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12 May 2004 - 31 Dec 2004 Inn The Park St James's Inn The Park, a contemporary British cafè open from breakfast through to dinner, has thrown back its giant glass doors in St James's Park, central London. A Royal Parks initiative, this venture combines the creative talents of restaurateur Oliver Peyton, designer Tom Dixon and Hopkins Architects. Conceived by The Royal Parks to help to meet the needs of the more than 5 million people who visit St James's Park every year, this is a casual yet striking venue in a very smart park. The building is a modern design in traditional materials and it blends into the original intentions of Nash's 1828 park design. Warm Austrian larch, from sustainable sources, contrasts with concrete & stainless steel and was chosen to reinforce the calm and timeless feeling of the historic landscape. The sloped grass roof makes the building invisible from the Mall and most of the Park as well as providing a new roof top view across the lake to Duck Island and onwards as far as the London Eye. The striking interior of the building was designed Tom Dixon, creative director of Habitat, with a retro-industrial feel that brings a funky edge to the cafè. When the distinctive mirrored lights are on, the larch wood floor and ceiling glow with a honeyed intensity. The Royal Parks were looking for the food to be appetising and the prices to be accessible and Oliver Peyton's Gruppo team has delivered. The simple, expertly cooked dishes showcase seasonal British produce. What is on offer changes throughout the day with breakfast served from 8 am, lunch from 12pm, tea & cakes from 3pm and a restaurant dinner from 6pm until 11pm. - ENDS - Source: The Royal Parks For further Information Contact: The Royal Parks Press Office T: 020 7298 2128 E: press@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk Editor's notes: The Royal Parks: Millions of Londoners and tourists visit the eight Royal Parks for free each year. The 5,000 acres of Bushy Park (with the Longford River), The Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Regent's Park (with Primrose Hill), Richmond Park and St James's Park are carefully conserved and provide unparalleled opportunities for enjoyment, exploration and healthy living in the heart of the capital. Gruppo: The restaurant group operating Inn The Park and owned by Oliver Peyton. Gruppo also owns and operates: The Atlantic Bar & Grill on Glasshouse Street; Mash on Great Portland Street, and; Isola in Knightsbridge. Tom Dixon: Tom Dixon, the company, was launched in 2002, to carry out product and interior design projects for its clients and to develop and distribute a series of innovative furniture and house wares under Tom's creative direction. Hopkins Architects: Established by Sir Michael & Patty Hopkins in 1976, Hopkins Architects has a global reputation as a leading designer of modern architecture. As well as Glyndebourne Opera House, landmark buildings include The Mound Stand at Lords, The Schlumberger Research Centre in Cambridge, Manchester Art Gallery and The Forum in Norwich. Project Factoids: Total Project Cost: £3 million Size: 473 m2 Seating: 120 internal & 80 external Materials: Sustainable larch with standard concrete internal structure. Timeline: The Cakehouse was demolished in 1999. Collapse of Hudson Rowe PFI proposal 2000. Construction began January 2003 and finished in February 2004. A few interesting points: o Inn The Park replaces the famous Cakehouse opened in 1970 by Lady Wilson, wife of the then Prime Minister. o During construction of Inn The Park special 'low vibration pile drivers' were used to avoid disturbing wildlife and visitors. o St James's Park was originally a marshy area, grazed by pigs, and home to fourteen leprous maidens. It has gone up market since then. o The Park's famous pelicans were first introduced by the Russian Ambassador in 1664. They're fed 12 pounds of fish every day at 3.00pm. o For hundreds of years cows were tethered in St James's Park and you could buy a mug of milk, fresh from the udder, for only one penny. o The first teahouse was built in St James's Park in the 17th Century when one pound of tea could cost the equivalent of £200 today. o During the First World War the lake in St James's was drained and a canteen installed for government staff. |
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