Bombay Sapphire Distillery

Situated on the banks of the River Test, just 5 minutes from Whitchurch (direct train line to London Waterloo in an hour) or 20 minutes to Basingstoke, the Bombay Sapphire Distillery is absolutely glorious! Sitting in 2 acres of land, this historical location was originally first registered in 903 AD as Laverstoke mill (it’s even stated in the Domesday Book) before many centuries later being turned into a working paper mill in 1719. It was more recently acquired by Bombay Sapphire and developed into the only distillery for their world-famous gin. In fact, every single drop of their gin throughout the world is refined here! Wow!

But the strange thing is, if you were to hold an event here you wouldn’t know it was a working distillery. It’s lovely and serene here, with the fabulous architecture complimenting the gorgeous surroundings.

During most days of the year, the distillery is a public visitor attraction where customers can learn about all aspects of the gin making process, including drinking a gin-based cocktail matched to their specific taste which they pre-select by completing an aroma card as part of the tour. Loved this!

When you arrive, you walk into a lovely outside area which would be perfect for some arrival entertainment for your groups – a wonderful way to make a fantastic first impression. From there you head over a small bridge to cross the crystal clear River Test and then into the Gallery – which is the largest space here, or onto one of the smaller rooms but more of that later in this report.

Parking: 80 spaces – all totally free

Coach / Bus pick-up location at venue: Yes, coaches can drop off in the main car park. There is even a specified coach parking space too

Nearest hotels:
The distillery has some great relationships with a couple of excellent hotels nearby and thus easy to provide accommodation for large groups for meetings / conferences of multiple days:

Oakley Hall is located 5 minutes away and has around 50 bedrooms
Norton Park is located 10 minutes away and has over 166 bedrooms

Number of floors: 2

Business centre: Any printing / photocopying can be done by the event team

Wi-fi: Yes, free hi-speed access. A conference code can be provided by the team for your group.

RESTAURANTS & BARS
The spacious and welcoming Mill Bar is a special place here. Not only is it the place to get all your special gin cocktails, as mentioned earlier, but it is a really delightful place to be as well. Masses of natural light and exposed brickwork make this a fantastic place to hold a welcome reception for up to 100 guests. As well as the fantastic balcony that runs around the double height Mill Bar there is also a terrace area outside – perfect for those events in warmer months.

Just through the back of the Mill Bar is ‘The Vault’ – which can be used as a private bar or VIP area etc. Complete with fully stocked Gin bar!

Coming soon is a brand new café in the old workers cottages. I absolutely loved these buildings and can’t wait to see the finished result!

MEETING / CONFERENCE ROOMS
Bombay Sapphire Distillery has a number of rooms which are fabulous options for your meetings depending on your numbers. The fabulous Gallery is the largest space here and is great for small conferences and dinners but if you have a smaller group, you could take them to the glorious Empire Room complete with wall to wall bottles of Bombay Sapphire bottles behind the bar.

It is also worth pointing out that there is an amazing courtyard area, perfect for drinks receptions in the warmer months – surrounded on all sides by the historic buildings and the fabulous Glasshouses

The Gallery:
Situated on the ground floor and just a very short walk across the River Test from the car park, The Gallery is the biggest meeting space here hosting groups of up to 200 in theatre style and it really is a lovely location. Super bright and full of light, to call it a blank canvas does it a disservice. It has masses of character and your clients will love it. It’s perfect for corporate events, gala dinners, awards, weddings, etc and it can also be used the distillery’s signature masterclasses

Natural light: Yes
Size: 192 Sq.M
Reception: 200
Theatre: 200
Cabaret: 40
Dinner: 110
Location: Ground floor
AV Equipment included: Screen & Projector

The Empire Bar:
What’s not to love about The Empire Bar? It’s glorious and is probably my favourite space here. Located on the first floor above the Reception Hall – it comfortably seats 14 people (and maybe a couple more) to indulge in cocktail masterclasses and drinks receptions. You can even have a meeting in here with the built in projector and screen. This fabulous bar really has got that wow factor and just puts a smile on your face when you enter the room. Loved it!

Natural light: Yes
Casual seating: 16
Standing reception: 30
Masterclass: 14
Location: First floor
AV Equipment included: Screen & projector

The Glasshouses:
These stunning pieces of architecture are a real eye catcher for visitors and guess what? You can hire them for small groups to provide the setting for extraordinary dinners. Amazing!

Natural light: Yes – tons of it!
Dinner: 10 people
Location: Ground floor

The Mill Bar & The Vault:
The wonderful Mill Bar which was originally one of the “strong rooms” where the bank note paper for the Bank of England was stored, is the location where your gin-based cocktail is skilfully made and it’s a super cool place. It can hold around 100 guests for a drinks reception and also comes complete with a balcony surrounding it as well as fab terraced outside. Perfect for summer receptions or wedding pre or post-dinner drinks etc.

The Vault is a small room at the rear of the Mill Bar and is great for a VIP area or small private drinks parties.

Natural light: Yes
Reception: 100
Location: Ground floor

Reception Hall:
The Reception Hall is located right next to the Gallery and can be used for pre-dinner drinks, a registration area or even a place to hold a dinner or even a dancefloor. Another gorgeous building, teaming with history and a lovely feel.

Natural light: Yes
Dancefloor: 200
Dinner: 60
Location: Ground floor

For full details on all meeting room capacities, layouts and further information please click here: https://distillery.bombaysapphire.com/venue-hire