The World of Hospitality Issue 14 2016 | Page 8

8 the World Of Hospitality Part of the return to the building’s optimum functionality is that the kitchen once again serves the dining room directly, rather than being separated from it as it had been in recent times. Guests enter either directly from the hotel or from the street’s listed revolving door entrance, with the entirety of the front-to-back space of the Georgian terrace given over to the bar and restaurant, added to by picturesque views of Edinburgh’s old alleyways to the rear. To improve flow, the bar counter has been moved from its former location at the front of the space, where it tended to block and impede restaurant access at peak times, to a raised level to one side, with the restaurant served by a dedicated dispense bar. Goddard lifflefair Listed or high-quality original features that have been retained include the ceiling and walls, where a special antique finish was used to restore the decorative plasterwork friezes. Flooring throughout is new and includes herringbone dark-stained oak sections and chequerboard tiling in black nero marquina and white carrrara marble. All joinery is bespoke and in oak, including the bar, which also has black metal and brass gantries with inset light to set off the displays of glass and spirits. The new bar top is in carrara marble.