Sanitiser o’clock at Aghyaran distillery

A DISTILLERY in Aghyaran has started making hand sanitiser for the local community.

Having only recently commenced commercial production of craft gin, Wild Atlantic Distillery had initially intended on making the sanitiser for the doctor’s surgery in Castlederg and local care homes. However, such was the spike in demand for the product, it will now be supplied to local shops.

“We were also very aware that as a distillery we were under strict guidelines from HMRC and contacted them immediately about the possibility of changing our licensing to enable us to do this for our local community,” Brian Ash of Wild Atlantic Distillery explained.

“Last Monday we eventually got to speak directly with our local HMRC office and thankfully we got the official word and email to go ahead to produce hand sanitiser.

“So like many other local businesses we at Wild Atlantic Distillery are happy to be diversifying to help our community even if it is just a little bit.”

Although they are unable to sell directly to the public, local sales and distribution channels are being put in place to make Wild Atlantic Distillery Sanitiser more widely available.

“We are working as quickly as we can to release the hand sanitiser to our local and vital health care workers first and are producing our alcohol based hand solution using World Health Organisation formulation guidelines as outlined to us by HMRC,” Brian continued.

“We have three local shops who already have ordered sanitiser for public sale.

“We are also taking wholesale enquiries but only for front-line services, retail outlets and essential businesses for the five litre containers. We are also trying to source other sizes currently and may be able to offer other sizes later this week.”

Brian concluded, “We also would kindly ask that people do not visit or drop by the distillery at this time. Under strict HMRC guidelines our gates will be closed at all times and entry is by appointment only.”