The Wharf House at Over Basin was built on the site of the old lock cottage that once stood overlooking the banks of the River Severn.
The shell of the building was constructed for the Trust by Swan Hill Homes. Inside, Trust volunteers have completed the entire fit-out, much of it using material recycled from the Hospital buildings that once stood near by.
The Wharf House fit-out created a restaurant, tea room, offices and a visitor centre.
The Wharf House Company was formed in 2003 to manage the running of the building and provide an ongoing income stream for the Trust.
Later work by the volunteers added seven luxury bedrooms providing high quality accommodation for visitors to Gloucester, Cheltenham, the Canal and surrounding area.
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Prestigious CPRE Award
In 2010, The Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) presented the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust with an award for the creation and restoration of The Wharf House and the Over Canal Basin at Gloucester, as a local project outstanding in its contribution to the environment or to the local community.
Red Rosette
For the past few years the Trust is very proud that The Wharf House has been honoured annually with the AA’s esteemed Red Rosette for culinary excellence, and received an impressive four stars for the seven bedrooms.
The Wharf House Fit-Out – The Volunteers take over!
Some of the many volunteers who helped with the first part of The Wharf House fit-out.
The two story building had no internal walls except around the stairwell. It also had no electricity, plumbing etc. The challenge was for the H & G volunteers, who had previously been working outside on canal restoration, to turn their hands to some serious DIY.
The plan was to include a restaurant, a visitor centre, a commercial kitchen, toilets, stairwell, corridor, seven visitor bedrooms, seven visitor bathrooms, a manager’s four room flat, a small lounge, an office and staff room. Much of the materials used were recycled from the old hospital that had occupied the nearby site. This salvage included internal doors, skirting, architrave and thousands of wooden floor blocks.
Funding the project was a major challenge and grants were obtained from DEFRA for much of the work on the ground floor, Heritage Lottery for the Visitor Centre. Other grants and donations came from various Trust members and the Inland Waterways Association.
Work on the fitout of The Wharf House was lengthy, not least because it largely relied on volunteer labour. However, in June 2005 the ground floor was opened as a Restaurant and Visitor Centre. Five years later 6 luxury bedrooms were also opened, with the seventh in 2012. Now fully functioning The Wharf House is a flagship to the Trust’s volunteers.
The Wharf House Fit-Out Story…
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- The foundations were underpinned with 15 metre piles
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- Foundations laid 5 metres higher than the previous building
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- Ground floor walls were begun
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- The second floor rafters
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- An aerial view
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- Ground floor completed
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- Second floor completed
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- The first floor
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- Second floor completed …
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- The roof goes on …
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- The annexe is completed
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- Volunteers started work on the ground floor walls.
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- A screed was laid around the foundations for the walls.
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- Volunteers started work on the ground floor walls.
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- Volunteers started work on the ground floor walls.
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- The ceilings are fully insulated.
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- Stud walling is constructed on the first floor.
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- The insulation goes into the stud walls and the wiring begins.
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- Plaster boarding the top floor once the loft was insulated.
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- Mountains of plaster board was used for ceilings and walls.
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- Volunteers became quite expert in plasterboarding.
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- Double layers of plasterboard for all ceilings and walls.
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- Ceilings are completed and the brick arches continue.
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- The three arches completed and the walls are plastered.
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- Thousands of salvaged wood blocks have been cleaned.
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- An underfloor heating system is plumbed in
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- An underfloor heating system is plumbed in to all floors.
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- The wood blocks have been laid on the ground floor.
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- Volunteers have done most of the woodwork themselves.
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- Doorways, skirtings, window sills and cupboards all recycled.
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- Many doorways needed to be made
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- The cupboards in the eaves on the top floor.
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- The cupboards in the lounge on the top floor were lined.
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- Platforms for large spa baths have been created.
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- Curved bath panels are made for the spa baths.
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- Some of the recycled doors and architrave on the first floor.
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- The plastered walls were given an initial coat of white.
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- Many cans of paint are required to complete the painting.
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- The small pane windows need detailed attention.
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- Room after room of coving has been carefully fixed.
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- A local company helped with the decorating for the day.
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- A base coat is applied to the bare plaster.
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- Preparing the windows for painting is crucial.
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- The rooms have been painted cream and pale primrose.
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- The final primrose colour for the lounge
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- Flame red gives warmth to one of the bedrooms.
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- All woodwork has had at least three coats of varnish.
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- The cupboards have been lined and varnished too.
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- The restaurant is furnished.
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- Lighting, pictures and mirrors are fitted.
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- The archways frame the restaurant.
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- One of the archways holds the wine rack.
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- The Visitor Centre is fitted out.
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- Slat board panels hold books and other merchandise.
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- A large perspex map of the Canal is produced.
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- Canal artifacts provide an interesting history corner.
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- Willow growing and its link to the canal is featured.
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- An oak bannister completes the stairwell (professionally made).
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- Rosie and Jim take up residence.
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- A welcome sign is fitted to the recycled counter.
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- In 2008 a large crane is used to lift each part of the balcony.
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- The uprights are positioned over their drainage holes.
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- The crane holds the platform whilst it is fixed to the wall.
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- The balcony designed/made by Henry Clarke and Andy Smith
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- New signage is produced to match the balcony.
