The London Carriage Works

Dave Brewitt, owner, builder and designer, had a clear view that this ground floor restaurant should see and be seen. Sat in the middle of one of the most exciting streets in the Northwest the restaurant has cathedrals, theatres, a concert hall and a museum as close neigbours. His purpose was to open an elegant room to watch congregations, audiences and tourist walk by.

The London Carriage Works has two walls of floor to ceiling windows. These picture windows are left bare to enhance the strong dynamic with the world outside. This large open plan room is divided by a dramatic glass structure conceived by Basia Chlebik and made by Daedalian Glass. With oak floor throughout, one side with dining tables and the other, in front of the bar, with sofas and bar tables. Although the same menu is served throughout we wanted to offer two experiences; formal table service and informal sofa dining.

Keeping the original name was a deliberate choice to keep the history of the building and company that built it, even though it has to fight preconceptions of first time visitors – we have no brass ornaments or wheel spokes on the walls. Although we have kept the original black iron safe earning its keep as a tabletop. The white walls have Adrian Henri canvases, the artist, writer, poet and musician lived around the corner.

The original features of the cast iron pillars, exposed brickwork and pitch pine beams are kept and matched with the windows provide a lovely elegant, airy and satisfying area. A perfect environment to match the integrity of the fresh locally sourced menus.