Tile specialist Ceramique Internationale, working with award winning Architectural and Interior Design Practice DV8 Design, has recently completed work on a project to transform a former police station into a “stunning” gastro pub.
Working on a project that honours the heritage of a building while transforming it into an attractive, commercial entity is always a privilege, says Ceramique. So the company was “delighted” to be part of the work that turned a former police station into a gastro pub in the town of Heswall, on the Wirral Peninsula.
Designed by former Chester County Architect, Harry Beswick, who was known for his 20th century Edwardian designs of police stations and educational buildings in the region, the police station had been empty for several years before being purchased by North West brewery and pub retailer Hydes.
Now after a multi-million pound transformation The Harry Beswick has opened and is reportedly receiving rave reviews from customers.
The project has preserved many of the original features of the historic building, Ceramique says, from the stone plaque above the main entrance which still bears the year of construction and the Ruabon brick façade and sandstone, to the mullion windows and gables. The tile supplier worked closely with DV8 Design and WHB Construction on the project to supply a range of tiles for various parts of the building.
Lee Birchall of DV8 Design, who specialises in the commercial, hospitality and residential sectors, explained the thinking behind the project: “Harry Beswick was renowned for his innovative architectural designs, which seamlessly blended timeless aesthetics with contemporary functionality. His works stand as a testament to his dedication to preserving the heritage of the past while embracing the opportunities of the future. At DV8 Designs, we like to push creative boundaries, and The Harry Beswick project allowed us to bring Harry’s vision to life by creating a place that beautifully marries historical significance with modern-day appeal.”
According to Ceramique, the objective of enhancing the architectural elegance of the building, while integrating modern design elements to create an inviting bar and restaurant, carried through all aspects of the transformation, including the tiles.
Danny Malone, specification sales manager at Ceramique Internationale, said: “Maintaining and enriching the Edwardian features of the original building was important so everything we supplied needed to deliver on that.
“We supplied realistic terracotta-look floor tiles called Roots by WOW Design for some of the main eating areas of the pub, with our stunning Art Brut brick wall tiles in Honey being used as highlights around seating areas. And to add extra character the very pretty and traditional Floriane Carole by Ape were applied to some table tops.
“For the bar apron and feature floor sections we supplied hardwearing unglazed black and white mosaics with a border detail designed by DV8, which created real standout. The same mosaics were used to create bespoke typography entrance features, both spelling out ‘The Harry Beswick’. In the face of long lead times due to European summer shut downs, which could have made it difficult to fulfil these features, we got out our stanley knives out in our warehouse to do some of the preparation that would normally have been done by the mosaic factory!”
The finished venue is reportedly already proving very popular in the local area and will continue to carry the name of the admired architect for years to come.
