'Historic' Yorkshire venue launches gin

In partnership with local Halifax craft artisan-distiller Speight’s Gin, The Piece Hall has created its own unique brand of the popular spirit. Inspired by the fascinating heritage of the Grade I-listed building and botanicals from the surrounding Yorkshire landscape, it will be available to buy from Friday 11 November 2022.

Back in August, the iconic venue celebrated its fifth anniversary since reopening in 2017 after a multimillion-pound transformation, and to commemorate this milestone The Piece Hall Trust has conceptualised and developed this bespoke gin.

Its release will coincide with the first day of the venue’s popular annual Winter Makers Markets, offering visitors the opportunity to take a ‘piece’ of the historic building home with them in time for Christmas or buy a unique gift for a loved one. A gin-based cocktail, specially created by The Piece Hall mixologists, will also be available to order at The Trading Rooms restaurant and bar from Friday.

The Piece Hall is the world’s only remaining Georgian cloth hall, dating back to 1779 when it was first used for the trading of ‘pieces’ of cloth produced as part of Yorkshire’s famous cottage industry a vital part of the eighteenth-century textiles trade in the county.

Inspired by this unique heritage, the soon-to-be-launched gin also reflects the local geography and is infused with 11 carefully-selected botanicals that create a crisp yet calming flavour.

Ingredients include plums and turmeric, which were used in the traditional wool-dying process, dandelion root and heather which echo the surrounding natural Yorkshire landscape, as well as juniper berries; lemon peel; sheep sorrel; marigold petals; elderberries; orris root; and angelica root.

Nicky Chance-Thompson DL, chief executive of The Piece Hall Trust, said: “It’s been a really memorable year for The Piece Hall from hosting our biggest series of live gigs yet to celebrating our fifth anniversary back in August with the news that we’ve already welcomed over 10 and a half million visitors since reopening.

“We wanted to create something from scratch that would mark the occasion, and developing the gin has been a real team effort from The Piece Hall, working in partnership with a fantastic craft artisan-distiller that really encapsulates the local independent spirit that is the lifeblood of our venue’s heritage and ethos.”

Peter Speight, owner and founder of Speight’s Gin, added: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with The Piece Hall team. The gin we have created has taken two years to perfect and we are delighted with the outcome. We are still trying to absorb the magnitude of this partnership our thanks go out to all our friends, family and customers who have supported this amazing journey.”

The gin has been crafted in partnership with multi-award-winning Halifax craft artisan-distiller, Speight’s Gin, in-keeping with The Piece Hall’s long history of supporting local independent traders and reflecting the traditional cottage industry connected to the building.

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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