Timber sash windows by Mumford & Wood, the specialist manufacturer of period windows and door systems, have been incorporated in the renovation and remodelling of the Regent Arcade shopping Centre in Cheltenham. The year-long frontage redevelopment was delivered by main contractor Willmott Dixon for client Canada Life, and was part of a £20million makeover for the centre.
The three-storey centre, reported to be the Cotswold’s premier shopping destination hub, is set in the heart of the town linking the main High Street to Cheltenham’s promenade and is home to the towns’ famous Wishing Fish Clock. Some buildings were completely demolished and the High Street entrance has received a newly clad façade of Bath stone. These extensive works were carried out while existing shops remained open and trading, necessitating that 90% of the work was carried out during the night. The 185,000sqft shopping centre attracts 100,000 visitors a week and offers over 60 shops and a wide variety of restaurants and cafes. Planning permission for the work was granted in 2008.
The town is famous for its Regency architecture and is said to be ‘the most complete Regency town in England’ and many buildings are listed. Bespoke, high performance timber sash windows from Mumford & Wood’s Conservation™ collection were architecturally specified by Chapman Taylor LLP, London W2, and have been installed at first and second floor levels of the Arcade. Chapman Taylor specialises in urban regeneration, retail and leisure. These award-winning, high performance timber sash windows satisfied the stringent requirements of local planners and are BSI A+ energy rated ensuring the comfort of customers and staff in an open-plan store layout. This rating offers the highest level of thermal performance and achieves a U-value that exceeds the requirements of the new Part L Building Regulations 2013 which will be implemented in Spring 2014. Conservation™ products carry the BSI Kitemark and are Energy Saving Trust (EST) recommended.
Manufactured from engineered and sustainably sourced clear-grade timber, Conservation™ products are available with a choice of profile styles, opening configurations and glazing options. This comprehensive range includes co-ordinated casement windows and special shapes, French doors, bi-folding and entrance doors. A beautiful range of roof lanterns is a recent addition.
Conservation™ products are now internally glazed for improved aesthetics and security and together with high quality multipoint locking systems qualify for Secured by Design accreditation providing increased security and peace of mind. A wide range of glass unit sizes up to 24mm as standard will accommodate the new triple glazed system while the slim 12mm box sash unit achieves an original putty glazed appearance.
The Regent Arcade scheme incorporated a completely new glass roof that required the construction of one of the longest temporary roofs in the country. An extensive scaffolding system was in place to act as a crash deck and special care had to be taken to ensure the £400,000 Wishing Fish Clock continued to function. In conjunction with the new roof, the Arcade had an entirely new marble floor, existing lifts and escalators were updated and all internal cladding was either replaced or repainted.
The Regent Arcade was once the home of Regent Motors on Regent Street, and the area is famous not only for its fashionable spa since the mineral springs were discovered in 1716 but also the flagship event of British steeplechase horse racing at the annual Cheltenham Festival. Regent Arcade was originally opened by Anne, Princess Royal in 1985.
