Distilleries in the UK have seen a huge increase in openings in the past 5 years according to new findings by HMRC. This major boost has been largely lead by gin’s swell in popularity.
In 2013, there were just 152 distilleries in the UK, which were mainly based in Scotland. The new data shows that 2017 alone saw 49 new distilleries opening, with only seven closing. This raised the total number of UK distilleries to 315, representing more than a 50% growth margin.
Figures show that within the past 12 months 22 new distilleries have opened in England, 20 in Scotland, four in Wales and three in Northern Ireland. With a new total of 135 distilleries, England has seen the most growth out of all of the regions in the UK. This has increased from only 23 distilleries in England in 2010. In the last eight years, England has accounted for an unprecedented 56% of all UK openings.
