The company behind a popular drinks festival suddenly ceased trading days before the event was due to come back to Swindon.
For years, The Gin To My Tonic has been held at various venues around the town to celebrate craft gin and spirits.
It usually featured hundreds of craft spirits, distiller meet-and-greets, live music, and food.
The 2025 event was due to be held at the Town Gardens Bowl on Saturday, July 6 – but on June 30, the business’ management team announced that it can no longer continue and that all upcoming events will be cancelled.
The difficult economic circumstances of the last few years and recent government policies made it impossible for the team to keep it financially viable.
A spokesperson said: “It’s with deepest regret that The Gin To My Tonic is to close with immediate effect.
“Since our launch in 2017 we’ve worked tirelessly to bring you the very best events, completing seven nationwide tours.
“The Gin To My Tonic is more than just a business, it’s a passion, a community full of honorary family and friends, and one we’ve poured our hearts and souls into creating…
“However, since March 2020 we’ve had to navigate challenge after challenge, and through some of the toughest times in modern business history.
“We know we are not alone in this, it’s something that’s effecting all businesses, but for us personally (with so many variable event costs) navigating COVID, Brexit, rapid inflation, cost of living and tax increases has gradually chipped away at what we’ve built to the point we no longer recognise it.
“The change in government, continued alcohol duty increases and tax rises, has been the final nail this year.
“We know that many of you will be affected by this news we are deeply sorry.
“Our aim has always been to celebrate craft distillers and create a fun experience for all, but it’s come to the point that continuing to operate will only cause more damage than good.
“We’ve done everything – and we mean everything – to avoid this outcome and have now exhausted all avenues.
“Please know, we are beyond devastated by this, we are real everyday people who genuinely care, and we are so sorry to have to end things on this note.
“Your support has been invaluable and we wish we could have offered a different ending to our story.
“We kindly ask all customers to claim through their bank/card providers.”
