AHEAD OF THE CURVE

We’ve spoken a lot about the preservation and restoration work being undertaken on the original Sherborne House building in recent months – it’s a major project requiring many specialists from all walks of life – but this month we wanted to shine a light on something brand new.

Bringing Sherborne House back to life and transforming it into The Sherborne for its next exciting chapter means striking the perfect balance of ‘old meets new’. Luckily for us, we have an expert team in place who understand what makes the ideal architectural marriage. And so, we’d like to formally introduce you to our rather impressive, purpose-built pavilion. It’s a fine example of how to match innovation with originality and it’s set to be a stunning events space with a bespoke curved ceiling that seamlessly connects the main house to our glorious, enclosed garden.

The spectacular structure stands as a testament to our commitment to sustainable design and architectural excellence. Without a doubt, its most striking feature is its largescale frame. Buckland Timber in Devon skilfully crafted it from an eco-conscious material known as glulam using Spase Architect’s meticulous design. It took over two years to plan as it needed to be just right. The 17-metre pieces of laminated European spruce, with a touch of larch were then curved into an awe-inspiring structure. It’s the capability to curve, bend and manipulate each timber that makes glulam such an exciting wood-based material for architects. The individual pieces, each weighing 1.5 tonnes, were methodically joined together with secret steel flitch plates which are secured with hidden dowels, and resemble a giant Jenga puzzle – hence the need for large cranes on site. The design’s clever counterbalance and weight-bearing properties then ensure that the structure supports itself seamlessly. It truly is something to marvel!

The pavilion, whilst striking in appearance, has been created to be sympathetic to the original building, so you can see straight through it to the magnificent medieval wing. We opted to use spruce because it’s light in colour and so will not dominate the overall colour scheme of the surroundings, creating a more harmonious look. Its integration with the landscape and the incorporation of visually impactful features, such as a bespoke copper canopy and floor-to-ceiling glass walls, make it an inspiring space that connects art, nature, and community. The copper canopy of course will evolve in colour as the venue ages, which we’re sure will be interesting to watch.

Stefan Pitman, MD of Spase Architects, and our lead surveyor explains, ‘This project is particularly remarkable because of the complexity of its design. The tented shape, with a continuous flow from the roof-light apex down to the tapered ‘feet’ took two years to perfect through 3D modelling, as opposed to more conventional CAD drawings. The wood has been tapered in such a way to be load-bearing but appears lightweight, and the whole structure had to be brought in by crane due to the sheer scale of it.’

‘The exceptional curved wooden ceiling of our new pavilion showcases the versatility and beauty of glulam as a structurally engineered wood product. Glulam was first used in Europe in the early 1890s and is a conscious choice. Used to create frameworks for buildings much like steel or concrete, glulam is manufactured by bonding layers of timber together using a durable, moisture-resistant structural adhesive. However, this innovative material has a sixty per cent lower carbon footprint than concrete. Buckland Timber are also certified to supply FSC products sourced from responsibly managed forests and reduce the haulage impact by using locally grown timber.’

Buckland were an obvious choice for us – not only do they call the southwest ‘home’ but they have an illustrious portfolio, which includes St Paul’s Cathedral, Clifford’s Tower and a handful of RNLI structures. From residential extensions to huge commercial projects, shopping centres and equestrian facilities to heritage properties and buildings nestled within outstanding nature, they have done it all.

We’re hoping that the pavilion will become a cherished gathering place for celebrations and cultural events at The Sherborne – bringing the outside in, creating a captivating ambience and immersing guests in nature’s beauty while providing a unique sensory experience. Our new space complements the historical splendour of the house and tempts visitors to think creatively about the future. Lots of natural light floods in, enhancing the atmosphere, and making the entire space feel open and inviting. Plus, the greenery and outdoor elements give freshness and tranquillity, making it an unforgettable setting. We can’t wait to share it with the wider world… thesherborne.uk

Family Room

Celebrating 20 Years At The Grange

The Grange was built around 1750 and has been a restaurant since the early 1970s, but nobody seems to be able to tell you exactly when that change happened. Mauro Lupi, the man who came up with the brilliant idea of turning a manor house in Oborne into a restaurant, will swear blind it was 1974, while his friend, who was sitting next to him when I asked, told me that it must be at least a year earlier as they can remember coming here in ‘73 to celebrate a significant birthday. Another claimed they came here to a party in ’72. When asked, we just say the 1970s.

