RCT Council can confirm that the lease has now been signed for occupying the new modern business unit at Parc Coed-Elái – with Mallows Family Distillery now confirmed as the first tenant.
The wider Parc Coed-Elái site has been brought forward with investment from the Welsh Government, providing for up to 332,000 sq ft of employment space. Established in 2018 and run by father and son, Andy and Rhys Mallows, the Mallows Family Distillery has developed in to a remarkable family-owned distillery based in the heart of south Wales, with a wealth of knowledge and tremendous passion for producing hand-crafted artisan spirits including gin, vodka, rum and bourbon.
Recently, co-director Rhys Mallows has been recognised with a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for the mass production of hand sanitiser during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing essential supplies to schools and frontline health and social care staff.
Andy Mallows, co-director of Mallows Family Distillery, said: “I’m delighted that Mallows Family Distillery have been confirmed as the tenant for the brand new modern business units at Parc Coed-Elái, and this marks an exciting new chapter for our distillery and bottling business.
“Our new home at Parc Coed-Elái will be a platform for us to further grow the business and it caps off a great year for Mallows with Rhys’ recognition for his fantastic work during the pandemic, the launch of two new products and once again being shortlisted for the Wales Start-Up Awards 2021.
“I’d like to extend my thanks to RCT Council and the Welsh Government and I look forward to making Parc Coed-Elái our home.”
On January 15, 2021, the 30,000 sq ft business unit, which also includes office accommodation, was officially handed over to the Council by John Weaver Contractors after construction started in November 2019 and continued throughout the pandemic.
The new unit sits on a plot of the wider former colliery site at Parc Coed-Elái, which is owned by Welsh Government and earmarked for development in the Local Development Plan.
The unit is the result of a Joint Venture project by Welsh Government and the Council. The project secured £2.58m from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government to deliver the unit. The building, at 3 Parc Coed-Elái (CF39 8FR), achieves a positive rating for its low-carbon usage under the established BREEAM assessment criteria.
Councillor Robert Bevan, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Housing, said: “I am very pleased to see the new modern business unit at Parc Coed-Elái, situated on the former Coed Ely Colliery site, welcoming its new occupier in the Mallows Family Distillery.
“They are an exciting and innovative family-owned business with a real passion for spirits and they are certainly putting South Wales firmly on the map within that sector with their range of artisanal products and services.
“Following the completion of the unit, the Council received a number of expressions of interest which highlighted the appetite for this type of business accommodation in key strategic areas of the County – with this particular location served by the nearby A4119 arterial route, which the Council is in the process of dualling in line with its commitment.
“The business unit is, of course, part of the wider Parc Coed-Elái site being developed by Welsh Government – and the Council was able to secure more than £3.25m of external funding towards its delivery.”
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said: “I am delighted Mallows Family Distillery has decided to base its business from the new unit at Parc Coed-Elái. This is a huge milestone for the project.
“The Mallows Family Distillery bottling facility will be a leading manufacturing site in the UK, using cutting edge principles which can be shared across the network in Wales. The facility will also add a critical component to the Welsh drinks supply chain by allowing Welsh brands to be manufactured, bottled and packaged here in Wales.
“The Welsh Government has a clear commitment to making Wales a more prosperous and secure place to live and work. Parc Coed-Elái is already doing just that, with the provision of investment ready sites and premises creating valuable economic opportunities for the surrounding communities and helping to future-proof the regional economy in very real terms.”
Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths added: “I’m pleased to see Mallows Family Distillery will be established at the Parc Coed-Elái site, and it’s always positive to see Welsh Government investment deliver results. This site is an excellent location for the business, and a great base for them to grow in the future. I wish them the very best as they start on this new venture.”
