Residents are attempting to block plans by crisps producer Tyrrells to turn its Herefordshire farm into a vodka distillery.
The company hopes to use a £5 million regional prize it won in the Bank of Scotland’s Corporate £25 million Challenge to use potatoes too small for its luxury crisps to make 3,600 bottles per week.
As part of the plans, waste sunflower oil from Tyrrells’ deep fat fryers would be delivered to the distillery at Rosemaund Farm in Preston Wynne once a week for conversion into bio-diesel, which will be used to run farm vehicles and a generator. A 15.5 metre high distillation tower would also be erected.
But locals who fear that extra traffic, noise and emissions would be generated by the distillery are urging Herefordshire Council to reject Tyrrells’ plans.