6 minute read
FORMER SCHOOL RECEIVES MAKEOVER LESSON
TILLEY & WILLS’ GREENWOOD HOTEL IN NORTH SYDNEY HAS A LONG HISTORY AS A FORMER SCHOOL AND CHAPEL. 26 YEARS AFTER WORKING THE BAR THERE, OWNER NICK WILLS REVEALS TO CRAIG HAWTIN-BUTCHER HOW HIS DESIGN TEAM HAVE TAUGHT THE VENUE A LESSON IN STYLE AND EFFICIENCY.
The Greenwood Hotel's main Chapel Bar area
The Greenwood Hotel in North Sydney is nothing less than a local icon. Built in 1878, it has a far longer history educating the masses than entertaining them. First used as a school and later a church, it wasn’t converted to a drinking hotel until 1992.
But with its striking pitched roof, vibrant sandstone brickwork and extensive heritage-listed detailing, it fits the bill perfectly as a hospitality venue. One half of Tilley & Wills – the duo behind Sydney’s Verandah – Nick Wills stresses the value heritage brings is far greater than any restrictions that result.
New cocktail arrival, Roll Can
“The heritage factors were some of the hardest elements,” he says. “We couldn’t touch the fabric of the building, but we really don’t want to. The challenge was to ensure people noticed the changes but you didn’t detract from the hero piece, which is that beautiful sandstone building.”
SJB Interiors’ designer Brooke Perry was tasked with making the most of this fabulous backdrop. The brief was clear.
Chargrilled Tasmanian salmon
FOCUS ON FOODSERVICE
Given the impressive canvas Tilley & Wills were working with, they had two years of ownership to better understand the way the venue operated before getting stuck into transforming the space.
“Our food and beverage have come on leaps and bounds in the last year or two,” says Wills, “so we’ve extended the kitchen and given that a little more scope to be more creative with our menu. That’s important because it helps reinforce our food credentials.”
This was achieved by moving the kitchen’s wash-up area out of the main kitchen space, while keeping the bones of the kitchen in place. There have been clear benefits – and reasons – for doing so.
“It gives a greater area for plating up and taken the messy factor out of the primary kitchen,” says Wills, “so we’re more efficient.” The need for efficiency is understandable given Friday afternoons see the kitchen turning out 600 meals in a 90-minute period. But beyond efficiency, there are also clear benefits to team morale.
“It’s the same as the saying ‘happy wife, happy life’,” says Wills. “If you’ve got a happy chef that makes everyone’s lives a bit more enjoyable.” When the group’s chef is ex-AHA and AHA NSW chef of the year Brad Sloane overseeing the kitchen, clearly there’s an added incentive to ensure everything is working well in that space. But operationally Wills believes foodservice is crucial in providing the hotel with a unique point of difference.
“A lot of hotels have been renovated,” he says. “A lot of hotels present themselves well. A real way we can provide a competitive difference is through our food offering and our food connections.”
TAKING THE PARTY INSIDE
Tilley & Wills were also keen to address a key operational issue with the venue. “The hotel was always about the beer garden and the external areas,” admits Wills. “What’s really been lacking is internal space.”The outside has also been rethought, to maximise its potential.
“The external awnings are being replaced and we have introduced new umbrellas to the Northern courtyard,” says Perry, “to enable the outdoor space to be used right throughout the year. The furniture is also key – the outdoor furniture is all lightweight and stackable so the furniture can be moved around easily to accommodate different events and seasonality.”
Inside, the main pub occupies the central space, with two major halls running either side of it. While ‘The Chapel’ on one side remains the main bar – “that everyone loves and adores” says Wills – on the other side, they’ve achieved a new lounge bar.
This space was created by moving the gaming area into the old cocktail bar. “[Doing so] allows in a lot more natural light and it’s become a real feature,” says Wills.
“Opening up the space and reinstating the natural light has really drawn people into the space,” agrees Perry. “The banquet seating in the corner has been a success, it’s a great space for a casual drink.”
In the Chapel bar, Perry has used ‘Smeraldo’ Stone by Artedomus, “It’s a really calm and interesting material, which sits beautifully against the sandstone,” she says.
Over in the lounge bar, Perry has run with timber panelling and a mirror to reflect the light and accentuate the existing sandstone. “The materials were kept quite restrained as we are introducing some interesting light features in the space and we wanted these to be the main focus,” says Perry.
“That space we’ve opened up in the lounge is for both drinking and dining,” says Wills. “During the day it’s a lot more dining space and in the evenings it turns into drinking.
“That will help take the seasonality out of the business, and help drive demand inside and add another dimension to the business.
“I’m really proud of the lounge. I worked at the pub 26 years ago when I was at university and that lounge area, which was originally the restaurant area. The subsequent owners cut it up and put a gaming room in there, which was detrimental for two reasons. Firstly it inhibited the flow of that venue around that western corridor and it also blocked natural light in that part of the building. We’ve now got that back. There’s a new bar in that area that’s much more functional. There’s a door leading out to the garden bar, which is now operating for the first time ever.”
TACKLING TOILETS
While it’s not always front-of-mind for operators, Nick Wills had a clear vision when tackling the toilet renovations.
“Fundamentally the toilets hadn’t been done in 25 years and I believe the condition of the toilets reflect the condition and quality of the operator,” he says. “That’s something we’ve been very keen to do for as long as we’ve had the hotel. We’ve now done that, which is great.”
“We wanted the bathrooms to be quite fun,” says Perry, “so we used pink tiles and grey terrazzo on the floors and will include styling to add some real personality to these areas.”
GARDEN OASIS
“The landscape designer ‘The Plant Room’ are working with a custom steel fabricator to make some great lighting features for the walls and for the lighting in the Lounge Bar,” says Perry. “Nick commissioned a great company in Melbourne called Loose Leaf to create a sculptural piece in the Chapel bar.”
Courtyard area
“We’ve got a really amazing loose leaf feature in the Chapel,” agrees Wills, “which has been made from dried leaves. They’ve come from Indonesia and there’s a lovely dramatic feel to it that’s really enhanced the building and takes you on a journey.”
Balancing the inside-outside flow, ensuring the kitchen functions efficiently, giving the right impression from front of house to the bathrooms while blending heritage with modernity means the Greenwood Hotel is both a welcoming space for customers but also a sound business proposition.
