Wake this way

Fine art, great food, and fascinating local history await Fiona Whitty on a break in West Yorkshire

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Gary Ford has come a long way since conjuring up home brew and wine in his garage… he’s now the brains behind a craft distillery that celebrates the unsung slice of Yorkshire he now calls home.

His Forged Spirits is helping to prove that there’s so much more to Wakefield than Wakey Wines – the off-licence that became a social media hit after its video clips went viral.

Nowadays Gary’s ditched the garage and moved into Tileyard North, a converted 18th century mill in the city centre where he makes his organic gin, vodka from prime Yorkshire wheat and rum which is Bonsucro certified, meaning its sugarcane base is sourced responsibly. Alongside wife Victoria, he’s also opened up the cool Distillery Bar right next door.

During a two-night trip to Wakefield, which lies a stone’s throw from Leeds, my mate Vanessa and I swung by the Forged Gin School, where Gary coached us into producing our very own bottles of our favourite tipple.

Forged’s own gin bottles are particularly eye-catching. Elaborately art-deco in style, they’re designed to capture Wakefield’s mining, textiles and manufacturing heritage – with tiny intricate label designs including a hammer, anvil and coal.

For our own gin Gary encouraged us to smell and taste different botanicals and pick up to eight to add to the standard juniper, which every gin must contain, and the coriander and root he recommended.