Whiskey is to replace inmates at the former Crumlin Road Gaol after the owners of the JJ McConnell brand said it is investing over £22 million in a new distillery at the infamous former Belfast prison.
The Belfast Distillery Company, which is now owned by a group of US investors, will create 49 jobs as it regenerates the jail’s A-wing into a distillery and visitor centre.
It is the latest development for the company created by Peter Lavery, the former bus driver and lottery winner who came up with the idea to revive the once-famous Belfast whiskey name. Having been sold to the conglomerate of US investors, the whiskey was launched in 2020 and has already been exported to the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and China.
The new distillery will extend over three floors, with 1,000 square metre of distilling floor-space and 1,700 square meters for the visitor centre. It expects to with plans to host over 100,000 visitors each year. Visitor experiences will include whiskey tours, cocktail masterclasses, a tasting bar and shop.
“The J&J McConnell’s Distillery and Visitor Experience will become the home of our brand and will help us to take our business to the next level in the global whiskey market,” John Kelly, CEO of Belfast Distillery Company, said. The support we have received from across government has been vital to making this ambition a reality for us.
“We are truly delighted to be developing our distillery in north Belfast and look forward to working with and supporting our local community with employment opportunities. We look forward to helping our great city grow and develop in the years ahead.”
The Department for Infrastructure said it has provided parent business Belfast Distillery Company with the lease for the building while the Department for Communities and Invest Northern Ireland offered support of £1.9 million.
“The global Irish whiskey industry has trebled in size over the last decade, and Belfast Distillery Company is already a great addition to the sector,” Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said. “The J&J McConnell’s Distillery and Visitor Experience will boost our economy as both an export business and a tourism offering.
“I look forward to following its continued growth to becoming a globally recognised brand in the international spirits sector.”
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said the department is providing grant funding of £656,000 for the Belfast distillery while infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said the it will help create jobs in north Belfast and bring more tourists into the area, and that it will play a key role in the regeneration of a significant historic building in Belfast.
