Located within Winchester’s Grade II listed Guildhall, we supported the conversion of a section of this landmark civic building into Shoal, a restaurant and takeaway specialising in fish & chips and regional fare. The Guildhall, built in 1875, has long served as a centre for civic and cultural life. Winchester City Council reopened the Guildhall for private use in 2022.
AWA was engaged to design all structural and drainage alterations required for the restaurant fit-out. Our scope included adapting existing timber floors, introducing wall penetrations for service routes, and coordinating closely with the architect (Design Engine) and specialist kitchen designers to ensure structural integrity alongside equipment installation. We also engineered extensive drainage systems to facilitate the change of use, carefully integrating new plumbing and utility routes within a listed heritage context.
During construction, AWA’s team remained highly responsive on site as opening-up works revealed hidden details in the historic fabric. We liaised continuously with the architect and kitchen-services specialists to adapt our designs to real-world constraints while preserving heritage elements such as timber flooring. This reactive design approach ensured the project met both regulatory requirements and practical restaurant functionality in a tight 15-week fit-out period.
AWA Consulting Engineers is a structural, civil, and marine engineering consultancy established in 1987, with a hard-won but deserved reputation for delivering excellence in our profession.
Our philosophy is simple: we put people first. This has resulted in a high number of repeat clients and an impressive track record of successful award-winning projects. We are proud to be professional, and approachable; we believe this makes us the ideal partner for your project.
AWA has technical teams in our offices located in Romsey, Hampshire and Bath, Somerset. We deliver services to clients typically across the South, South East and South West.
Our team includes both chartered structural engineers and chartered civil engineers committed to continuous professional development ensuring you benefit from up to date industry expertise, whatever your project entails.
To find out more about how AWA Consulting Engineers can help with your project, get in touch today. Email mail@awaengineers.com and one of the team will be in touch. Alternatively, call 01794 524447 to speak to a member of our team.
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