Case study · Schools & education
Unnamed School, Gillingham
Full refurbishment of a 1970s school kitchen — new extraction, full electrical rewire, Rational and Blue Seal equipment, hygienic finishes throughout, delivered in a 2-week summer holiday window.
Client
Primary School
Location
Gillingham, Kent
Project value
£100k+
Build time
2 weeks
The brief
A 1970s kitchen that had run out of road
This Gillingham primary school had been working around an original 1970s kitchen for years. The layout was inefficient — a central island canopy and service spine that dominated the space and restricted workflow. The electrics and plumbing couldn't support modern appliances. The finishes no longer met current hygiene standards.
The headteacher appointed us directly following our survey and specification work. The brief was a full refurbishment: strip out the legacy infrastructure, rewire, replumb, install new extraction, lay new finishes, and fit a modern equipment specification — all completed within the 2-week summer holiday window before staff and pupils returned.
What we did
Strip-out to operational in 2 weeks
Strip-out and infrastructure
The central island canopy and service spine were removed first, immediately opening up the kitchen floor plate. Full electrical rewire to support the new equipment load — cooking, refrigeration, dishwashing and lighting all on updated circuits. All plumbing replaced including fresh water supply and drainage. The infrastructure that had been holding the kitchen back for decades was gone in the first three days.
New extraction
Wall-mounted extraction canopy installed over the new cooking line — sized to the Blue Seal and Rational equipment load and correctly positioned for the revised layout. Replaces the old island canopy that had dominated the centre of the kitchen and made the space difficult to work in.
Hygienic finishes
Bioclad UPVC hygienic wall cladding throughout — cleanable, durable and EHO-compliant. Altro non-slip safety flooring laid and coved at all wall junctions. Suspended ceiling with LED flat-panel lighting — bright, even, energy-efficient and easy to maintain. All surfaces chosen to simplify daily cleaning for the school's catering staff.
Equipment supply and install
Rational SCC Senses combi oven for batch cooking and versatile meal production. Blue Seal range ovens across the main cooking line. Classeq pass-through dishwasher for meal-service warewashing. The existing servery counter was retained and integrated into the new layout — reducing cost without compromising the finished result. All equipment commissioned and staff trained before handover.
Equipment specified
School-volume, compliance-ready
- Rational SCC Senses combi oven — batch cooking and meal production
- Blue Seal range ovens — main cooking line
- Classeq pass-through dishwasher — meal-service warewashing
- Bioclad UPVC hygienic wall cladding — full kitchen coverage
- Altro non-slip safety flooring — coved finish throughout
- Suspended ceiling with LED flat-panel lighting
- Existing servery counter — retained and integrated
The installation
Inside the refurbished kitchen
Client feedback
What the headteacher said
I wanted to write to thank you for the excellent service you have provided in the re-fit of our school kitchen. From the quotation stage, we chose this company due to the very clear expert knowledge you have about kitchen re-fits and the sound advice you gave us. Our Kitchen Manager was delighted with the options you gave us at the quotation stage. During the re-fit, the work was carried out to a high standard and the area surrounding the kitchen was also kept very clean. This was key for us, ensuring that we were able to clean the remainder of the school whilst the refit was happening. The finished kitchen met our high standards.
The outcome
Operational before the bell rang
All works were completed within the 2-week holiday window, with the kitchen signed off and fully operational before staff and pupils returned. The school now has a modern, compliant kitchen that works — better flow, proper extraction, equipment suited to daily production volumes, and surfaces that meet current Food Safety and EHO requirements. Delivered in-house, on time, with no disruption to the school.
- CEDA Member The Catering Equipment Distributors Association — UK's voice for foodservice equipment specialists.
- ISO 9001 · 14001 · 45001 Certified The only Kent commercial kitchen design-and-install firm certified to all three.
- F-Gas Certified Certified to handle and install refrigerants in commercial refrigeration and cooling equipment.
- Gas Safe Registered All commercial gas installations carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers.
- Part of Advantage Catering Equipment Kent's design, supply and service specialists since 2003.
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