Business

Still waters run deep at Moira drinks venue

Barbara Hughes
Barbara Hughes Barbara Hughes

THE StillHouse in Moira, whose owners created the unique potato-distilled Ruby Blue vodka brand, has welcomed its 75,000th visitor within three months of opening, with the workforce doubling to 30 and plans to create another 10 jobs.

Capitalising on Northern Ireland’s growing international profile as a destination for foodies, Stuart and Barbara Hughes of Hughes Craft Distillery have invested £200,000 to create a visitor centre, gin school and gastropub.

“We're thrilled to have found a home for our ever-growing distillery," owner Barbara Hughes said.

"Locating to Moira has allowed us to increase our capacity in order to meet demand for our RubyBlue range of small batch spirits.

“Our passion for showcasing Northern Ireland’s wonderful produce can also be celebrated through the creative food that Dave McClelland and our team of chefs in the kitchen are constantly creating.”

The newly refurbished site on the main street in Moira has been totally transformed, and the owners have even applied for a license to host civil marriage ceremonies.

Stuart and Barbara Hughes started the RubyBlue brand as a micro-business from their Dromore home in 2010, and soon launched the north’s first craft spirits production.

Success followed success and soon they were exporting internationally and had to move to larger premises.

Hughes Craft Distillery currently supplies it range of spirits to a number of award-winning restaurants including the acclaimed Wine & Brine, James Street South, and Michelin star-winning restaurants, Ox and Deane's.

It also supplies local supermarkets including Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury’s and SuperValu, as well as upmarket department store Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly

Among its many accolades are the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, the Vodka Masters, Liqueur Masters and numerous local, regional and national awards and recommendations including the McKennas’ Guides and Great Taste awards.