history to date
In 2018 Bond Street Distillery Ltd, founded by Sally Faulkner acquired the old Bond Street Glass premises in Hinckley Leicestershire. This old Victorian building was originally part of the Brocklehurst Hosiery Company built in the early 1900’s. This timeline shows the journey to bring Hinckley’s first gin distillery to life.
Drawing inspiration from our Victorian surroundings the team at Bond Street that our distillery not only produces fine gins but that we ensure our guests the best experience and service when they visit.
The Stripping of the building begins to see what will need restoring and what can be saved. The building has not been loved for a while and it shows, with staircases held in by a couple of screws and dangerous asbestos that is exposed and broken, needing removal. Finding an old window behind a wall and uncovering the most beautiful gable roof has been an absolute delight. I have been told by someone who worked in that top floor during the 60’s that it was affectionately known as ‘The Crows Nest’ which seems like a great name for what will be an incredible venue space.
Now to start designing how to showcase this building’s heritage and breathe life back into it, creating a whole new history as Hinckley’s first Gin Distillery. Finally all the smashing, ripping out and clearing of the modern debris and thousands of unidentifiable cables has finished and the first new stud walls are going up – following a successful interpretation of my ideas in to plan. It’s exciting to think that in a few months this place will be ‘The Bond Street Distillery’.
Local Builder Rob Deacon of Deacon Builders has taken on the task of the building work with Martin Elliot and Simon Bond from Elliot Bond Electrical all making this building safe, bringing it up to date and future proofing it. We have a Master carpenter Jim Nickerson travelling from Whitby (formally from Leicestershire) providing some of the necessary and important restoration to the older building and Plumber Chris Dewden re-establishing a water and heating system throughout. It feels really good that local tradesmen are onsite getting excited with me about this building. A good week as the custom made staircase was fitted in the Distillery area. It finally means that everyone can get up stairs safely, the building is changing slowly but surely.
The Hinckley Times/Leicester Mercury have published a brief article about the plans for the building and this has caused a social media stir, having looked at the comments online it seems like people are excited about a new local Gin bar and Distillery coming to Hinckley. On another note the still has finally arrived in the UK and is being given the once over before delivery in June.
Some of the new windows supplied by local company ‘Phoenix Windows’ have gone in and ‘WOW’ what a difference they make to the building both inside and out, we are really breathing life back into this beautiful place. Work inside continues in earnest with second fix electrics even happening in some areas.
The big site clean up has begun, Hoovers, brushes, mops and cleaning products are out in floor as we begin to clear the dust. Our renovations team are slowly departing and we are on a mission to get the venue ready for the public.
So we are here we have our VIP nights and I have to say our distiller has come up with some very good G&T’s and our bar manager has designed a sneaky little VIP cocktail menu to delight the taste buds. Not long till opening night!
The day finally came that we could distil our first batch of GIN – Bond Street Hinckley No1. It will be ready to buy in December just in time for Christmas
We opened to the public. What the whole team has been waiting for. We were sold out right through until the 22nd .
We also sold out of Hinckley No1 our first batch of gin.
Christmas
The first ever Bond Street Xmas tree was purchased and the staff enjoyed decorating it and looked forward to our first Xmas bookings.
A new year and a new Bond Street, what we thought may be a quieter period for us was busier than December and we have started work on our first flavoured gin.
Music nights started with the Fabulous Steve Faulkner who sold out his first night at Bond Street.
We also sponsored a local football team who now wear our logo on their shirts.
Mother’s day deliveries went down very well and everyone loved their gin boxes with afternoon teas.
LOCKDOWN
As the country went into lockdown we were on the news for other reasons. We had to close down the social and we were the first East Midlands based distiller to produce and send out much needed Hand sanitiser. We supported Hospitals, air ambulance crews, ambulance crews, blood bikes. Local doctors surgeries and the most vulnerable. We helped schools, care homes and the general public.
As lockdown continued Bond Street is still making the headlines with its first ever award win as we win the GIN GUIDE 2020 award for Best London Dry and Best traditional gin. We are so proud of ourselves.
We did our first Lockdown gig with Steve Faulkner and had over 2500 people join us whilst delivering our first Crisis Cocktails and with the money we raised went to #wecareuk.
The re-launch is happening and our new gins hit the public arena.
BREAKING GROUND
September 2018
SMASHING STUFF / STRIPPING OUT
October 2018
SAND BLASTING
November 2018
FRAMEWORK
November 2018
NEW STAIRS / STUDWORK
January/February 2019
PAINTING CLADDING
March 2019
RENDERING / OUTSIDE WORK
March/April 2019
SCAFFOLDING
April 2019
WINDOWS
May 2019
OPENING & CHRISTMAS
December 2019
MUSIC & FOOTBALL
January 2020