Renovation Diary: April 2022

1st April, 2022

The Courtyard is being remodeled to make it more attractive and safer. It's a hot tar and gravel inlay. There will be loose gravel on top but not a thick layer. On Thursday, Micky and the Warriors cleared The Courtyard except for what has become their meeting table. On Friday, the clearance was finalised and the experts came in.

The old courtyard surface, very pitted
The Warriors meeting table, last in The Courtyard
The Courtyard completely cleared

The team from S&V brought in a vehicle that held the tar and a burner to make it molten. They also took delivery of a lot of light coloured stones to be laid on top of the tar. A tamper machine would then be used to inlay the stones into the tar.

Burner heating up the tar for the new surface
Photo from above showing The Courtyard with the tar machine parked up
From above, shows the large amount of area to be covered by the new materials
Delivery of stones to cover The Courtyard

You could tell the team had done this many times before as they worked like a well oiled machine.

The team started in the furthest point from the pub
Getting more stones
Shows the tar with stones going on top
Two of the team from S&V; you can clearly see the tar with stones on top

Working quickly, the tar and stones quicly covered The Courtyard. Unfortuantely we didn't have a time lapse camera on the scaffolding, our bad. However, with these photos you get the gist. And even Micky had a go at tamping down the stones!

The area in front of the covered area was quickly covered
The lorry made quite progress from the corner to eventually being out The Main Gate
The Courtyard with its' new surface
Micky using the tamper machine

And here is the finished result. I think all would agree it is much more attractive and safe, especially for youngsters and those slightly more older. This is a great addition to The Swan and we do hope to make good use of it during the sunny days that are coming.

Tables out, bikes parked up, plants back
The Courtyard is now looking significantly better
Lexie and Micky enjoying a cuppa in The Courtyard
Another photo of The COurtyard, this time take from the covered area
The Courtyard waiting for people to come and use it
People started using The Courtyard shortly after the tar had properly dried
A table in the corner
One of the plants

The Kitchen gets ever closer to being ready for its' first test. McFarlane Telfer were in on Wednesday for commissioning the equipment. The Warriors were finishing off the last few bits and tidying up the internal hallway. There will be a few final tweaks before a deep clean after all the building work that has gone on. And then hopefully we can start some basic testing.

Trevor cleaning one of the fridges ready for re-charging the gas Keith, our electrician, connecting up the bonding wires
Ian clearing some grout of the aluminium Keith and Tony working on the electric distribution box within The Kitchen
Ian reconnecting the sink Tony sealing the cooker hood
Our electrician connecting up the electrics McFarlane Telfer connecting up some of the kitchen equipment

At the end of the day, the team got together for a wee photo. Only Keith, our electrician is missing. The Kitchen is now starting to look the part.

The Kitchen team
One of the team from McFarlane Telfer
Installing equipment next to the windows
Lexie removing some of the flooring covering that has protected the real floor
The Cold Room is out of bounds as it is all cleaned
Bonding work in progress

And in the internal hallway the Warriors have been tidying it up so that it is safe, clean and warm. That said, we do know that it will require further work when we eventually tackle the bedrooms upstairs.

Trevor painting the ceiling The hallway is full of warriors
The corridor outside The School ROom getting a mist coating Tony working to box in the electrical panels in the hallway
John securing a plug in the hallway Aagin the hallway full of Warrors
Trevor preparing some of the boards for The School Room where the extractor is Ian and Trevor fitting the final touches to the stairwell to The School Room

This week GR6 were treated to an expert tour of the new kitchen that has been slowly taking shape beneath the school House. Huge thanks to Michael from McFarlane Telfer Ltd (MCFT) who came in to show us how the new kitchen appliances will work once the kitchen is up and running.MCFT have donated much of the equipment that has been installed at The Swan.

The students listening to the team from McFarlane Telfer in The Kitchen
A little bit of advertising for McFarlane Telfer

8th April, 2022

This week the Warriors have proved that many hands make light work. Or, more accurately, many hands have fitted doors, trimmed, painted, secured and so much more as The Kitchen edges ever closer to completion.

In the internal hallway, the final bits of painting and boxing in of pipework was undertaken. This has got to be in really good conditon for when food is transported between The Kitchen and The Bar.

Doing the final work to The Kitchen door.
Two of the team working out how to box in pipework on the brickwall
More painting

You know when things are nearing completion when the team fitted the (very heavy) door for The Kitchen. If you have tried it before, there is a certain nervousness about this to make sure that it hangs and fits properly. After doing that, the team added the various strips required to minimise smoke and fire.

Tony working on The Kitchen door to level it.
A releived Tony with a working Kitchen door

There were lots of other 'ee' jobs going on too, too numerous to list or take photos of. Instead we will show a couple of examples. Firstly , we were kindly donated a large fridge/freezer unit which needed to go into The Cold Room - however to get it in required the removal of door frames and the whole team to man handle it into place. Another is the addition of an extractor fan in The Dry Story Room. All necessary, all time consuming but we are nearly there!

Team man handling a large fridge/frezer through The Kitchen door
A happy Tony atop a ladder fitting an extractor fan

29th April, 2022

The kitchen is just moments away from the sizzle and steam of some culinary delights. Waiting on the last of the replacement equipment parts is the final piece of the puzzle and has allowed time to finish off the snagging list, collate the safety paperwork and put everything in its place. Watch this space, as trials will soon be able to start and details are sent out of our food on offer. We hope to see you dining with us soon!

This picture is showing The Cold Store which is directly underneath the metal stairs leading up to The School and The IT Suite. It has fridges and freezers as well as the mixer for making pizza dough.

The Cold Store in The Kitchen at The Swan.

Meanwhile other renovations have started to take place with Art Building Services on site. With the kitchen opening, the first part of the stairs and landing will be accessed more frequently so the ceilings and walls have been upgraded as well as increasing the necessary fire safety. There are more upgrades to the stables, starting with making the roofs water tight before moving to the internals. This inspired a well overdue spring clean of the inside stables earlier in the week.

Scaffolding extending out into street from The Stables.
The Stables wih scaffolding to allow the rood to be addressed.
Inside one of The Stables.
Inside a stable, canm see it needs a lot of work before it can be used for anything.
AAnother stable but in slightly better state.
Renovation Diary for March 2022 Renovation Diary for May 2022