Hotham’s Gin School & Distillery in Hull were confirmed this week as Finalists at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2020.

Hotham’s have just this month celebrated their second birthday, having launched their Hull Gin School back in July 2018. The brand enjoyed almost immediate success, thrilling both locals and critics alike with their expertly-crafted gins and vodkas.

England’s tourism awards champion the very best of the country’s tourism industry, celebrating quality, innovation and best practice.

The annual awards cycle begins with a series of local competitions, which feed up to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. Hotham’s four wins at the White Rose Awards 2019 and their 2019 & 2020 Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards for Remarkable Visitor Experience, secured them an entry to this country-wide contest, automatically putting them forward to the national judging panel.

The highlight of each awards cycle is the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence event where the finest businesses receive the most coveted accolade in English tourism.

The national awards ceremony was scheduled to take place on 16 June in Hull, but was cancelled due to Covid-19, and will be replaced by a virtual event on 17 August 2020.

The icing on the cake for Hotham’s came just a few days after they bagged two awards at the prestigious London Spirits Competition. Considered the ultimate seal of approval within the global spirits industry, the competition judges each nominee, with scores for quality, packaging and value.

The artisan indie spirit brand recently reopened after lockdown on 18 July at both their Hepworth’s Arcade, Hull headquarters, and their new Leeds Gin School and Bar, after receiving the ‘We’re Good To Go' certificate for their Covid-19 mitigation measures. 

Guests are greeted with a signature Hotham’s G&T before embarking on a unique journey through the distillation process. As well as in-depth insight into the botanicals used to create the iconic spirit, students can put their newfound knowledge to the test by crafting their very own bottle of artisan gin. The school makes for a memorable corporate event or birthday treat and can cater to both small and larger groups.

Customer demand for Hotham’s refined gin creations has led them to offer a new gin subscription service, allowing members to receive a limited edition bottle each month. The service includes free delivery and will launch with Hotham’s Summer Edition - a citrusy blend that perfectly encapsulates the sunshine season.

Co-founders Emma Kinton and Simon Pownall had this to say on the news of the shortlisting: "To be recognised as one of the top visitor experiences in England is a wonderful boost after a very challenging few months of being closed. Just to make the shortlist is a huge achievement and we’ll be sitting on the edge of the sofa hoping we can bring home the award to Hull. We are immensely proud that our brand will also be able to represent the city of Hull in this national competition.”