Full service 360 brand design agency, Harrison, has completed a full refurbishment for Young’s & Co.’s latest project Hort’s Townhouse, located in the city centre of Bristol. Completed in Spring 2023, the transformation turned an outdated sports bar into a premium1920’s cocktail bar and hotel, bringing the space back to its former glory.

Hospitality group Young’s& Co. challenged the team at Harrison with transitioning what was previously called ‘Hort’s’ into a premium cocktail bar and hotel, celebrating the building’s original art deco heritage and the city of Bristol. Located on Broad Street in the city centre, the building is Grade II listed dating back to the 18th century with a long and varied history having, at one time, been used for everything from a hospitality venue, a sales office, a warehouse, and most recently, a pub and cinema.

The brief from Young’s & Co was not without its challenges; the Harrison team were faced with a long and thin ground floor layout, where a previously tired pub in the front flowed toward the dining area in the back. Adjacent was a cinema as part of the pub’s offering which, while used, was bringing no additional income as tickets were free to patrons. The fabric, colours, and general feel were unwelcoming and lacked character. What’s more, the building was ‘landlocked’ by surrounding buildings, meaning there was no room to expand outside of the existing boundaries.

However, the team at Harrison recognised the fantastic potential in the building to maximise the space available and bring back to life the original features that make it unique, emphasised and underpinned by the additional design touches created by the Harrison team.