Restaurant, bar and hotel fit-out introductions in London.
A hospitality fit-out has to look right on opening night and keep working through years of heavy use. Kitchens, extraction, bar equipment and front-of-house finishes all depend on each other. Epelle & Co. introduces independent contractors and designers with experience of restaurants, bars, cafés and hotel interiors.
We do not design, build or project-manage. Operators and owners appoint and contract with each party directly.
What makes hospitality work different
The back of house is as demanding as the front. Commercial kitchens need extraction, gas, drainage and fire suppression designed together, and their routes through the building often decide the layout of the dining room. Bars need cellar, glass-wash and service arrangements that keep up at peak times.
Front of house is where the brand lives: lighting, acoustics, joinery, upholstery and durable finishes. Programmes are usually fixed by an opening date, and works often happen inside buildings with neighbours above and around.
Which firms suit
Hospitality fit-out contractors
Main contractors who regularly coordinate kitchen, mechanical and front-of-house packages.
Hospitality designers
Interior designers experienced in restaurants, bars and hotel public areas.
Specialist packages
Kitchen and extraction specialists, bar fabricators and bespoke joinery.
What to prepare
- The site, lease position and target opening date
- The concept: covers, service style, menu and kitchen requirements
- Any design work done to date
- Landlord or building requirements, especially for extraction
- Whether licensing or other consents are in progress, and who is handling them
- A budget range for fit-out and equipment
Common pitfalls
- Fixing the dining layout before extraction and drainage routes are confirmed
- Leaving kitchen equipment selection until after the services design
- Choosing finishes that look right but will not stand up to daily cleaning and wear
- Underestimating the time needed for landlord and statutory approvals
- Planning no time for testing, snagging and staff training before opening
How we approach a hospitality enquiry
We look at the concept, the site and the opening date, then consider whether the first introduction should be a designer, a fit-out contractor or a kitchen specialist. We identify firms with comparable recent hospitality work and introduce them with your agreement. You assess and appoint directly.
From concept to opening
Most hospitality projects follow a similar path. An operator has a concept and a site, a designer develops the interior and layout, kitchen and services specialists design the back of house, and a fit-out contractor builds and coordinates it all. Landlord approval, statutory consents and licensing run alongside, each on its own timescale.
The order of appointment matters. A designer working without input from a kitchen specialist may produce a dining room that cannot be served efficiently. A contractor appointed before the services are designed may have to price large unknowns.
We look at where your project is on that path, and suggest the introduction that adds most at that point, whether a designer, a kitchen specialist or a contractor.
Durability and maintenance
Hospitality finishes are tested every day. Upholstery, flooring, bar tops and joinery need to stand up to cleaning, spills and constant use. Ask designers and contractors to show schemes that have been open for some years, not only on opening night, and to explain how finishes can be repaired without closing.
- 1. Review
We read your brief and ask what we need to understand it.
- 2. Qualify
We check budget, decision-maker and timing are in place.
- 3. Source
We identify a small number of potentially suitable firms.
- 4. Introduce
With both sides' agreement, we make a direct introduction.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you work with independent operators as well as groups?
- Yes. We review enquiries from single-site operators and multi-site groups on the same basis.
- Can you introduce a kitchen specialist separately from the main contractor?
- Yes, where the kitchen is procured as its own package.
- Do you help with licensing or planning?
- No. Those are matters for your advisers and the relevant authorities.
- Do you cover hotel bedrooms as well as public areas?
- We review both, and look for firms with experience of the specific type of space.
Next step
Enquiries are free and reviewed individually. Epelle & Co. makes introductions only. It does not design, build, project-manage or guarantee work; appointed parties contract directly with the client. See our Privacy Notice.