The Kitchen @ Felixstowe
In May 2022, this brand new 1.5-million-pound café opened on the beautiful seafront of Felixstowe. This project was led by “The Kitchen @ Group”, who also own other popular locations in Dedham and Thorpeness.
The opening of this café has been hugely successful for Felixstowe, attracting both local people and new visitors. It's the perfect spot to sit and enjoy some tasty treats, whilst taking in the breath-taking views just a stone's throw away from the beach!
The Works
Construction on the original foundations of the premises began all the way back in August 2020, by Barnes Construction; amidst the COVID-19 troubles. GS Contracts took over the build in early January of 2022, as a shell unit after Barnes Construction had set out the stud partitions.
We began working from the structure point located directly in the centre of the kitchen; our team used this as the setting point to begin forming the radial walls.
The flooring was then put in place, layering several insulation layers, a damp proof membrane, underfloor heating and finally screeding.
Next, we moved on to framing out the ceiling, which was a complex task due to the unique shapes and sizes, but our team managed to implement a solution to progress with it smoothly.
This contemporary style project was designed during the pandemic; which has resulted in many practical and innovative systems being implemented to reduce the risk of contamination. All taps and flush systems are sensor detected, and the soap dispensers are all automatic.
All architectural finishes and final pieces were then put in place, including the manufacturing and installation of the gelato counter and fitting of the ‘beside the seaside’ live wall.
Unsurprisingly, this spectacular space has been awarded a RIBA Suffolk design award, with thanks to Plaice Architecture, Barnes Construction, East Suffolk Council and GS Contracts!
Interview with Claire Marshall
We were lucky enough to catch up with Claire Marshall, Director of “The Kitchen @ Group”, to learn more about the business and her experience behind Martello Cafe’s fruition.
Click on the video below to learn more.
Fun Fact!
You may remember the UK faced some extreme weather back in February 2022, and we sure got the worse of it! Storm Eunice completely wrecked the Heras fencing we had around the perimeter of the premises.
Our team managed to securely rebuild and adapt the structure of the fencing more securely to prevent the strong winds from taking another toll!
Can our team help you? Give us a call or drop us a line and make our team your team.
