building back

The Famous Grouse Hotel has a unique claim… ‘There has only ever been one pub in Lincoln, and it has stood in the same spot, plus or minus a few metres, for over 140 years.’

Originally opened as The Perthshire Arms in 1868, it was a popular local meeting spot. An adjoining building was constructed in the late 1800s as a more sturdy replacement known as The Lincoln Hotel. It wasn’t until over a century later that the current name ‘The Famous Grouse Hotel’ was coined, named after the whisky brewed in Perthshire, Scotland, linking the hotel back to its original owner Mr Arklie who insisted that the hotel only stock Famous Grouse scotch, an arrangement that is still in place today.

The hotel was already undergoing renovations and repairs when the first of the Christchurch earthquakes struck in September 2010. The building suffered massive cracks and a chimney collapse and was condemned. 10 days later the hotel was brought down to a pile of rubble and a firm promise to bring back the hotel to the locals.

As the planned renovations and repairs made way for a complete rebuild, it provided the opportunity to combine modern design techniques and amenities with the best of olde world charm.

The hotel embraces its heritage in its materials palette. Hues of Resene Pearl Lusta (classic cream) and Resene Quarter Linen (flaxen neutral) provide a soft backdrop for striking carpet and wallpaper selections. The use of Resene Woodsman stain tinted to Resene Treehouse (green brown) on timber surfaces adds a sense of rustic nostalgia. The complete project is a roll call of Resene products with everything from paints and stains through to wallpapers and curtains sourced from Resene. Following a speedy design and development process, the hotel is now back pride of place providing restaurant and accommodation services complete, of course, with the essential and exclusive Famous Grouse whisky.

Resene Pearl Lusta

Resene Quarter Linen

Resene Treehouse

Architectural Specifier: Townsend Architects
Building Contractor: Calder Stewart
Resene: Haydn George, Resene Architectural Services Manager
www.famousgrousehotel.co.nz
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2012
From the Resene News – issue 2/2012

› Download a PDF of this article