There must be something about the place that causes this confusion. We have heard many versions of how long we have been part of The Grange’s story. Some are convinced that we inherited it from Jenny’s parents who used to run it and who have owned it for donkey’s years. Some will tell you that we have just moved to the area and have recently taken over. Some have heard on the grapevine that The Grange was bought by a Russian hotel chain (yes, really). None of these are true – the truth is that Jenny’s mother and father bought the hotel in 2003 and we have managed it for them ever since.

Jenny grew up in hotels – her parents ran a hotel in Brighton and it was after we both finished university that we started managing their family-run seaside hotel together. In 2003, we swapped the squawking of gulls for the mooing of cows and moved to Oborne to take on The Grange. It was a bit of a whirlwind, probably more for me than Jenny who had much more experience in hotels and restaurants, meeting the locals, getting to know the team and finding our way around the area. I remember well the evening when Pam, our wonderful kitchen porter, walked into reception and announced very loudly and proudly, that, ‘I be one of the only people to have seen the headless horseman up on ladies’ mile.’ She then smiled and walked out.

We have been blessed with the wonderful people we have had work at The Grange – it never ceases to amaze me how Sherborne and the villages can consistently turn out such a lovely bunch of people. We regularly have people from the same families working here; siblings, cousins and parents with their children. The record from one family stands at five.

Some fifteen-thousand people come to The Grange each year, for an afternoon tea, a meal, a party, a wedding reception or to stay, and so we could claim to have served three hundred thousand people in twenty years. We have met some wonderful people and some of our guests have become our friends. We have hosted weddings – we once went to Manchester to attend the wedding of one of our hotel guests.

The Grange has its own story to tell. I have lost count of the number of proposals that have taken place in the restaurant. But it is the parties and weddings that offer the richest pickings for anecdotes. The wedding where Buzz Lightyear delivered the wedding rings after the best man announced that he had ‘left them on the kitchen table’; clearing up after a particularly raucous Christmas party and finding one guest sound asleep under the table; and at one Christmas wedding, a visit from Father Christmas complete with sleigh, elf and two reindeer, to give each wedding guest a present – it was quite a feat to hide that from the guests.

A huge change in our lives has been the arrival of our children. Now 12 and 9, both have partly grown up at The Grange. They have been known to lay up a table now and then and both have a good understanding of how to clean a hotel bedroom. On one occasion, they ended up checking-in a hotel inspector and remembered to offer him a wake-up call and newspaper. I was a little concerned to be told by the inspector that they did a better job than I normally do.

And more recently, there was Covid. The PM announced on a Friday night that we were to close immediately and then two weeks later we reopened as a convalescent home, and then we were closed, then we opened, then closed, and finally opened again. Like many hospitality businesses, we were very busy when we were open, and some might say it was because people were desperate to get out. While that might be true, I do like to think that the support we all received was just that, people wanting to support the places that had hosted so many of their celebrations over the years and of which they have fond memories.

As I write this, there is a delightful couple having lunch in our restaurant who are among a handful of guests that I would call by their Christian names. In 2006 we hosted their golden wedding anniversary celebration at The Grange for around sixty people. That day they had galia melon with summer fruits, salmon fillet with brioche crust and a choice from The Grange dessert trolley, followed by an Australian sparkling wine for the toast. Today, they are celebrating her ninetieth birthday.

So, on 8th July this year, we will have been at The Grange for twenty years and we have no plans to move on any time soon or to sell to any hotel chains, Russian or otherwise. Although we will still be asked, almost weekly, ‘have you just taken over?’ ‘No’, we will reply, ‘we have been here a while.’ thegrange.co.uk

Yeovil Audi. Look No Further.

Please visit our showroom to view our fantastic new and approved used Audi models in Yeovil, Somerset.

Our team is available to provide you with the information and guidance you need when choosing your next car, including the benefits of a plug-in hybrid or fully-electric Audi.