Chain Locker, Falmouth
Grade II Listed Building – Hospitality Pub, Restaurant and Boutique Hotel Refurbishment
During this project, two iconic GII listed quayside pubs, the Chainlocker and Shipwrights, underwent a significant scope of refurbishment, alteration and retrofit works to form one rationalised pub, restaurant and hotel offer – befitting of the site’s panoramic Falmouth waterfront view.
Situated within the town quays, historically serving as a south west packet station for England’s Royal Postal service to Spain and the Mediterranean in 1688, the quay is now protected by Conservation Area designation, individually GII listed buildings and the GII* listed quay wall & Custom House, (another of our projects). Following the decline of the shipping industry, and increased tourism due to the establishment of a railway, from Cornwall and the south west, to Falmouth from 1863, the site known as the Marine Hotel was a key destination. The embossed Marine Hotel lettered signage remains on the building today as a feature of its historical evolution.
Our initial project involvement, as heritage consultants, commenced with providing heritage advice to a wider design team, assessing proposals provided by the project interior designer and undertaking an assessment of significance, heritage statement and heritage impact assessment. Our HIA assessment identified the historic building was formed of five phases, the earliest attributed to the formation of the 17th Century Harbour, with later Georgian and Victorian facelifts reflecting changes to Cornish industry. We utilised this research to guide the process of managing change to the GII listed building.
By assessing the proposals, we formed an understanding of the true extent of refurbishment and significant investment required to the building, we used this understanding to unlock opportunities to enhance the commercial viability of the listed building by assessing its optimum viable use as a pub, restaurant and boutique hotel. As a result, our appointment was extended to assist with obtaining necessary approvals for the heritage retrofit works and for assisting throughout the construction phase.
Using our conservation architecture and heritage-led design approach, we designed and successfully obtained listed building consent and conservation area planning permission for the installation of two waterfront balconies to increase restaurant covers and strengthen the relationship between first floor pub & restaurant areas and the busy Customs House Quay below.
Prior to the works the first floor of the Shipwrights range was underutilised commercial space, the proposals enabled the use of this to form a lively restaurant area befitting of its panoramic quayside position, proving how sensitive design can ensure the adaptive reuse of historic buildings. Works to enable a commercial function included the provision of a lift to increase accessibility within the building and the installation of a discrete kitchen extract serving the ground floor kitchen.
We also obtained listed building consent for pub repairs including; substantial re-roofing in natural slate, various chimney repairs, renewed natural slate cladding and various joinery works. Historic window and doors were carefully repaired and modern joinery to the quayside elevation was replaced with aluminium windows to reduce the maintenance burden associated with the listed building.
Our construction stage support involved the coordination of substantial unexpected structural repair works identified during the project. These repairs required live agreement with Historic England, their Conservation Accredited structural engineer and Cornwall Council’s Conservation Officer. We successfully obtained approvals to proceed – briefing an archaeologist’s historic building recording and providing technical drawings to guide the sensitive rebuilding of the defective structure.
Prior to opening, the pub character was carefully restored by the meticulous recording and reinstatement of found artefacts including flags, sails and ship’s wheels, to ensure the Chain Locker bar retained its traditional atmosphere for all those who appreciate its history. 10 years on from the commencement of works, the Chain Locker continues to support the local community, tourists, Cornish boatmen and shanty singers alike and will continue to do so for generations to come.
Image credit: © St Austell Brewery