Oddfellows

If Chester’s tangerine-tanned WAGs and the glossy locked Hollyoakers have any taste they’ll be flocking to Oddfellows Hall, an impressive, recently refurbished four-storey city venue comprising not only a brasserie, restaurant, tea rooms, and champagne bar, but also – that celeb essential – the private members’ bar (membership between £250-£375 per annum). And should they get too trashed (or tired and emotional) there are four guest bedrooms in the attic so they can book a room for the night to avoid being papped on the way out.

But who cares whether it draws the Heat crowd or not, this new bijou hotel with its fanciful interiors is deservedly causing quite a stir in Cheshire. Created by local interior designers and turnkey developers Lister Carter Associates, it occupies a handsome 17th-century Georgian mansion house that dates back to 1676. First inhabited by Lady Mary Calvary, it later became the headquarters of the Oddfellows friendly society and was more recently home to the Royal Navy social club.

It was three directors of Lister Carter, Welland Lister, Gary Carter and Ken Roscoe, who shared the vision for the concept some years ago. “We knew of the building as it had been marketed with potential A3 use, although it wasn’t for sale. We spent the next two years trying to acquire it freehold as the property needed extensive refurbishment, there were pigeons living in the loft, there was wet rot, dry rot, deathwatch beetle, woodworm you name it, therefore making the property unviable for lease,” explains Ken Roscoe.

The trio finally purchased the property in February 2007. “Personally this was a huge gamble, however we believed in our talents as designers to create a series of magical spaces to cater for every mood,” he says. The renovation took 14 months and the project cost, including purchase price, was £3.35 million. Quite impressive considering that involves the addition of a contemporary single storey newbuild extension to the rear of the property faced in ashlar sandstone blocks (which houses the brasserie), plus a landscaped walled garden including an ornamental ‘reflecting pool’, and three permanent cabanas furnished with woven outdoor furniture and equipped with heating, lighting and Wi-Fi.

Lister Carter are particularly proud that they managed to satisfy Chester City council’s conservation department and English Heritage, “Our scheme was well received as we planned to restore and enhance the original rooms of this Grade II* listed property and house the back of house areas (two kitchens, offices, staff changing, storage and toilets) within the ancillary parts of the building. Our greatest challenge was dealing with the numerous untold defects as we revealed each layer of the building’s fabric.”

Such defects are nowhere to be seen in the finished scheme, which exudes a flamboyant, Alice in Wonderland form of contemporary grandeur. By combining high quality bespoke fixtures and fittings with carefully selected bought-in furniture, statement design classics (by the likes of Jaime Hayon, Tom Dixon, Eames, Andrew Martin to name a few) and a sophisticated sense of colour (displayed with Farrow & Ball paints and Timorous Beasties wallpapers) Lister Carter has retained a sense of heritage whilst creating an intriguing and lavish environment ideal for fun and entertaining.

“Our inspiration was a hybrid mix of period grandeur with oversized contemporary elements,” explains Roscoe. An approach best epitomised by the custom-designed high tables in the Champagne Bar incorporating at their centre giant, oversized wood-turned lamps painted bright contemporary shades. A clever idea also translated in the communal table that runs down the middle of the same room, with similar turned lamp bases piercing the table top but with the tops “morphed into traditional candelabra to add a more kinetic light feature.”  Such a feature, combined with the white Murano crystal chandeliers and the zinc-like cast aluminium stainless steel bar top accompanied by French bentwood bar stools (from MAS Furniture), strikes the perfect balance between old and new in a historic interior rich with dark timber panelling and marble fireplaces.

Elsewhere there are more Lewis Carroll worthy design surprises, not just the Miami-style decadence of the walled garden, blue tiled pool and cabanas, or the bright exuberance of the crazy patchwork of Moroccan tiles in the vaulted basement toilets, but most spectacularly in the tea room. There, affixed to the ceiling and hovering above the bespoke chairs and dark wood tables is a Persian rug and table set for two upside down, “this room is our homage to Alice in Wonderland,” says Roscoe. “It’s main function is to rekindle the traditional English afternoon tea with all its glamour and eccentricity.”

The more formal restaurant on the second floor above is based around another theme. “It’s modelled around the human face, the oversized pendant light shade surrounding the crystal chandelier features images of masked faces,” and not just Madonna playing at being Marie Antoinette but also Hannibal Lector in his fight mask – further proof of Lister Carter’s unconventional approach. Angled wall mirrors enhance the opportunity for voyeurism and as Roscoe points out, eradicate the ‘bad table’ syndrome since they provide guests with good views of the room and their fellow diners.

Up in the eaves Lister Carter managed to create four guest bedrooms in the original servants’ quarters. “Our main challenge was to optimise the space, utilising the full height headroom for showers and bathrooms, however we had great fun in locating our toilets in many cases within the original privy holes.”

No identikit design here either, such an approach would be futile in these quirky rooms with exposed beams. Instead each room is unique, with assorted furnishings. “They are more a collection of pieces as if gathered over a number of years,” says Roscoe.

The suite features his-and-hers twin roll-top bathtubs, a separate storm shower and a luxurious wardrobe lined in suede. All rooms benefit from bespoke headboards, three of which that are modelled on a giant wing-backed chair - ideal for decadently breakfasting in bed...with a Cheshire cat grin of course.

Oddfellows Chester
20 Lower Bridge Street
Chester
CH1 1RS
Tel: +44 (0)1244 400001
www.oddfellows.biz

Rooms:    4 guestrooms
Food:    Brasserie, The Dining Rooms
Drink:    Champagne Bar, Tea Rooms
Facilities:    Walled Garden with Pool

Words: Bethan Ryder

Photography courtesy of Lister Carter