GIN-LOVERS will be able to enjoy a selection of gins from the UK and overseas in a 17-day festival in and around Southampton.

Eight Wetherspoons pubs will each be serving gins from Sweden, USA and Moldova as well as gins produced in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The festival is to run from August 16 to September 1 and on offer will be flavoured gins, classic gins, gin liqueurs as well as a distilled non-alcoholic.

The flavours include pineapple and mango, cucumber, peach and hibiscus, rhubarb and rosehip, and lemon and jasmine.

The participating pubs are; The Standing Order in High Street, The Giddy Bridge in London Road and The Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis in Canutes Pavilion, Ocean Village, all in Southampton.

As well as this, The Bright Water Inn in Shirley Road, Shirley, The Wagon Works in Southampton Road, Eastleigh, The Red Lion in Bitterne Road, Bitterne Village and The Lord Arthur Lee and The Crown Inn, both in West Street, Fareham, will all be taking part.

The Giddy Bridge manager, Alan Shorthouse, said: "We have sourced an excellent range of gins which have not previously been available in the pub.

"We are confident that our customers will enjoy trying the different gins which each have their own unique appeal."

Among the UK gins are: The Lakes Rhubarb & Rosehip Gin Liqueur, Jawbox Pineapple & Ginger Gin Liqueur, Zymurgorium FlaGingo Pink Gin, and Sipsmith Gin Strawberries and Cream.

The overseas gins are: Aviation Gin from the USA, Tower Bridge London Dry Gin from Moldova, and Ceders Crisp from Sweden.

The pubs will offer a range of mixers for customers to drink with their gins, including ginger ale, lemonade and two flavoured tonics, Valencian Orange as well as Elderflower.

The gins will range in price from £2.65 to £3.55 for a single measure and include a free mixer.

Tasting notes on all the gins will be available in the pubs.

In addition, the pub will also offer its regular range of gins.