Former chemistry teacher backs UK Small Business Week after building award-winning Lancashire distillery

A former chemistry teacher who swapped the classroom for the still room and built an award-winning craft distillery from a home garage is backing UK Small Business Week, the national campaign launched by Entrepreneurs Circle to celebrate the contribution small businesses make to communities across the UK.

Sara Dewhurst, founder of Lytham Gin, is among thousands of businesses supporting the initiative, which runs from June 1-7. More information can be found at entrepreneurscircle.org/sbw.

Based in Lytham St Annes, the small-batch distillery produces premium gin and rum using locally foraged botanicals from the Fylde coast.

Every batch is handcrafted, with a maximum run of 300 bottles, and supplied to a growing list of customers that includes Michelin-starred restaurants, five-star hotels, championship golf courses, national retailers and independent hospitality businesses.

Sara launched the business in 2018 after realising her background in chemistry gave her the perfect foundation for distilling.

“After years of teaching chemistry, I realised I had the skills to produce spirits safely, consistently and to a very high standard,” said Sara.

“I wanted to build something creative that combined science, flavour and craftsmanship.”

Together with her husband Paul, who previously worked for one of the world's largest food manufacturers, Sara invested £5,000 and began building the business from their garage at home.

The former teacher is often jokingly referred to as "Breaking Good" by customers and friends, a nod to the fictional chemistry teacher Walter White.

“Thankfully I'm using chemistry to create award-winning gin rather than anything more controversial,” she laughed.

What began as a personal passion has grown into a respected Lancashire brand known for its commitment to quality, authenticity and local provenance.

Sara's spirits contain no artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners or preservatives, relying instead on carefully selected botanicals and a meticulous distilling process.

Like many hospitality-linked businesses, Lytham Gin faced a major challenge during the Covid pandemic.

Almost overnight, around 150 hospitality venues stocking the company's products closed.

Rather than panic, Sara adapted.

She redesigned the business website, focused on direct-to-consumer sales and launched online gin-tasting events for households and corporate groups.

The strategy proved so successful that sales increased during lockdown.

“It taught me that being adaptable is just as important as having a great product,” she said.

Beyond the distillery, Sara has also become known for her charitable work.

Working alongside the Rotary Club, she has helped raise tens of thousands of pounds for the End Polio campaign and was awarded the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship in recognition of her contribution.

She remains passionate about promoting Lancashire food and drink businesses and showcasing the quality of products being produced across the region.

Nigel Botterill, founder of Entrepreneurs Circle, said: “Sara's story is a fantastic example of entrepreneurial reinvention.

“She took the skills she developed as a teacher, applied them in a completely different industry and built an award-winning business that now supplies some of the country's most prestigious venues while championing local ingredients and supporting charitable causes. That's exactly the kind of entrepreneurial spirit UK Small Business Week is designed to celebrate.”

UK Small Business Week runs from June 1-7 and will see businesses across the country taking part in local events, social media activity and community campaigns celebrating independent firms and entrepreneurship.