A listed mill building transformed into a sustainable 130-cover dining venue
Client
River Cottage
Location
Winchester
Date Completed
October, 2014
Contract Sum
£687,000
The latest in a successful group of projects for Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall, River Cottage, Winchester converted an 18th century brick-built Grade II listed Abbey Mill into a 130-cover restaurant supported by a private dining space for 20, plus deli, retail and bar. An additional 50 covers are located outdoors to capitalise on the unique parkland setting of the venue.
We removed floors to create a dramatic and interlinked sequence of spaces, celebrating the main double height space and including an open kitchen, wood burning oven, preparation area, bar and deli counter. New stairs and balconies rationalise circulation and create an holistic, highly social interior of varying levels and sightlines. A series of linked counters celebrate the visual aspects of food and cooking, and create a sense of performance in the centre of the room. This central market-like feature divides the large interior into more intimate dining areas whilst also concealing back-of-house functions from diners and allowing for views out to the waterfront.
A range of old and new materials creates a rich mix of textures including a beautiful exposed timber last ceiling. In line with the restaurant’s sustainability approach which uses only locally sourced ingredients, all materials for the refurbishment including furniture had to be sourced within a 50-mile radius. A further phase of work will see electricity generated from the mill used to power the restaurant.
Just an hour from London, the restaurant offered the perfect base for the River cottage’s high-profile environmental campaigns, cookery courses, meetings and events.
