Piece Hall teams up with artisan Halifax drinks business to create its own brand of gin

The Piece Hall has teamed up with an artisan Halifax drinks business to create its own brand of gin.

The gin has been inspired by the heritage of the Grade I-listed building and botanicals from the surrounding landscape.

The iconic venue celebrated its fifth anniversary since a multimillion-pound transformation back in August 2022, and following this, The Piece Hall Trust developed a bespoke gin to commemorate the milestone.

The gin’s release will coincide with the first day of the venue’s popular annual Winter Makers Markets.

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 West Yorkshire.

The makers of the gin say the soon-to-be-launched brand is inspired by this unique heritage as well as reflecting local geography. Ingredients include plums and turmeric as were used in the traditional wool-dying process, and 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: “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.

Peter Speight (right) and Daniel Shepherd are pictured at the Distillery

"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 is on sale now in-store at The Deli and online via the Speights Gin website, as well as being sold onsite at the Horsebox for the duration of this year’s Winter Makers Markets.