Slingsby Gin: Harrogate spirit with award-winning rhubarb flavour saved after administration
A much-loved tipple gets a fresh chapter, with its roots and recipes set to endure 🍃
- Spirit of Harrogate, maker of Slingsby Gin, entered administration in March
- The business and its assets were quickly sold to Brightside Spirits Ltd
- The Harrogate shop has closed, but products remain available online
- The deal has saved some jobs and secured the future of the brand
- Customers can expect the same award-winning gin to continue despite the collapse
Despite its parent company falling into administration, fans of a popular Yorkshire gin brand can still get their hands on their favourite bottles,.
Spirit of Harrogate, the business behind the Slingsby Gin range, has been sold to a new owner after struggling with rising costs and tough trading conditions.
The company entered administration on March 18, with insolvency specialists confirming that its business and assets were immediately acquired by Brightside Spirits Ltd.
While the brand’s physical shop in Harrogate has now closed, customers will still be able to buy Slingsby Gin online, ensuring the much-loved range remains widely available.
Administrators say the deal has helped safeguard part of the business, including saving some jobs and securing the future of the Slingsby name.
For many customers, that means continuity, the same distinctive bottles and flavours are expected to remain on shelves, rather than disappearing altogether.
Spirit of Harrogate was founded in 2014 by entrepreneurs Marcus Black and Mike Carthy, drawing inspiration from the town’s spa heritage.
The brand takes its name from William Slingsby, who is credited with discovering the restorative qualities of Harrogate’s spring water in the 16th century.
That local connection has always been central to the gin’s identity. Production uses water sourced from an underground aquifer in Harrogate, alongside botanicals grown nearby, helping to give the spirits their recognisable flavour profile.
The brand has also received industry recognition, including a gold award at the World Gin Awards in 2023 for its rhubarb gin.
In a joint statement, the founders said they were pleased the brand would continue under new ownership, adding that some members of the existing team would remain involved as it moves forward.
Brightside Spirits Ltd has said it is conscious of the brand’s roots and the support it has received locally.
Its director described the acquisition as not just a business opportunity, but a responsibility to maintain a product that has built a loyal following in Yorkshire and beyond.