Bordeaux Quay was built in 1926 as a docks warehouse; the flat front area of the roof housed cranes that collected cargo directly from the ships that sailed right into the floating harbour. We are named after this stretch of dockside, which was called Bordeaux Quay because it was where the barrels of wine from Bordeaux arrived until 1957.

Work on Bordeaux Quay started in 2005 and the renovation took nearly a year. During that time we stripped the building back to its skeleton and removed almost everything inside.

To minimise waste we sent materials to be recycled, equipment and furniture was auctioned or donated to charity and as much as possible was reused within the building. Fridges were reused, doors were re-hung and the marble bar tops became work surfaces in The Cookery School.

Sustainable materials sourced for the building include:

• The European Oak wooden floors
• The bar back made from old wine crates
• The Brasserie furniture made from sustainable chestnut, oak and ash and the upholstery made from Isle of Bute wool.