🏛️ Dover Maison Dieu – Commercial Kitchen & Bar Design for Historic Landmark

Client: Dover District Council
Location: Dover, Kent
Project Type: Banqueting Kitchen Design & Build | Service Kitchen | Bar Installation
Sector: Heritage | Events | Public Sector | Hospitality

🔨 A Major Milestone in Our Hometown

Town Hall Banqueting Kitchen – We were incredibly proud to partner once again with Dover District Council on a truly historic and prestigious project—delivering the commercial kitchen and bar infrastructure as part of the £10.5 million restoration of Maison Dieu (Dover Town Hall)

With many of our staff having grown up in the town, this project had a personal significance and allowed us to contribute to the heart of our local community.

Following a rigorous competitive tender process, we were honoured to be awarded the contract and entrusted with designing and building hospitality facilities in one of Kent’s most iconic heritage buildings.

🏗️ Part of a Landmark Restoration Project

This exceptional project was made possible in part by a £4.27 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and aimed to breathe new life into the Grade-I listed building—unlocking its full potential as a year-round heritage, events, and community venue.

Maison Dieu reopened to the public on 10 May 2025 and now includes:

• Restored original neo-Gothic decorative schemes by architect William Burges (1827–1881)

• A new street-level visitor entrance to the Connaught Hall

• Enhanced accessibility throughout the building

• New commercial uses, including a holiday let in the Mayor’s Parlour via The Landmark Trust

👉 For the first time in over 800 years, Maison Dieu is now permanently open to the public.

👷 Our Brief: State-of-the-Art Hospitality in a Historic Setting

We were appointed to design, supply, and install a suite of professional hospitality facilities tailored to the needs of a multi-purpose venue. Our remit included:

🔹 Basement Banqueting Kitchen

A large-scale kitchen to serve high-capacity events such as weddings, banquets, and public functions.

• Custom kitchen layout and workflow planning

• Commercial-grade catering appliances

• Bioclad hygienic wall cladding and Altro flooring

• Walk-in cold room and freezer room installation

• Town Hall Banqueting Kitchen

🔹 First-Floor Service Kitchen

A secondary food prep and service space designed to support flexible event use across multiple floors.

• Compact layout optimised for quick service

• Full electrical and plumbing installation

• Stainless steel fabrication for hygiene and durability

• Town Hall Banqueting Kitchen

🔹 Connaught Hall Bar Area

A visually appealing and high-performance bar to serve guests at the main events space.

• Bespoke bar furniture and under-counter refrigeration

• Cellar cooling system

• Supply and install of all bar service equipment and dispensers

🧊 Refrigeration, Cellar Cooling & Appliances

To support food safety and service efficiency, we also delivered:

✅ Walk-in chiller and freezer room installations
✅ Cellar cooling for drinks storage and bar service
✅ Full supply and installation of professional-grade cooking, refrigeration, and warewashing appliances as part opf the Town Hall Banqueting Kitchen development.

🎉 A New Era for a Historic Venue

The completed kitchen and bar installations at Maison Dieu play a vital role in enabling the venue to cater for a wide range of heritage, corporate, and community events—all while preserving the historic fabric and character of the building.

It was a privilege to contribute to such a meaningful restoration project and to help set the stage for a new chapter in Dover’s cultural life.

📞 Interested in a heritage-sensitive kitchen fit-out or commercial bar design? Call us on 01304 249963
⬇️ Scroll down to see project photos and behind-the-scenes shots of this iconic build!