Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery based in Wooler, Northumberland, is thrilled to have won the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) North East Award for Building of the Year, Client of the Year, Regional Award of the Year, Project Architect of the Year and Sustainability Award of the Year: the latest of 18 wide-ranging awards and accolades, since opening in March 2023.
Chosen from myriad project submissions from across the region - which were latterly whittled down to a shortlist of just six projects – the work of Ad Gefrin’s architect, Richard Elphick was chosen as the winning entry across an impressive five awards categories.
Ad Gefrin is Elphick’s swansong, the final project of the Northumberland-based sole practitioner who has worked on some of the North East’s most prominent heritage and listed properties. Ad Gefrin is Elphick’s first (and only) large scale commercial design, a culmination of all his years of experience - the passion, attention to detail and commitment to quality are evident.
The Ad Gefrin brief offered Elphick the ultimate design opportunity: from an overall concept - expressed in a very early watercolour painting - right through to the most exacting detail. Elphick exercised his expertise in producing an extraordinarily detailed design from internal furniture, fixtures and fittings to the external landscaping.
Commenting on the award win the RIBA jury said: “The building is clearly a labour of love. From the quality of the materials, construction and details, you can feel that every element has been crafted with care and precision. The high quality of the delivery is a testament to the skill of the architect and the relationship with the client. A palette of repurposed oak and stone, charred timber and traditional materials contrasts with the galvanised steel and utilitarian elements of the brewing process. The building goes above and beyond to set a new benchmark for environmental sustainability."
Ad Gefrin Co-founders, Alan and Eileen Ferguson add: “We are overjoyed at Ad Gefrin’s RIBA North East award wins. The site where Ad Gefrin sits has been in our family for generations, but was a derelict eyesore. We wanted to put something back into Wooler, a rural town that has been overlooked for decades. We wanted the wow factor that said to local people ‘you deserve the best’. That we have that and more, is testament to our architect, Richard.
From the minute you walk in and look up into the stunning curved atrium, the stage is set, and you know you have arrived somewhere special. Despite the complexity of combining all the different aspects of the business, there is an absolute harmony that flows through. We feel that we have a building in which staff feel pride and want to excel in; and a place where visitors immediately feel at ease.
Richard has created the legacy we wanted. We have a stunning building which resonates with passion, care, inclusivity and respect. Noone walking into the building can fail to feel this from the moment they enter and for this we will be eternally grateful to Richard.”
Architect Richard Elphick adds: “I wanted the Distillery and Museum to have a sense of Anglo-Saxon history and distilling tradition; to look and feel as if they had always been there: organic, comprised of natural materials but also contrasting with highlights of clean lines and the sharpness of a 21st century construction. The overall result is a collection of buildings that sit timelessly within their chosen site, with a strong sense of character and continuity. The theatre of entering the building and the special sense of being in the quite unique main Atrium is exactly what I wanted to achieve. I am truly delighted and proud that Ad Gefrin has won these five prestigious RIBA North East Awards, particularly as it is my last project; my swansong.”
Ad Gefrin’s architecturally-acclaimed setting is the backdrop to an ongoing seasonal events programme of immersive Anglo-Saxon experiences, alongside new spirit launches from the Ad Gefrin’s whisky distillery: England’s most northerly distillery.
Since March 2023, Ad Gefrin has welcomed ever-growing numbers of visitors through its doors. Year one and two exceeded all projections, with 65k and 74k visitors, respectively, and since March 2025 almost 10k have visited the award-winning Northumberland tourist destination.
