Stokesay Castle

ARCHITECT/LEAD CONSULTANT/PRINCIPAL DESIGNER

Caroe & Partners

QUANTITY SURVEYOR

Press & Starkey

M&E CONSULTANTS

Martin Thomas Associates

MAIN CONTRACTOR

Splitath

DETAIL

As part of English Heritage’s Capital Investment Project, Stokesay Cottage — a property adjoining the Castle entrance — was converted into a new destination tea room. Situated outside the pay barrier and alongside the car park, the tea room was designed to attract both visitors to the Castle and passing trade from the busy A49, linking Ludlow and Craven Arms.

The new facility increases capacity to around 80 covers across indoor and outdoor seating, complemented by a family-friendly play area and a professional kitchen designed to support a fresh, locally sourced, and seasonal menu. This development enhances both the visitor experience and the commercial performance of Stokesay Castle, which welcomes around 40,000 visitors annually.

Cooper8 was appointed as catering consultant to provide the interior design of the tea room, kitchen, and servery areas, as well as the design of external dining spaces.

Our focus was on creating a cottage-style atmosphere that reflected the historic character of the site, while ensuring a compact and efficient layout. Challenges included making the most of a small room for seating, developing smooth customer flow around the counter, and designing a kitchen that delivered efficiency within a tight footprint.

We incorporated English Heritage’s brand and interpretation requirements, adapting their library of historic images into a fresh and modern interior feature. Bespoke menu boards, condiment stations, and cutlery units were designed to optimise space and functionality, while careful attention to lighting, colours, and the reuse of existing floor tiles gave the space cohesion and warmth.

The resulting design created a welcoming, efficient, and visually appealing tea room that quickly became a destination in its own right. The interior was well received by both visitors and English Heritage, and the smooth operational design enabled the facility to meet and exceed financial targets.

Scope of Work

• Interior design of tea room and external seating areas
• Kitchen and servery design
• Space planning and flow optimisation
• Bespoke design of menu boards, condiment/cutlery units
• Lighting and colour scheme
• Integration of English Heritage branding and interpretation
• Coordination with architect, QS, M&E consultants, and contractor