As my Grannie always said, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

I’m obviously very passionate about my products and have literally gambled my life savings on the business so it’s incredibly hurtful when occasionally some people can be incredibly rude and unkind.

If gin isn’t your thing, that’s fine. Or if you try the drinks and they’re not for you, I appreciate we all have different tastebuds but please always remember that there’s a face behind the small business that has invested time, money and passion.

Recently I was at a local farm shop sampling the range and I smiled at a man and women who were Christmas shopping, offered them a sample and was taken aback completely by the response tell me that gin was poison and how it was the worst of all spirits and how they saw a television programme about how a liver was put in gin for 24 hours and disappeared completely. They were gesticulating wildly and told me I was killing people. I admit I did fight back with a few facts of my own in self-defence, but my overall feeling was of how unnecessary the whole incident was.

This applies to all small businesses, not just mine. Please remember as we’re in the throw of Christmas markets, there’s an individual behind the product that has poured their heart and soul into being there and more often than not is juggling cash flow, time and family life. If something isn’t for you, just say ‘no thank you’, smile and move along.

Be kind, always.