extension of the restaurant, and the creation of an open kitchen.
I believe that creating the right environment for our guests is as key as what we serve to them on a plate. A person’s surroundings can most definitely either enhance or detract from the experience they have, and it starts from the moment that they drive up to us and walk through the door. A warm welcome takes more than a member of my team to deliver, it’s made up of every last thing a guest sees, hears and feels when they arrive. We know we’ve done something right when our guests feel they’ve been well looked after, and don’t want to leave at the end of the day. The fabric of the building plays a large part in the feeling our guests experience . We have always remained sympathetic and respectful to the original features and architecture, so art was a great way for us to introduce a modern feel to the space without compromising the integrity of the property. It has allowed us to continue our theme of contrasting the old against the new, to create a style that is unique to us. Hanging such vibrant, contemporary art in a room with wood-panelled walls, or above a baronial fireplace, is a great example of that – it just works. Choosing to partner with Castle Fine Art was the perfect choice for us. Our restaurant manager, Nicholas, has been a collector for some time, and knew that it would be a good fit. We were conscious that we wanted a fairly eclectic mix of artworks, and there’s such a varied portfolio at Castle Fine Art that we knew we’d be able to source everything we wanted from your galleries. Visiting the gallery was so helpful – it gave us a clearer idea of what would work and what wouldn’t work. Also, viewing the art in a gallery environment was well worth the short trip over to Liverpool. It gave us a really good perspective on the artworks, and how they would look in the restaurant. Of course you can look at it all online but, for me, you almost need to touch it to get a real feel for it. When you look see it for real, there's just no comparison.
In September this year, we were proud to announce that we are now the official art partner to the two Michelin-starred restaurant, Moor Hall. Enviably situated within five acres of beautiful countryside in Aughton, West Lancashire, Moor Hall has consistently won industry plaudits for its commitment to quality, seasonality and innovation. Not only boasting two Michelin stars, the award-winning restaurant also holds five coveted AA Rosettes and was voted 'Restaurant of the Year' for the second time at the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2021. Quite the trophy shelf! Back in July, we visited Mark and his team at Moor Hall, to view the beautifully curated art exhibitions that our team installed, and hear from the man himself why art is so important to him within the wider aesthetic of Moor Hall.
environment, but something that could compete on a world class stage. We won our first star in the first year, which, you know, I didn't know if we'd win a star in the first year. Then we went on to earn a second star in the second year, which is amazing. There wasn't an active pursuit of stars, we simply set out just to make today better than yesterday. That's all you can do really, try to do what you do in the best way possible. History shows Moor Hall itself was first recorded in 1282, and it’s now a grade II* listed building of mid-sixteenth century origin . Given the gravitas of this property, I has heavily involved – along with my partners – in the décor. That said, I’m a chef not an interior designer, so obviously it was a challenge, and fair to say that I was somewhat out of my comfort zone. Essentially the idea was to enhance the original parts of the building giving a nice nod to its history and heritage, and create a slight contrast with the new additions. Hence the
So the vision for Moor Hall when we opened in 2017 was just to create a really nice warm
66 FINE ART COLLECTOR AUTUMN / WINTER 2021
FINE ART COLLECTOR AUTUMN / WINTER 2021 67
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