Spirits high as Anne Marie Morris MP visits Exeter Gin
Anne Marie Morris MP was getting in the spirit on Friday 6th May at a visit to Exeter Gin to see the distillery premises in Teignmouth.
Exeter Gin was born from listening to their customers at their family-run pop-up gin bar in the heart of Exeter. Managing Director Karen Skerratt noticed that there was a demand for an Exeter gin after trying to source some for the gin bar. To no avail, she decided to make it herself. The distillery houses three main stills as well as a hand bottling, waxing, and labelling area.
Karen Skerratt, Founder of Exeter Gin, was keen to win the support of Anne Marie Morris MP for the UK Spirits Alliance’s campaign to back spirits producers like Karen in Westminster. The campaign seeks to ensure the Government implement a fair duty regime for UK spirits producers, following the closure of the Treasury’s consultation into the Alcohol Duty Review on 30th January 2022. Initially launched by the Chancellor at the autumn 2021 Budget, the Review aims to simplify a complex tax system. The Treasury are currently reviewing industry responses to the consultation.
Founder of Exeter Gin Karen Skerratt said: “It was fantastic to welcome Anne Marie Morris MP to Exeter Gin. We’re really proud of the products we produce and so it’s great to get the support of our local MP.
“We have asked Anne Marie to take the message back to Westminster that the best way to support businesses like ours across the country would be to ensure the Government back spirits and back producers like me.”
A spokesperson for the UK Spirits Alliance said: “It’s great to see MPs across the country recognising that spirits are a British success story. Hospitality is a huge element of the UK spirits industry, and distillers provide billions every year to the Exchequer.”
“But we need the Chancellor to support the industry as we reform alcohol duty, to build on the Prime Minister’s Queen Speech commitment to ‘support Scotch Whisky and Gin producers.’”
“This is a once in a generation chance to make the alcohol duty system fairer and more representative of modern drinking trends.”
Anne Marie Morris, MP for Newton Abbott, said: “I really enjoyed my visit to Exeter Gin where I met Karen who is producing spirits that capture the essence of England.
UK spirits is a British success story creating jobs, investment, and economic growth across all four corners of the UK, including here in Teignmouth.
I want to see the Government support spirits producers like Karen, as the Treasury looks to reform the way alcohol is taxed.”
More information about Exeter Gin can be found on their website www.exetergin.com, and can be contacted on info@exetergin.com.
