GIN lovers came from far and wide for the first Worcester Gin Festival at The Guildhall.

The event was the brainchild of local bar manager Richard Wheatley, 29, who hailed the bash a success and hopes to bring it back next year.

He said: “The turnout has been amazing – everyone seems happy, the weather’s been great, so I can’t really ask for more.

Mr Wheatley, who runs Tonic in Foregate Street, said: “We’ve got 60-odd gins in our bar, and I think the time is right – the mentality of the city is changing, people want to experience a few new things.

“It’s about time somebody decided to do something in the city. Local people, using local buildings – the Guildhall is such an amazing space.

"It’s underused and underrated. It’s an Edwardian building and that’s when gin started to become popular, so it makes sense to have it here.”

The event, which ran on yesteday and today, was a collaboration between local businesses, with VIP ticket holders eligible for discounts from Burger Shop, Pockets, Jingo and David Lloyd’s.

Mr Wheatley said: “We’ve teamed up with a few local businesses – it’s not just about us, it’s about trying to broaden people’s views of Worcester and work together with people.”

Tonic opened around twoand-a-half years ago and he admitted gin has seen a surge in popularity recently.

He said: “Probably over the last three or four years people are definitely more open to trying different gins. I love gin, always loved it.”

Mr Wheatley said he hoped the festival, which sold 2,000 tickets this year, would return.

He added: “Potentially we would see it again – it really depends on the success of this one.”

Visitor Dee Bastail, 62, said: “There’s a great selection of gins, I’ve really got into the samples. Being able to try all the different types is very nice.”

The final evening session begins today (Sunday) at 6.30pm until 11.30pm.

Visit worcesterginfestival.com for more.