Plans approved for wine tasting room at vineyard

A Surrey Hills vineyard has been granted planning permission to build a new wine tasting room.

The Tanhurst Estate, on the southern slopes of Leith Hill, began planting grapes in 2020 as part of a shift away from hay and dairy farming.

One of the owners told a Mole Valley District Council planning meeting that the wine tasting was needed "in order to persuade customers that our wine is... worth the money they pay for English wine".

Committee members unanimously granted approval, according to the Local Democracy Service.

Colin Grimes told the meeting that the estate had been in his wife's family since 1826, but in order to keep its agricultural use "we needed to find an alternative and economically viable way to farm the land".

The land’s southern slopes make it ideal for growing grapes as it allows the berries to soak up as much sunshine as possible, while the hilly terrain helps water run off.

He said: "We are a small scale business and therefore rely on selling directly to customers and this requires interaction at the point of sale."

"We need to use these barns for wine tasting and other events in order to persuade customers that our wine is made totally on site, available, and worth the money they pay for English wine - once they see how much time and passion and effort goes into making it.”

The plans for the Birketts Farm, in Tanhurst Lane, Abinger, allow for existing barns to be converted and used for wine tasting and associated sales, as well as for hosting events and a cafe.

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