The Historic Quayside in Exeter is one of the most attractive parts of the city and is ever popular with locals and visitors alike for its fascinating history, interesting architecture and lively pubs and restaurants.
One of these is the On The Waterfront Restaurant & Pub, a bustling and popular venue all year round. Built inside a 19th-century dock warehouse, it is one of the unique spots Exeter has to offer.
Mark Eastman and Chris Billing of the Waterfront approached Mark Green, our Director, to discuss their latest project. They wanted to demolish the existing main bar and rebuild with a new servery and outside counter. This would enhance the bar area, improve space for the staff working within it, and open up access to alfresco customers all year round (they provide blankets in the winter!).
Mark worked closely with Monika Idziak, one of our interior designer, to come up with an exciting design, that retained the distinctive atmosphere of the Waterfront, but allowed for better flow and quicker service to customers. Copper and zinc were central to the design process, to marry with the buildings warehouse past. The pub has amazing brick vaulted ceilings, and Monika was keen to use reflective materials that would enhance these. A zinc bar top and corrugated copper effect metal sheet bar front were included. The lighting now bounces off the metal finishes and a mirror with digital signage certainly draws customers attention, adding extra light leading you to the bar. We recommended an Altro floor in a wood effect finish, both hard wearing and in keeping with the existing style.
The overall effect is of space and light, as the bar working area has been more than doubled. The improvement in customer experience through easier access to the bar, quicker service, and newly installed digital signage is another reason to visit for a drink, a meal, or both!
Mark and Chris commented ‘Mark Green understood our concept very quickly, and produced design ideas we would not have thought of. We love the use of zinc! Once the overall design was agreed the most amazing number of very detailed drawings appeared. When we came to the build, these turned out to be invaluable and meant that the construction phase went virtually without a hitch, which is a first for us!
We are very pleased with the result and thrilled with Mark’s final design touch: a two-way mirror wall with TV monitors behind which will be a fantastic communication vehicle with added pizzazz.’
If you would like help with your next project, do give us a call. We are very experienced across all sectors, and our team of experienced interior and graphic designers are always striving to create outstanding customer experiences.
We are a collaborative, flexible and above all creative bunch, who can call on an array of skills whenever we require. We care about our clients and are able to build close, long-lasting partnerships with our design team involved in every project we take on.
Contact 01803 295959 for more information or email studio@fruition-design.co.uk