Mover and shaker welcomed to converted mill complex

An online cocktail company set up during the pandemic is moving into Sunny Bank Mills, in Farsley.

Canvas, which creates experience-led cocktails to enjoy at home, is taking on studio space in Sandsgate, the mill’s historic Edwardian office.

Jonny Shields, co-owner of Canvas with his partner Jess, said: “We love the mill for the fact that it’s a beautifully curated space, both in terms of the aesthetic, which harks back to days gone by, and also because of the wide range of businesses here.

“Seeing brands such as Amity, the Hip Store and Pampas & Bloom already at Sunny Bank made us feel excited to become a part of the community here and to call the mill our new home.

“As an online business, set up during the pandemic, we worked remotely from the start, so this move into our new home in Sandsgate is a crucial part of our journey.

“The move will allow us to grow in both production capacity and creativity. We launched at the beginning of last year, making experience-led cocktails at home. Canvas is about the whole experience of a cocktail rather than just the liquid, and so we make cocktails at home feel like cocktails at the bar.”

Sunny Bank Mills is co-owned by William and John Gaunt. John Gaunt said: “There’s no doubt cocktails are incredibly popular these days and Jonny and Jess’s imaginative approach to making cocktails at home and promoting them via video looks like an idea whose time has come. We wish them the very best of luck.

“Our efforts are now firmly focused on refurbishing the remaining space in the iconic 1912 Mill with 14,000 sq ft of quality office space over two floors available to let in a variety of configurations.”

“There is also 2,000 sq ft of flexible office space available at Sandsgate, which can be divided into suites of 500 sq ft.”