Builders, electricians, carpenters, stone masons and furniture restorers are swarming all over The Feathers in Woodstock inside and out, getting it ready for its opening in a few weeks time.
The furniture is arriving on Monday, the bedrooms have received their final lick of paint, the original fireplaces are re-installed, the bathrooms gleaming new, the restored windows in place, the floors laid, the new kitchen finished, the archway renovated.
There are wood burning stoves throughout, a huge new coldstore, a contemporary reception area and a slated bar, 23 newly decorated rooms with six suites, a new kitchen roof, the list goes on……
‘The transformation is astonishing. Nothing is at is was, except the lay out’
The transformation is astonishing. Nothing is at is was, except the lay out. But the work carried out on the historic building has been ‘a labour of love’ new owner Daniel Ede tells me, as he gives us the grand tour.
And with 90 covers in the new brasserie restaurant The Nest and The Aviary bar, which extends out onto the new terrace, there is much to look forward to.
‘it has been a bigger project that we envisaged’
With the budget doubling however, and the original opening time extended from March READ ABOUT IT HERE it’s been a challenging few months. “We thought we’d be able to keep the kitchen and the electrics but it soon became apparent that wasn’t the case,” he smiles, “so we started from scratch really which has been stressful, exciting and challenging.
“But then that was always the brief; to refurbish The Feathers properly, to peel back the layers and see what was there, but it has been a bigger project that we envisaged,” he admits.
Scarcely able to contain his excitement though at what his team has achieved, Daniel can’t wait for The Feathers to finally open its doors to the public and reveal what they have achieved in the past six months.
‘The Feathers has consumed us, we are obsessed’
Take The Nest for example; instead of the former fine dining restaurant, a more relaxed and atmospheric brasserie will greet you with a menu of classics and sharing plates as concocted by chef team Luke Rawicki (head chef) and Shannon Mulholland whose reputation precedes them.
You will be able to enjoy dishes such as hand dived Orkney scallop with fermented carrot and chicken butter sauce, stuffed burrata with Isle of Wight tomato and lovage or crispy lamb sweetbread with ravigote sauce and Granny Smith from th small plates, and then stuffed saddle of South West lamb, peas, mint salsa verde and Jersey royals, the aged cheeseburger with gruyere, burger sauce, jalapeno and fries or some brown crab risotto with fennel, lemon and dill, followed by roasted peach and almond tart tatin.
‘We want the feathers to be somewhere that people talk about, somewhere new and exciting, that they tell their friends about’
Outside the bar menu will be cooked on the Argentinian BBQ, where The Hut bar will serve drinks. Plans for a permanent outdoor bar and extension aim to be completed early next year.
‘The old Feathers is dead, This is the new Feathers!’
“We want it to be somewhere that people talk about, somewhere new and exciting, that they tell their friends about – whether that’s for coffee and breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, cocktails or dinner,” Daniel says.
Much planning has also gone into the new cocktail menu (gin will feature but no longer dominate), the wine list and the menus themselves.
In terms of decor, gone are the maximalist bedrooms and the traditional restaurant
“I’m a massive foodie and while the hospitality world is not something I’ve bought into before, I’m really enjoying the process,” Daniel tells me.
In terms of decor, gone are the maximalist bedrooms and the traditional restaurant. Instead a calmer colour palette has been introduced upstairs with the brand new, luxury bathrooms lending a refined air. The brasserie’s panelled maroon walls and wooden floors await the guests.
‘when I see it finished, it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life’
In fact, everything is new from the air conditioning and extractors to the heating and hot water: “The old wiring was ridiculously bad so we took it out and started again, which wasn’t cheap, and parts of the staircase were rotten so that has been fully renovated as well,” Daniel explains.
New signage has also been ordered, the slate blue Feathers branding confirmed, and the big reveal weeks away.
‘it has been the most vertical leaning curve I’ve ever experienced’
So how is Daniel feeling? “The Feathers has consumed us, we are obsessed,” he laughs, “but we have discovered some incredible features such as the stone backdrop to the bar which was hidden under five layers of plaster boarding.
“But when I see it finished, it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Seeing our guests and diners enjoying our rooms and food will be such a big moment, because so much hard work has gone into The Feathers.
“Put it this way, it has been the most vertical leaning curve I’ve ever experienced. But have I embraced it? Yes. And have I enjoyed it? Yes. The old Feathers is dead, This is the new Feathers!”
But with The Edge Hotel planned on Abingdon Road, Oxford and Old Abbey House in Abingdon and No 192 on Iffley Road to run, it doesn’t look like the pace will slow down any time soon for Daniel.
MORE UPDATES TO FOLLOW. The Feathers is at Market Square, Woodstock. https://www.feathers.co.uk
