Beefeater Gin Distillery, Kennington

I took the opportunity afforded by London Open House to visit the Beefeater Gin Distillery in Kennington.

Beefeater is the second largest gin brand in the world but the only brand distilled in central London. Indeed, all Beefeater London Gin is distilled here in Montford Place.

The plant was established in 1820 and used to be much bigger as there were administrative and marketing offices and a bottling plant, but now only the core business of making the gin is carried out here and there are just seven employees. Of those, only two are involved in actually making the gin - 2.4 million 9 litre cases of it per year.

It was an interesting tour with a nice little booklet with a fancy G&T in the bar at the end. Sadly the bar is not open to the public as apparently Lambeth is worried about the risk of having a public bar in a distillery next to a gasometer, although for some reason they aren't worried about the combination of gasometer, petrol and alcohol at the Tesco next door.

And on the subject of Tesco, If you've ever tutted at the wasteland next to the distillery on Montford Place, well, although it used to be part of Beefeater it's now owned by Tesco who apparently aren't bothered because they just want to make sure they own the land so no other competing supermarket can open up there.

Again, I beg the Lord above: please can we have a Waitrose? Update 30/09/11: And the Lord did smile down upon me.