Banks hires CEO to revive Eden Mill distillery – Daily Business

Steven Kersley: gateway

Eden Mill Distillery has appointed Steven Kersley as chief executive to rebuild the business following its acquisition out of administration.

Begbies Traynor were appointed in November as joint administrators of the distillery’s owner, St Andrews Brewers.

Established in 2012, it was the first distillery to make spirits in the St Andrews area in more than 150 years, but had suffered from drop in sales and delays in the opening of its flagship visitor centre in St Andrews. This created cash flow difficulties for the business.

Dundee-based investment company Ruby Capital, chaired by entrepreneur and Falklands War veteran Tony Banks, acquired the business and assets of Eden Mill for an undisclosed sum.

Mr Banks founded Balhousie Care Group which he later exited. He also appeared in the TV show Secret Millionaire.

He said: “We acquired Eden Mill because we believe in what it can become. It has an extraordinary location, a loyal following, and the infrastructure to grow into something significant.

“Appointing Steven is the most important step we’ve taken since acquisition. He understands this industry from the ground up, he has the commercial ambition we need, and he shares our absolute commitment to making whisky of the highest quality.

“That shared goal is the foundation everything else is built on. We’re giving him everything he needs to take our spirits to the world stage.”

Mr Kersley, who has more than a decade of leadership experience across Scotch whisky and craft spirits, said: “With its location at the gateway to the home of golf, our distillery occupies one of the most compelling sites in Scottish spirits. St Andrews is a genuinely special place with over a million tourists passing through each year.

“We have an incredible back-catalogue of award-winning spirits, but what excites me most are the spirits that are yet to come.”

Eden Mill’s flagship distillery and visitor centre opened on the Eden Campus in October 2025. The site includes a 300-cask warehouse, the 40-seat Lookout Bar, a high-end retail space, and an immersive experience programme built around whisky, gin and mixology. 

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