Raising a glass to Lancashire's drinks industry showing plenty of bottle

Yes, the county’s glass is certainly half full when it comes to the drinks industry.

Brewing, bottling, imbibing, we’re doing it all in grand style.

Take, for example, the UK’s largest independent wholesaler of drinks to the pub trade.

LWC is set to create more than 20 new jobs following a £2.5m depot move in Leyland.

The company invested in buying and refurbishing a former haulage company warehouse and offices on Tomlinson Road.

A spokesperson said: “Leyland has proved to be a great place to operate our business in the past and we can only see that within the new facility in the same area we are now set up to be able to grow for the future.”

LWC was launched more than 30 years ago by Robin Gray and Ebrahim Mukadam, who still run the company.

Originally based in an old mill in Greater Manchester, LWC now works from a support centre in Manchester city centre and has 13 depots across the country. It employs more than 800 staff and services over 7,000 on-trade customers across the UK.

Meanwhile, pub chain Wetherspoon began work on its £475,000 redevelopment of The Leyland Lion in Leyland earlier this month.

Wetherspoon is increasing the size of the premises by developing the next door unit.

Spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “The Leyland Lion is an extremely popular pub and we are confident that its customers will welcome the redevelopment.

“The work will result in an even better pub and one that will serve the people of Leyland for many more years to come.”

The new-look pub will open on May 2.

If you want to own your own brewery, you can.

A new Leyland brewery – which could be turning out more than 20,000 pints a week – is set to launch at the end of the year.

Residents are being offered the opportunity to become shareholders in the exciting new £200,000 Ribble Brewery Towngate Limited. It will be set up next to the popular Withy Arms, Worden Lane, creating new jobs and regenerating the economy of the area.

The new micro brewery is being launched by the Withy Arms Group.

Pub owner and group director Lee Forshaw said: “We think we’ll have to raise roughly £200,000 – that’s our own money and raising it through Crowdfunding. It’s enabling the people of Leyland to become part of it.”

And, a little bird tells me there’s something brewing - or rather distilling - in Brindle.

Brindle Distillery is a new independent distillery based at Holmes Farm in the village.

Legend has it that anyone born and bred in Brindle is a ‘Brindle Cuckoo’.

Inspired by the wonderful legend, the distillery says it feels it is only right it follows in the tradition by giving its spirits the Cuckoo name.

It is set to launch in May.