Gin demand helps fuel St Boswells distillery plans

Michael Laird Architects Design imagesMichael Laird Architects
Images by Michael Laird Architects show how the St Boswells Distillery might look

Growing demand for gin has helped to fuel plans for a £46m grain distillery in the Borders.

Jackson Distillers said the facility on the Charlesfield Industrial Estate in St Boswells would produce 20 million litres of pure alcohol a year.

It said the production would meet rising demand for use in blended whisky, gin and vodka.

The company said the project would create 20 permanent jobs and 200 during construction.

Michael Laird Architects DistilleryMichael Laird Architects
The plant would create about 200 jobs during its construction phase

It added that the grain distillery would be a first for the Borders and only the second such facility built in Scotland in the last 25 years.

Founder Trevor Jackson said: "We are excited to bring forward this transformational opportunity for the Scottish Borders.

"The distillery will play its part in helping Scotland meet its climate change ambitions, sending zero waste to landfill with sustainability at the forefront of its production practices."

Michael Laird Architects FactoryMichael Laird Architects
The factory would be built at the Charlesfield Industrial Estate

The company said the site would take "high-quality local cereals" from the Tweed Valley and process them into spirit.

A planning application should be submitted to Scottish Borders Council in July.