The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Members' Brasserie

Refurbishing the Members’ Brasserie in one of the world’s most celebrated sporting venues is no easy feat. But we did just that. We brushed up on our tennis etiquette and used our fit out know-how to serve up an exceptional fine dining experience for the members of the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

Project partners

  • Langstaff Day Architects
  • M-E Engineers Ltd
  • Turner & Townsend

Project description

Our expert team was appointed to take on the refurbishment of the space in its new guise as a Members’ Brasserie at The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) in Wimbledon, London. Now a new focal point of the famous sporting venue, this redesign gives fresh purpose to a tired space that was previously only used during The Championships each year.

Love-all

Our project has completely overhauled the facade, kitchen, bar, reception, restrooms and staircase, as well as the dining room which can now comfortably host 175 people all year round. We installed new decorative metalwork, bespoke joinery and marble flooring to give the space a high-end finish and create a sense of occasion, befitting the renowned Club.

Ace procurement

This refurbishment was designated as a two-stage procurement project, so we planned ahead to make sure there were no delays. We know from experience that certain packages, including materials for structural works, can take time to source and secure.

We managed to procure these early, during the first stage, and coordinated with our trusted supply chain to meet installation dates, design requirements and the AELTC’s stringent approval processes. As a result, we’re proud to say this 38-week project was completed in time for the busy summer season.

Attention to detail

A big part of the project was replacing the existing façade with a timber system that opens and closes fully. To guarantee a polished look, we sourced prime grade wood to reduce the number and size of knots which are inherent in timber.

This was a specific requirement of the design criteria and took the combined efforts of the whole supply chain to get right. The structural calculations of the facade’s supporting brackets and reinforcements, as well as how they interact with the concrete we poured, was another facet of the project which needed expert attention.

Nothing let by

Even the brasserie's flooring is more complicated than what initially meets the eye. Havwoods timber flooring has a complex pattern and design which needed to be set and coordinated with other finishes. We meticulously arranged various different timber shapes to create a very particular finish selected by the AELTC.

At the outset, we asked our supply chain, (including the Havwoods technical director) to get involved. We held on-site workshops with AELTC and the project’s architect, SHH Architecture, to run through different scenarios of setting out the timber and expectations of the finished result. We set up sample areas for benchmarking and sought early approval on these to give us enough time to properly complete this important part of the project.

Game, set and match

We have a close relationship with the AELTC’s estate, facilities management and food and drink teams after working together over many years. We facilitated site visits, hosted question and answer sessions, and ran training to demonstrate how to maintain all newly installed plant equipment. Our aim was to take pressure off the AELTC on the project’s completion and to make handover as simple as possible. And, of course, to ensure everyone could enjoy the first serve of The Championships.

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