EXCITEMENT is building for the launch of Gin Lane which opens in Stockton Heath on Friday.

Lymm entrepreneur Danielle Westwood has transformed the former Bridgfords unit in London Road into a micro bar and small-batch gin specialist and we were invited for an exclusive first look.

The mum-of-two said: “I’ve gone for rustic meets industrial coppers with warm ambient lighting. I want it to feel like a cosy place and I’ve tied that in with the music which will be jazz and soul.

“A lot of the materials have been reclaimed. All the tables have been custom built to create something that’s bespoke and quirky.”

The design also includes an exposed brick wall that has been built from scratch and a large print of William Hogarth’s Gin Lane that the bar is named after.

Gin may be a trendy and refined drink these days but in 1751 Hogarth warned of the dangers of copious gin consumption and the social problems it created when English distilling was at its peak and there was no quality control.

Danielle added: “A lot of people have talked about the name and what it means.

“With gin being a trend people have just thought I’ve chosen it because it sounds good but I like the history behind Gin Lane and where that comes from in the 1700s.”

Danielle is hoping for a very different vibe in 21st century Stockton Heath though where the emphasis will be on flavour and provenance.

There will be around 60 small-batch gins with a core range of seven which includes some of the favourites of the independent scene like Cuckoo, Fenney Street and Forest.

The rule for the core range is they have to be conceived, distilled and bottled in one place.

If you are relatively unschooled in gin fear not though because the menu offers a suggested tonic and garnish for each gin to keep it simple for newcomers.

Danielle, who will run the business with her partner Jamie and a team of seven, said: “Some people might come in and think: ‘I don’t know what any of them are’.

“But we’re training our staff to talk to the customers and find out what sorts of flavours they like and give them something different to try.

“Rather than being daunting, we want people to try variations on what they perhaps know from commercial gins they’ve had.”

The venue will also host gin masterclasses with the makers.

Danielle, 32, added: “We know each of these brands and the people who have made them so they’ll come in and talk about their gin and their story.

“We want the experience to be that little bit different. We’ll also have the tonics and garnishes on the tables so people can play around with the gin themselves.

“Because there are so many small batch brands popping up it’s intriguing and it makes people want to try things as there are so many variants. We’re going to do gin infused food as well. I’ve had blue cheese and gin mushrooms and chorizo soaked in honey and gin. They were unbelievable.

“I’m excited because for the past couple of days we’ve seen the buzz around the village.”