The battle to preserve The Oxford Artisan Distillery

By James Bayley

Published: 05 June, 2024

The Oxford Artisan Distillery (Toad) has become a cherished local institution since its inception. Known for its handcrafted spirits, the distillery prides itself on using sustainably farmed, heritage grains and traditional distilling methods. However, recent developments have cast a shadow over its future, leading to a campaign to keep Toad in its current location.

Toad’s parent company, Fielden, plans to relocate operations to Yorkshire. This move has prompted local campaigners, led by Toad founder Tom Nicolson, to urge the company to leave the site as it is so the distillery can be taken over and reopened by the community.

Fielden CEO David Smith stated that maintaining the Oxford site is unfeasible due to the poor condition of the stills and costly restoration. He also cited development restrictions imposed by the Oxford Preservation Trust and city council as reasons for the relocation. The distillery will be fully decommissioned by the end of 2024.

Read more: Tom Brown’s Michelin-starred restaurant Cornerstone to close amidst wave of high-profile closures

“Continuing in the Oxford site with the former stills is simply not viable. The stills themselves are unfortunately no longer fit for purpose and continued use was deemed a health and safety risk, and restoration options were just too costly,” said Smith in a statement.

“We also explored options to remain at our home in Oxford but the site is difficult to develop given its physical footprint, location and the fair and reasonable restrictions imposed by the Oxford Preservation Trust covenants and Oxford City Council’s planning requirements,” he added.

Fielden plans to open its new distillery in Yorkshire in September, focusing on rye whisky production with a capacity of 450,000 litres annually.

Toad is not alone in facing an uncertain future. Across the UK, several other artisanal alcoholic drinks producers are grappling with similar challenges. For instance, The Lakes Distillery in Cumbria has faced financial difficulties exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and is exploring restructuring options, as reported by Harpers. Meanwhile, the Somerset-based brewery Wild Beer Co was rescued from administration in 2023 by Chapel Down business Curious Brewery.

Printer friendly version