August, the team behind The Spirit of Manchester Distillery, home to one of the city’s most famous exports, Manchester Gin, confirmed that it has closed its customer facing operation on Watson Street with immediate effect.
The Bar at The Spirit of Manchester Distillery – located within arches beneath Manchester Central and formerly known as Three Little Words – closed after coming up against a “perfect storm” of rising costs, taxes and pressure on its customers’ disposable incomes, said its owners Jen & Seb Heeley-Wiggins.
In a post shared on LinkedIn at the time, Seb, the co-founder and master distiller at The Spirit of Manchester Distillery, told followers and his network it was a post he “never thought” he would have to write but after being hit by the Covid pandemic, the obstacles to running the hospitality business had “ultimately led to an unsustainable business model”.
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In a new post shared last night (November 5), the pair provided more information and disclosed that not had the bar closed but the distillery too as the business went into administration.
Founded in south Manchester in 2016 by the couple, the gin producer made Manchester Gin, Manchester Spirit Vodka, One-Eyed Rebel Spiced Rum and Forty-Five Vermouth, as well as a collection of absinthes and liquors.
The Spirit of Manchester Distillery in the city centre will open its doors on Friday with free tours(Image: Darren Robinson Photography)
They started out distilling in their dining room in Chorlton, with an initial run of just 100 bottles. Over time, Manchester Gin became an internationally recognised hero product, and is of the most awarded gins in the UK, selling over 150,000 bottles per year.
Providing customers with more information of what led to administration, the couple said it had taken a while to accept the reality of the situation.
In the update, ‘A little message from us’, Jen and Seb wrote: “You may have seen our heartbreaking news online and on social media about the closure of our premises in the city.
“Now that we’ve had a chance to tackle the last couple of months and get to grips with our new reality, we want to take the opportunity to provide you with a bit more information.
“Our journey started in 2016, creating the kind of gin we loved to drink, in our dining room. We then moved into our first small industrial space in Manchester in 2018, but our vision of opening a customer experience centre and a cocktail bar where we could share our love of spirits, truly came to light when we saw the beautiful arches on Watson Street.
Manchester Gin(Image: Manchester Evening News)
“We completely fell in love with the space and its 6 amazing derelict arches, and after agreeing a lease in 2019, we spent over £1m turning this little forgotten area of Manchester city centre into a beautiful customer experience that Manchester could be proud of.
“Covid dramatically changed the whole landscape for everybody, but more recently and especially over the last 2 years, operating a hospitality business has become increasingly difficult with rising costs, taxes, and pressure on customer spending.
“It really has been a perfect storm and although we have fought our hardest to weather it, the joy and excitement that once defined hospitality have been harder to find.
“The reality is we has no choice but to close the doors of both our customer facing operation on Watson Street and also our production site in Trafford Park in August.
“It’s taken a while for us to accept it, and to be able to say it out loud, but the whole business went into administration. We lost the site we’d invested everything we had into (both in terms of cash and love), we lost the incredible team we’d worked with for so long, and we lost a little part of our identity.
Three Little Words(Image: Manchester Evening News)
“It’s not something we ever imagined having to do. We saw Watson Street as our forever home, and we did everything we could to try and find a way to stay.
“Our landlords at Manchester Central Complex have been amazing throughout, and especially over the last couple of months. Our whisky kit is still there while we work out a solution, and their support and patience has been incredible.
“While it’s the end of Watson street, our new reality starts now with just the two of us, just as we started (plus DeeDee our distillery dog) and we will always stand by the promise of Manchester Gin being made in Manchester.
“One Point Six English Whisky will also continue to be made by us, and these brand will be our focus over the coming months.
“We appreciate every single message of love and support we have received over the last couple of months, and would love nothing more than to bring you along on this next stage of our journey, but likewise we understand if it’s not for you anymore.
The gin school at the Spirit of Manchester distillery(Image: Manchester Evening News)
“We’re just grateful that you were part of our story. Jen, Seb & DeeDee xx.”
The 5,300 sq ft distillery was capable of producing four million bottles a year, and shared its home with the bar within the six converted Grade-II* listed railway arches in the city centre.
When it opened in 2019, it was billed as a gin lovers paradise with a cocktail bar, gin school, and a restaurant menu inspired by the botanicals used in Manchester Gin.
On it’s now updated FAQ page, customers can find information on how to get refunds for vouchers, the status of products made at the gin school and an update on its whisky club membership.