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The designers were careful to retain the building’s original fabric, so its exposed brickwork and arched windows were included. Working with a relatively small space and a somewhat awkward indoors and outdoors layout, an emphasis was placed on space planning in order to achieve a practical design flow, finding a configuration ideally suited to a coffee and cocktail bar setup.
As a result, Liqui designed a bespoke angular coffee–bar counter, with an area on one side for customers to check out the treats and drinks on offer, and room on the other side for staff and storage. A selection of seating and table options, including chairs and stools, counters and tables, have been thoughtfully arranged across The Wellhead’s interior space and its exterior covered terrace.
The project has a prominent position beside Bristol’s Castle Bridge, a landmark S-shaped crossing for pedestrians and cyclists, connecting Finzels Reach to the city centre. For this reason, its business model comprises a cafe by day and a cocktail bar at night, or from midday to be more precise.
In order to demarcate one from the other, Liqui Group worked on a brighter lighting scheme for The Wellhead’s daytime cafe offer, and a darker, relaxed ambience for its evening cocktails. To soften the building’s industrial aesthetic, the designers added greenery to the interior, hanging plants from the beams to give the illusion of lowering the ceiling. On the outside terrace, overlooking Bristol’s historic Floating Harbour, plants were added to the covered deck and walls, providing a natural backdrop.