Lion & Pheasant Hotel, Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury's most prestigious townhouse hotel - the Lion & pheasant - re-opened its doors in November 2010 following a major renovation programme under the direction of PKA.

Comprising a total of nine mostly Georgian houses that had been amalgamated over time, including a half-timbered sixteenth century coaching inn, the hotel was in need of a significant uplift by 2009 when PKA set about a top-to-bottom remodelling of its 22 bedrooms, bar, and restaurant, turning it into the go-to destination in Shrewsbury's historic core.

Listed for preservation - Grade 2 - the hotel's proximity to the River Severn required archaeological investigations as part of the works which were developed in consultation with the conservation department of Shropshire County Council.

PKA's design conserves the existing interiors, while bringing the accommodation up to the highest 'boutique hotel' standards. The schedule of repairs required included major structural works, restoration of remaining elements of historic fabric, wet and dry rot treatments, as well as the installation of new facilities and services.

The philosophy underpinning the project is that that historic structures must evolve to survive, and that the combination of contemporary interventions with conservation of the historic fabric which PKA's remodelling has achieved results in an architecture that is richer than either the old or the new on its own.

PKA's remodelling has been much remarked upon; and the Lion & Pheasant has featured widely in the local and national media - including The Telegraph, The Guardian and The Times, which named it as Shrewsbury's 'most stylish' hotel in its recent guide to the UK's 'cool' hotels.

Client: E. Chidlow and Co.

Value: €1,250,000

Size: 1,615 sq.m.
Reference: Mr. Michael Jones, Consulting Engineer, Shrewsbury
Design: 2008
Completion: 2010