PLANS for a new restaurant and vodka or gin distillery have been unveiled for Ryedale.

The Fitzwilliam Estate submitted the proposals for two sites in Malton to Ryedale District Council last month.

The distillery application lists its location as an empty unit at Talbot Yard in Yorkersgate, with the application also covering the creation of a retail space and offices.

The new restaurant is planned for the currently vacant building on the corner of Wheelgate and Finkle Street.

It is the subject of both a change-of-use application, from a retail space into a restaurant, as well as listed building consent and proposals including “external and internal alterations with the installation of a flue to the north west elevation, together with the reinstatement of an opening between the two properties and fitting-out works to form a restaurant including the installation of wood-fired pizza oven.”

A spokesman for the Estate said that they can’t make any comment on the applications until the applications have been approved by district council planning officers and leases have been signed.

The creation of a new distillery in Malton comes amid a resurgence in the popularity of small batch “craft” spirits.

Last year it was reported that the number of gin distilleries in the UK has doubled in five years. Figures from HM Revenue and Customs showed there were 233 licensed UK producers, up from 116 in 2010.

Vodka, meanwhile, is the most popular spirit in Britain, with a market share of around 30 per cent.

It also follows the establishment of several new breweries in the area and the remoulding of Malton as the “food and drink capital” of Yorkshire.

The distillery application will be decided by Monday, March 20, and the restaurant applications by Thursday, March 23. The agents for the applications are Savills in York.

The decisions are expected to be delegated from the planning committee to council planning officers.