Popular Welsh craft distillery reveals plans for pop-up shop and tasting room

Saul Cooke-Black, local democracy reporter 

A popular craft distillery in Wales is planning to open a pop-up shop and a tasting room.

Silver Circle Distillery, based in Catbrook near Tintern, has its lodged plans with Monmouthshire council.

It wants to open a pop-up shop and tasting room in Chepstow, in the Wye Valley to sell its products, offer an experience space and provide workshops.

Plans to change the use of a shop currently used as a photographic studio in Moor Street have been lodged with the county council.

Under the plans, the space will be used as a mixed-use combination of shop, experience space and bar with a flexible layout for about six months.

The shop will sell the distillery’s products which include gin, vodka, bottled cocktails, syrups and canned drinks, as well as products made by other producers.

Books relating to cocktail culture and spirits production, cocktail making equipment and distillery merchandise will also be sold.

The ‘experience space’ will include “make your own gin” classes and hosted tasting experiences such as guided spirit tastings.

An exhibition about the culture and history of different spirits is also planned, and the distillery also plans to host talks and workshops.

The bar will be used to serve tasting boards and drinks related to the experiences and exhibitions and will normally stay open until 6pm, unless there is a scheduled event when it may open until 11pm.

‘Not a lot to offer’ 

A supporting statement to the plans says: “Chepstow has several pubs and restaurants, but not a lot to offer when it comes to bookable tourist experiences.

“The experience side of the business would give tourists something to do, and attract additional visitors from outside of the local area.

“Our main distillery site in Catbrook is already attracting tourists from all over the country.

“The Chepstow site would allow for more people to have easy access to the same experiences, in a town centre environment where they will also visit other businesses on the same trip.”

At least two jobs would be created under the plans, with the potential for more staff during busier periods.

It is planned for the shop to open in May subject to planning permission.

Normal opening hours would be from 10am until 6pm, unless there is a scheduled event.

The plans would see 24-hour CCTV and an alarm system installed, while a premises licence would also be required to regulate the sale of alcohol.

Monmouthshire council will assess the plans in the coming months.