Scotland

‘A Destination Hotspot’ –Clydebuilt Bar & Kitchen

The Clyde- Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre

Levy Restaurants have recently added another venue to their vast portfolio; Clydebuilt Bar & Kitchen opened in November.

Located within the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC), Clydebuilt will act as a destination hotspot for people visiting The SSE Hydro, which is situated close by.

Premier Hospitality caught up with Levy Restaurants Creative Director, Roy Westwood, to find out more about the new venue. Roy told us about where the design team drew inspiration from:

“The venue has an industrial feel as well as a rustic factory feel; this derives from the actual building itself which is industrial in its structure and the fact that the space used to be a ship building environment as part of the old docks. The Clydebuilt name is synonymous with engineering excellence from the Clyde’s famous shipbuilding heritage.

The Clyde- Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre

“There is clever use of materials in Clydebuilt that put a modern twist on that rich heritage. On our tables there are menus held in a bench clamp and plenty of industrial tools dotted about. Our wines can be found on display in tool boxes, oil cans dispense dressings and the wait staff wear leather tool belts.”

The new 350 cover bar-restaurant (and deli counter) has the flexibility to go complete bar or complete restaurant set up following Levy best practice. A large open plan kitchen with a feature pizza oven adds theatre whilst underfloor heating throughout the space ensures customer comfort.

Levy worked with lead designers 442 Design on the project. David Dunn Managing Director of 442 Design said:

“We have developed a strong working relationship with Levy Restaurants and the combination of their vision and our design approach creates a strong synergy. The operation, quality of the site team and our design details have helped make Clydebuilt busy and talked about in very positive terms.”

The Clyde- Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre

The ability to flex the offer depending on the time of day or audience is central to the design approach. A new entrance was created to improve circulation and external profile in sight of the surrounding venues and buildings. Inside, the modern industrial look includes a 30 metre long bar which uses timber that was once a floor in a Scottish Village Hall.

The white marks of the old badminton court are still visible, acting as a great talking point for staff and customers. The SECC’s original red tiles are brought back to life as a key accent colour alongside a contemporary finishes palette. Mixed seating throughout caters for groups, couples and individuals. Some of the reclaimed school chairs still have original graffiti.

Behind the feature bar a vast array of liquor, wine, beers and cocktails are stacked; the more discerning customers will notice the chefs are visible through the transparent material. This adds another interesting design quirk to the on-trend venue.

The Clyde- Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre

The bar acts as the venue’s central feature; to the right of the bar is the restaurant, to the left is the bar seating area which offers enough space for 350 customers. Both areas have a common language but the restaurant is more refined with classic upholstered seating supplied by And Then Design Ltd.

And Then Design Ltd, a Nottingham based company, specialise in manufacturing contemporary furniture for the contract and residential market. Previous projects they have worked on have been furnishing Co-op Head Offices, the London and Manchester BBC head quarters and Natural Retreats.

65 of And Then Design Ltd’s Anna Chairs can be found in The Clyde Built’s restaurant. They have a bent wire frame, are powder coated and have an upholstered plywood shell on the seat at the back.

The Clyde- Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre

Director Samuel Wright said:

“It was great to be involved with Clydebuilt Project and allows us to prove we can provide furniture on a large scale for these kinds of projects. We pride ourselves on offering fun, playful products with character to the commercial market. We also relish using local suppliers and manufacturers.”

Within the bar the seating differs from the elegance of the restaurant. Old reclaimed machine stools, high benches, bars perches, booth seating, communal tables and chunky work timber tables are utilised and there is a real emphasis on metal and wood.

Lighting is crucial and a series of settings helps create mood and intimacy throughout the day. The venue boasts an array of light fittings including cage lights located around the bar, reclaimed warehouse lighting is also scattered around the bar seating area. Within the restaurant there is a circular, bespoke feature lighting installation especially designed for the venue.

The Clyde- Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre

Dimension Shopfitting, a Scottish based specialist fit out company, acted as the main contractor for the project. Work on site was completed within two and a half months although developing the design concept began considerably earlier. Levy Restaurants have opened multiple venues over the past year and continue with their plans to expand.

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Roma Publications