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Buckfast Abbey plans to open new winery

Against a backdrop of ever-increasing sales, health and safety concerns, a serious shortage of space and increasing importance to its local economy, the Benedictine monks at Buckfast Abbey in Devon are to bring production of their notorious tonic wine into the 21st century with a new state-of-the-art winery.

The monks have applied to Dartmoor National Park Authority for permission for what has been described as "a major and substantial" facility within the grounds of the abbey, with the likelihood of a new premises producing the drink on an industrial scale within 18 months.

According to the planning application, lack of storage "means a daily hand-to-mouth problem of preparing the tonic wine", presenting problems with ferry timings for the incoming wine while bottling can only happen relative to demand.

There are also problems with compliance to food hygiene regulations due to the floor, wall and ceiling finishes in the existing facility with staff facing health and safety problems, having to "dip" tankers outside in all sorts of weathers, while the constant flow of HGVs is not considered conducive to the serene image the monastery is trying to present.

This is set against a growth rate in sales of 7%, an employee tally of 120, one of the highest in the Dartmoor area, more than 400,000 annual visitors to the abbey and charitable work in the area "supported almost entirely by the tonic wine and which can only exist by its continuing success".

Full story at The Herald.

• Buckfast Tonic Wine is made by the Roman Catholic Community of Benedictine monks at Buckfast Abbey in Devon, and distributed by J. Chandler & Co (Buckfast) Ltd of Andover.