At Bartle Hall, we were commissioned to reimagine the Barn – the hotel’s dedicated function space – together with its adjoining courtyard, while simultaneously upgrading the wider site’s drainage infrastructure. The brief was to resolve long-standing practical issues and, at the same time, significantly raise the quality of the guest experience in one of the venue’s most important wedding and events areas.
The first phase of the project focused on the unseen but critical elements of performance: a new drainage system designed to serve the Barn and the wider hotel, addressing capacity, reliability and surface water management. Careful planning and phasing were required to deliver this work around an operational venue, maintaining access and minimising disruption to guests and staff.
With the underground infrastructure in place, attention turned to the courtyard and the front elevation of the Barn. The existing external spaces were stripped back and rebuilt to create a clear, welcoming approach, improved circulation and a stronger sense of arrival for wedding parties and guests. New hard landscaping, levels, surfacing and detailing were set out to work with the building and its setting, providing defined routes, usable outdoor areas and considered back-of-house arrangements for the events team.
The frontage to the Barn was carefully reworked to sit comfortably alongside the main house while clearly expressing its role as a dedicated function space. Materials, proportions and detailing were selected to feel appropriate to the character of Bartle Hall, with an emphasis on robustness, simplicity and a finish that stands up under regular, high-intensity use.
Overall, the project has given Bartle Hall a more resilient, future-proofed piece of infrastructure and a significantly upgraded guest-facing environment, aligning the practical demands of a busy hotel and wedding venue with the level of presentation expected at this standard.
