In late 2019
we won an invited competition to design a new restaurant and kitchen gardens in
the beautiful grounds of Polesden Lacey, Surrey. The property is run by the National
Trust and was once owned by Margaret Greville, known for her lavish taste and
gossip-worthy parties. In 1923 the future George VI and Queen Elizabeth spent
part of their honeymoon here.
Alas, the
pandemic arrived and the project was shelved. We loved working with the client
team and are proud of our winning design, so feel it deserves some attention.
The site for
the restaurant was next to a walled rose garden, with wonderful views across a
wooded valley. Understanding the site’s history led to the concept of a
dome-shaped restaurant and neighbouring greenhouse and fruit cage, mimicking
the form of glasshouses and connecting diners with the food on their plate. The
project comprised:
- New ‘plot to plate’ restaurant and café
- Dining room for 114 covers
- Cafe for 44
- Outdoor terrace for 104 covers
- Option for guests to pick up picnic hampers and eat elsewhere in the park
- New shop
- New kitchen and servery facilities to serve whole site
- Welfare facilities and operational base for parks and gardens staff
- Visitor toilets
Knitting
in among existing accommodation, the project tidied up back-of-house facilities
to create a better experience for staff and visitors. It also would have given Polesden
more flexibility to cater for their wide variety of events, including evening
functions and weddings, which would have pleased Mrs Greville.
