Shop sets up £10k film studio to teach folk how to make alcohol

Paul Dowrick, owner of Goodlife Homebrew, spent his £10,000 provided to businesses during the first lockdown to pursue his passion of filming and photography.

He has created a film studio at the back of his store in the Sweet Briar Industrial Estate which offers a wide range of supplies and equipment for making wine, beer, cider, liqueurs, and spirits.

It comes complete with a greenscreen and cutting edge filming equipment.

Paul Dowrick, owner of Goodlife Homebrew store, has created his own film studio at the back of the shop to teach people how to make their own alcohol at home. (Image: Archant 2022)

The businessman is launching new Facebook Live videos filmed in his shop teaching people how to make their own alcohol at home.

This will be filmed every Sunday, teaching customers how to make drinks from scratch.

Paul Dowrick, owner of Goodlife Homebrew store, has created his own film studio at the back of the shop to teach people how to make their own alcohol at home. (Image: Archant 2022)

Mr Dowrick said: "When the government grant became available I thought about what I could do for the industry.

"It's about beating the internet and thinking about how we are going to get people back into the shop. We need to give them a reason to come here."

Paul Dowrick, owner of Goodlife Homebrew store, has created his own film studio at the back of the shop to teach people how to make their own alcohol at home. (Image: Archant 2022)

Customers who have purchased products from the shop can join in with the live teaching sessions.

Mr Dowrick first became interested in filming and photography after working with cancer cells through microscopes during his PHD in cell biology at the University of East Anglia.

The Goodlife Homebrew store in Norwich (Image: Archant 2022)

Setting up the filming equipment by himself took Mr Dorwick as long as a month to get right in the shop.

Mr Dorwick continued: "The studio was originally set up at the front of the shop but people were wondering what it was.

Paul Dowrick, owner of Goodlife Homebrew store, has created his own film studio at the back of the shop to teach people how to make their own alcohol at home. (Image: Archant 2022)

"I originally filmed a YouTube video on how to do a fruit press and I have plans to start a homebrew club."

He has previously spoken about the struggles to run a brewing business after the "perfect storm" of Covid, the cost of living crisis and the closure of Sweet Briar Road which has seen customer levels drop.

Paul Dowrick, owner of Goodlife Homebrew store, has created his own film studio at the back of the shop to teach people how to make their own alcohol at home. (Image: Archant 2022)

Mr Dowrick was previously turning over as much as £6,000 on a single Saturday.

But in April he made just £5,000 across the entire month.

Goodlife Homebrew in Norwich (Image: Archant 2022)

Despite the struggle, he is trying to adapt his business wherever he can.