Limited edition Bene for club

DELIGHTED drinkers at a Burnley social club have been presented with a limited edition bottle of Benedictine to celebrate the liqueur’s 500th anniversary.

Burnley Miners’ Social Club, in Plumbe Street, which is the largest outlet for the drink in the world, has received a bottle of Black Monk.

The uniquely-designed bottle, one of only 50 in circulation in the UK, is not on sale for public consumption and is only presented to specially selected “friends” of Benedictine in recognition of their association with the liqueur.

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Mr Alan Kennedy, club secretary, said: “It’s remarkable to think that even though we are so many miles away from Fécamp, Benedictine still holds us in high esteem and wants to involve us in its anniversary celebrations.

“It’s a very nice gesture and we are extremely grateful. The bottle will be proudly displayed at the bar.”

The drink, a herbal liqueur, was originally created in France in 1510 in the Normandy town of Fécamp and named after its creator, a Benedictine monk. It is one of the world’s oldest drinks.

It has a long history with Burnley, stretching back to the First World War, after soldiers of the East Lancashire 11th Battalion drank it with hot water in the trenches to stay warm and brought it back to the town at the end of the war for relatives to try.

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Mr Alvin Saal, brand manager at Benedictine, added: “As the adopted home of Benedictine in the UK, the club certainly deserves this gift as a small token of our appreciation for its many years of support. We are proud of the tradition and history that has connected it to Burnley and hope it continues to be enjoyed in the region over the next 500 years.”

Benedictine will be running a series of events later in the year with Burnley Miners’ Social Club for its 500th anniversary, including its annual “Beneoke” competition in which the winning vocalist will perform in front of the town at the Christmas lights switch-on.

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