New life for an old haunt – the return of Café Royal

It’s true to say that Rock’s construction industry partners choose to work with us primarily because of our status as a market leader in waterproofing and renewable technology. However, a project may also call for more traditional roofing skills. Main contractors know that Rock have a team of craftsmen able to deliver building elements such as mansards, lead welding, cappings, tiles and slates. It’s because we are proficient in both cutting-edge and traditional forms of roofing that we are able to offer a total package for almost any type of project. 

A case in point is the redevelopment of the Café Royal building, just a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus. For over a hundred years it was a chic hangout for the likes of Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, Noel Coward, Winston Churchill, Brigitte Bardot, Mick Jagger, Muhammad Ali and Princess Diana. Closed in 2008, the Grade I listed building is currently being transformed into a luxury five star hotel with 160 rooms and suites, spa and gym, restaurants and bars, business centre and banqueting rooms. A selection of exclusive shops offering the world’s leading brands will fill the 1,500 sq m of prime Regent Street retail space to be established at ground and basement level. 

Rock is delighted to have been selected by main contractor Mace to help restore the charm, character and architectural flair of this most celebrated of venues. It presents a unique opportunity for us to demonstrate the skills of our artisans in completely refurbishing the mansard. In addition to extensive lead works, we are covering the whole roof with a combination of new and carefully reclaimed traditional Westmoreland slate from the original roof. Rock’s modern waterproofing solutions are also employed for the base for the rooftop plant room which is central to the smooth operation of the entire building.

As the job progresses, Mace marks each of its contract partners against its own stringent KPIs. To date, Rock has scored top marks in each category and won praise from Mace’s project manager Tim Wood. “Rock have got off to the best possible start,” Tim Wood told us. “On previous schemes for Mace they have delivered a range of roofing skills that is truly impressive in its breadth. So Rock were naturally our first choice for tackling the difficulties that come with converting a historic, listed building such as Café Royal into a superior hotel for the twenty-first century.”