Following a devastating fire, this project involved the comprehensive restoration and refurbishment of a Grade II Listed pub, the Royal Oak in Marlow.
Given the graded status of the building, Cousins were required to work closely with the local conservation officer, to ensure the building kept its original character
Due to the extent of the damage to the building from the fire, a tin hat scaffold was installed prior to any works to the property to keep the elements out.
The fire caused some structural damage to the roof, so Cousins worked closely with the structural engineer to capture every detail.
The work comprised of complete strip out of the first floor, which exposed fire charred timber, damaged walls, including severe damage to wattle & daub wall which was part of the original listed building.
Structural work was carried out first to make sure the building was safe to work in and once this was completed the new roof was cut in to allow the felt & tiles to be installed.
Specialist plasterers carried out the installation of laths before the application of lime plaster to the walls to maintain its natural heritage to the approval of the conservation officer.
The ground floor of the pub had a new lath & plaster ceiling installed, as well as a new parquet floor installed along with repairs to the original wall panelling.
The conservation officer was impressed with the detailing of the restoration work Cousins produced, working closely with specialist craftsmen.
But perhaps the biggest indication of success was the fact the pub was back open and pulling pints again in July 2020, just 10 months after the fateful fire.