Catering Design Group, the restaurant and commercial catering design company, has recently transformed the catering facilities at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock near Oxford, a renowned World Heritage Site and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
The project included refurbishment of three distinct areas. The first featured the refurbishment of the Water Terrace Café and Champagne Bar, which is believed to be the first ever Champagne bar in a stately home. Drawing on the influences from the palatial environment and history, the client wanted to provide a high end offer with waiter service, which would also complement their menu featuring several dishes with a champagne theme.
The curved bar top in stone has a buttoned leather front, the leather being carried through to the adjoining drinks pod stations. Mirrors have been strategically placed around the bar to create a luxurious feel and reflect the grandeur of the space and architecture. Bespoke shelving was designed for the storage of the champagne and wine. The existing candle style ceiling lighting was simply fitted with an eye-catching black voile drum pendant to continue the opulent theme, whilst bouncing light across the bar and its features to once again draw the eye back to the champagne.
On a fairly tight budget, CDG was able to create a luxurious, contemporary space which complemented the palatial environment and long history. This was achieved by refurbishing existing furniture and flooring and using clever lighting to create a sense of occasion and mood.
It has since been joined by the Pleasure Gardens Deli, a family-orientated cafe located next to the famous ‘Marlborough Hedge Maze’. The space was transformed into a New England style deli with bright contemporary décor, colourful printed table tops and quirky signage.
The final phase of the project saw the creation of the new Oxfordshire Pantry. Located within the old shop, the area was designed to complement the new, more extensive retail facility, utilising natural finishes, ornate framed menu displays and traditional features to provide a stunning greeting point for visitors to the house.
