Lancaster distillery raises glass to expansion

A Lancashire spirits producer has secured planning permission for a £150,000 expansion, marking a “key milestone” in its ambition to become a fully self-sufficient operation.

Lancaster Spirits Co. is converting a former antiques centre opposite its existing brewery and distillery into a new cask warehouse, blending and bottling facility.

The 5000sq ft development will provide storage for up to 1500 additional casks of its single malt whisky, allowing the business to build stocks for future releases as its spirit matures.

Bosses say the investment will also create a new warehouse job, with the company expected to take possession of the building this month.

Plans include installing a blending and bottling hall in 2027, featuring tanks capable of handling batches of up to 5000 litres and blending between 20 and 30 casks at a time.

A semi-automated bottling line will enable production of more than 1000 bottles daily.

The expansion will allow Lancaster Spirits Co. to manage every stage of whisky production at its Lancaster site, from brewing and distilling through to maturation and bottling.

It also plans to offer third-party cask storage, warehousing and bottling services to other producers, creating an additional revenue stream as the business continues to grow.

Chris Pateman, commercial manager at Lancaster Spirits Co., said: ‘’Getting planning permission for this site is a huge moment for us. 

“It’s right across the road from where we brew and distil, so it keeps everything close together and lets us finally bring blending and bottling in-house. 

“It’s a big step towards our goal of doing everything – brewing, distilling, maturing and bottling – right here in Lancaster.’’

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