Success as hundreds turn out for Morley's first Gin Festival in Leeds

A gin-spiring festival celebrating the juniper-flavoured liquor was held in Morley for the first time.
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Hundreds of people filed in to Morley Town Hall for the Morley Gin Festival on Saturday.

Offering an array of some 72 gins, including a range of tonics for mixing, the event was the first of its kind in the town and also featured live music, activities and food.

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It was organised by Unique Gin Festivals - owned by Olivia Horne - which arranges small space and corporate gin-themed events.

A selection of pictures showing visitors enjoying the first Morley Gin Festival on Saturday. Pictures: Gerard Binks Photography.A selection of pictures showing visitors enjoying the first Morley Gin Festival on Saturday. Pictures: Gerard Binks Photography.
A selection of pictures showing visitors enjoying the first Morley Gin Festival on Saturday. Pictures: Gerard Binks Photography.

“With it being our first festival, and the first one in Morley, it went really well,” said her dad, Paul Horne, who helped run the event on Saturday.

“Everyone enjoyed it and there was a really good atmosphere. People have come up asking when the next one is going to happen. Moving forward, it will just get bigger.”

More than 350 people turned out for the festival at the weekend. He said his daughter now hoped the event would be a springboard to expansion for the company.

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“We are hoping to expand now and we will be staying local in the West Yorkshire area,” said Mr Horne, 48, from Drighlington.

“We’re going to be coming up with some new dates.“

He said gin tastings - and connoisseur numbers - were now steadily growing during an era that has seen beer festivals boost the profile of real ale.

“With real ale, now there’s a lot of beer festivals but there’s gin festivals now too,” Mr Horne said.

“We try to make it an event at our festival, we had face-painting, live music and artisan pies and platters as well.

“It’s trying to create an event - rather than just gin tasting - it’s a day out.”

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