Retiring cider maker raises glass to customers

Ray Blockley said he would be hard-pressed to have found a more rewarding career

A cider maker who has been at the core of production in Nottinghamshire is closing his business after 30 years.

Ray Blockley set up Torkard Cider in Hucknall after his homemade drinks received rave reviews from local drinkers.

When he started out, he was the only cider producer in the county and, as the business grew, it won numerous awards, he said.

As Torkard winds down, and with other local producers ready to carry on the tradition, he thanked loyal customers for providing fruitful support.

Mr Blockley, 69, said he started making cider when he was 12 years old, but the more professional operation began in 1995.

Mr Blockley (left) set up Torkard Cider in 1995

He had initially been making cider for home consumption to help use a glut of local fruit, but after getting positive feedback from friends, he looked into turning it into a professional business.

"There were no cider makers in Nottinghamshire at that time," he said.

"I'd made cider for many, many years for myself, we'd made wine for many years, and we found that lots of fruit was just being dumped and being left to rot, and we decided to see if we could make something with it.

"We found we could, and it was quite palatable, and a chap from Nottingham Camra [Campaign for Real Ale] asked if he could try some, and we were amazed when he said it was really good and, if we got everything sorted to sell it, they would definitely have it.

"We jumped through all the hoops to get registered with HMRC and do environmental health things and the checks... and that was it, and we just grew from there."

Joined by his wife Gail in production, Torkard Cider quickly earned a following among apple enthusiasts across the county, with some people also providing him with their spare fruits to use.

"There's a lady over in Clifton, we've fetched her apples every year, as she phones us up when she needs to mow her lawn," he said.

Mr Blockley and his wife Gail finishing the last apple wash in December 2020

Since Torkard Cider was founded, other producers have sprung up across the county, reflecting a continued interest in traditionally-made produce.

"There are lots of newer, upcoming makers who have started over the last two or three decades," said Mr Blockley.

"We've helped them and given them as much support and advice as we could, so it's more power to them carrying it forward.

"I'm really pleased that, as far as I'm aware, all of them are just using apple juice or pear juice, they're following on this full, whole juice craft tradition - which is as it should be."

With Torkard now ceasing production, Mr Blockley said he would be hard-pressed to have found a more rewarding career.

He thanked the Nottingham branch of Camra for their support, and paid tribute to customers for their continued interest.