UK-based Cotswolds Distillery has secured a grant from the Rural Development Programme for England to fund the construction of a new visitor centre at its site in the North Cotswolds.

Awarded through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, the grant of £145,000 was given to the distillery following a competition.

The distillery plans to raise the remaining cost for construction through its current equity crowdfunding round on Crowdcube, which began last week and aims to raise £2m.

This new visitor centre will feature interactive exhibition spaces and a viewing area, which will provide visitors with a glimpse of the distillery and allow them to learn about the work of the distillery and see production in action.

The new visitor centre will also include tasting rooms, an expanded shop, an exhibition space and a café.

“We are thrilled with this marvellous vote of confidence from the UK government, which will allow us to enhance our award-winning visitor offering.”

Cotswolds Distillery founder and CEO Dan Szor said: “We are thrilled with this marvellous vote of confidence from the UK government, which will allow us to enhance our award-winning visitor offering.

“We’re looking forward to completing our visitors’ centre project and really creating a destination that brings people to the area, showcasing this stunning region that’s so dear to us.

“This grant really shows that the Government fully backs our vision and recognises the far-reaching benefits that this kind of investment can have on the wider rural economy of the North Cotswolds.”

Currently, the distillery welcomes nearly 30,000 visitors each year and runs three tours a day through the year.