In the course of 2019, we have delivered six very diverse hospitality sector projects, ranging in scope from exclusive country estate hotels to high volume, city centre accommodation and creating in the process a total of 521 new beds.  The disparate range of challenges we faced included us inserting a new-build wing to the rear of the Category A-listed Malmaison Hotel, converting the A-listed former District Court on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to a novel 181-bed ‘capsule’ hotel and upgrading a B-listed manor house hotel’s 28 bedrooms in the Scottish Borders to reposition it as a 5-star offering.

In London, we upgraded an occupied Victorian terrace in London’s Kensington to create 18 luxury serviced apartments and in Edinburgh’s Market Street we delivered two projects concurrently.  One comprised the fit-out of a 98-bedroom urban-themed hotel with rooftop champagne bar and the other the conversion of a B-listed building, once part of Edinburgh’s historic fruit market, to provide backpacker accommodation for 124.

The success of these projects marks a further stage of our continuing development as an established provider of specialist construction services in what is for us an expanding and exciting sector and one that will constitute a key part of our project portfolio going forward.

The Mercers’ Company, a philanthropic institution based in the City of London has engaged Sharkey to undertake the sensitive refurbishment and repurposing of 6 Langley Street, which forms part of their five acre Covent Garden Estate. Spread over 7 levels and adjoining the famous Pineapple Dance Studios, the £3.1m project will see Sharkey transform the Grade II listed structure into contemporary offices on the upper levels with flexible ‘pop-up’ retail units in the basement and ground floor. In tandem with internal works we are also forming new entrances, external glazed walkways and commuter facilities.

Commercial Quay, formerly a bonded warehouse serving Leith docks, will undergo extensive structural alterations and modernisation to create 30,000sqft of flexible shared workspace and meeting facilities, complemented by a flexible ground floor bar and social space for tenants.

This exciting project follows a number of other recent project wins in the Port of Leith area, including the £7m refurbishment and rebranding of the neighbouring Ocean Terminal into the Porta Centre.

Working in partnership with the oldest and most exclusive private members’ club in the city, Sharkey is currently on site at 19 Old Broad Street carrying out sensitive alterations to the Club’s Grade II* listed building. The £3.6m project involves converting existing meeting rooms and storage facilities into 20 boutique bedrooms for members. The vertical expansion will involve Sharkey constructing a new roof structure in what is one of the most logistically challenging sites in London located directly alongside the 600ft Tower 42, formerly known as the NatWest Tower.