HOTELS & HOSPITALITY
BOUND FOR SUCCESS
If you’re creating one of the most luxurious hotels in Britain, how do you ensure that your guests’ approach to the front door reflects the quality within? Grantley Hall chose a resin- bound surface for the perfect first impression.
The challenge When Valeria Sykes bought Grantley Hall in 2015, the stately home was in a sad state of disrepair after years of use as a convalescent hospital, adult education college and conference centre.
The new owner’s vision was to restore the 17th century Palladian mansion to its former glory and create one of the most luxurious country house hotels and wellness spas in Britain. Four years and a £70m makeover later, the vision became a reality when the five-star Relais & Chateaux hotel in Ripon, North Yorkshire, opened to rave reviews.
Grantley Hall’s grounds are one of its outstanding features. Guests follow the River Skell through 38 acres of beautiful parkland, passing mature woods, a lake and ornamental gardens to reach the front of the Hall. With such a remarkable setting, it was essential to source a surface for outside the hotel that would reflect the property’s quality and elegance.
The solution A resin-bound surface was chosen for the 2,500 square metres that make up Grantley Hall’s concourse, car parks and courtyards.
Resin-bound surfaces are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Durable, low maintenance and permeable (water drains through
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the system), they are weed and frost resistant. Although the finish is smooth – stones are fixed, not loose – the surface is naturally anti-slip.
YRC Resin Drives of Distinction, which has also completed projects for the National Trust and Royal Horticultural Society, was awarded a six-figure contract to advise on, supply and install the surface.
Aesthetically, resin-bound surfaces are available in diverse colours, from traditional beiges to contemporary silvers and greys. YRC produced physical samples so that a range of colours could be reviewed against Grantley Hall’s elegant, honey- coloured stonework and a natural shade called Devonshire was selected.
A team of eight from YRC, including a full-time installation manager, worked on the project. Laying the surface in just three weeks on an incredibly busy site posed a major challenge. With the hotel reaching completion, there were hundreds of trades already on site.
Having prepared the existing bitumen tar and chip base surface, the ground was cleaned in preparation for laying the new resin-bound material.
YRC’s Resiflex system is flexible enough to cope with movement from both the substrate below and weight above. The resin and stone aggregate were bound together using
a specialist mechanical mixer, which then wrapped the resin around the stone. The mixture is poured down a chute into wheelbarrows and then hand applied by trowel to a depth of no less than 20cm.
The installation technicians working on the Grantley Hall project each laid 300–400 metres of surface by hand. Using skills honed at the company’s own training academy, they ensured the system was expertly closed off to create a flat, smooth finish. After curing overnight, the surface was ready to walk on and could be driven over just 24 hours later.
The outcome Grantley Hall opened in summer 2019 and has been described as a ‘jewel in Yorkshire’s crown’. The resin-bound surface surrounding the building creates a smooth, seamless finish that enhances its architecture and complements its prestigious, luxurious ambience. With a life expectancy of over 30 years, the car parks and concourses will be greeting guests for many years to come.
“We are delighted with the work of YRC and the courtyard and car park look superb,” said Grantley Hall’s Managing Director Richard Sykes. “The customer experience begins with their arrival and first appearances very much count.”
www.yrcltd.co.uk/ twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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