Being an independent two generation old family business run by Managing Director Roger Head the garden centre had built up a loyal following to their existing Squirrels Pantry restaurant.

In 2014 the brief was to extend the existing foot print by 50% with a new build steel and glass structure and to take the

existing seating from under a hundred seats to over 250 with the inclusion of an outdoor covered seating area.

Roger Head had plans for a sophisticated catering offer with an emphasis on quality and above all a fantastic customer experience.

The caterers Vision Commercial Kitchens assisted Roger to develop the restaurant concept. Working with Vision, while employed at Ward Associates I was responsible for advising on spatial planning, interior design and material choices, detailed counter design, and production of a full working drawing package.

The layout of the counters ensured that the service is customer focused as there are various different counter points being provided depending upon the type of cuisine on offer, this had the effect of significantly reducing queuing times. Creating a more dynamic and interesting environment throughout your journey from initially entering the restaurant to sitting down and enjoying the quality food on offer.

Vision Commercial Kitchens managed the project and worked alongside the well-established and highly skilled teams at Ward Interiors, JQ Contracts of Scarborough and Harris Restaurant Consultants to provide a full design-equip-fit complete turnkey project and most importantly, the project was delivered on time and within budget.

Andrew Farr completed this work at DWA Architects of York