Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa

The project:

To replace multiple outdated kitchens with a new central kitchen to meet all the catering requirements of this busy 4-star Golf Resort Hotel and Luxury Spa which is one of the most exclusive and sought-after wedding locations in the north of England.

The result:

In conjunction with Phil Roberts, the Hotel Operation Manager, Bettaquip re-designed the cooking operations to replace three existing kitchens with one central production kitchen to meet all the resort food offerings, from early morning snacks for the golfers to award winning menus in the restaurant, healthy dishes for spa day guests, afternoon teas and function catering for wedding parties. This created a much more efficient catering operation and freed up additional space where the previous kitchens had been removed.

The new kitchen is designed around a central cooking island together with a bank of three Rational combi ovens and a dishwashing system based on an Electrolux rack dishwasher. Bettaquip also installed a servery between the kitchen and restaurant for the breakfast buffet and as a pass between the preparation and serving areas throughout the day.

The challenges of this historic building, dating back to the 16^th century, included working within the constraints of the existing structure with low ceilings and large supporting steel columns and beams. The building works were carried out by the Main Contractor Medlock which included the Mechanical and Electrical design and installation together with replacement of all floor and wall coverings to meet the latest hygiene requirements. Efficient ventilation was required to ensure the health and safety of the kitchen staff. Ventilation for the large central cooking island presented a significant challenge as both the 18th tee of the golf course and wedding reception balcony area were in very close proximity to the exhaust point. This meant that noise emitted from the ventilation plant would have to be significantly reduced so as not to create a nuisance for both golfers and wedding parties alike. Working with air management experts Mansfield Pollard a bespoke sound attenuation solution was designed that ensured the ventilation system would not be a nuisance for golfers, hotel guests, or wedding parties that visit the hotel.

The new kitchen was installed as part of a £2.4million refurbishment of every area of the resort. The hotel's restaurant, The Fairway Grill, has also been revamped as part of the major investment and now boasts new décor and a speciality grill menu, featuring the finest locally-sourced ingredients. Set in 200 acres of parkland Formby Hall now offers 76 individually designed contemporary bedrooms, a luxurious spa and an18-hole Championship Golf Course and PGA Academy.

For more information read about the project in Catering Insight magazine.

The response:

Phil Roberts Operations manager said, "We needed to partner with a Company who were prepared to consult with us over several months prior to the installation to provide a solution that would resolve current issues and meet all our future requirements. Bettaquip proved to be the perfect choice in this respect and for ultimately fitting out the fantastic new kitchen on budget and on time ready for a fully booked Grand National Weekend. "

Andrew Pyle, general manager at Formby Hall, said: "We're really delighted that all the work is now completed and excited to be able to reveal what we've achieved over the past few months. The response we've received so far has been really positive, and we appreciate all the support and patience our guests have shown while the refurbishment has been taking place. We're sure they'll agree it's been well worth it and hope they'll enjoy making the most of everything we've done."