Historic manor opens its doors after £2m refurbishment
A converted Georgian manor house on the outskirts of Exeter has been officially opened following its £2m refurbishment.
Dating back to the late 18th century, Winslade Manor stands at the heart of the 86-acre development of offices, homes and leisure facilities at Winslade Park, Clyst St Mary. Once complete, it will have an expected market value of £80m.
The first commercial tenants have moved in following the Grade II* listed manor’s impressive refurbishment, which finished on schedule in under a year with building work continuing despite three national lockdowns.
Founders of Burrington Estates, Paul Scantlebury and Mark Edworthy along with the property group’s Commercial Managing Director Matthew Bennett declared the renovated building open in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. They were joined by Ritchie Watson, Lending Director at specialist lender Together, which provided a £15m loan facility for the major project, and the finance group’s Commercial CEO, Marc Goldberg.
Mr Watson said: “It’s an absolute pleasure to cut the ribbon at Winslade Manor, marking the first stage of this fantastic development.
“From the outset, we were impressed with the ambition of Burrington’s plans and it’s great to see them starting to come to fruition. The quality of the refurbishment is superb and makes us even more excited to see what’s next for Winslade Park.”
Renovation work to restore the building to its former glory saw the skilled restoration of historic features including a stunning atrium ceiling, original staircase and balustrades, plus a new marble hallway floor. The redevelopment provides around 570 sq ft of serviced offices, meeting rooms, a restaurant and bar, and leisure facilities.
The first business tenants, global infrastructure specialist AECOM, Blue Marble Environmental Partnerships and LRM Planning, were able to move into their offices on schedule after planning permission was granted in November.
Winslade Manor Restaurant and Bar will open as soon as government guidelines allow, with Chef Director Matt Mason creating a ‘casual elegant’ dining experience for guests with a menu of local, seasonal produce. Matt is currently providing ‘A taste of what is to come’ - a special lockdown kerbside collection and delivery service.
Burrington Estates Founder, Paul Scantlebury says he is proud of the effort made by all involved: “Everyone has worked tirelessly to get to this point, a major achievement in the face of additional pressures from Covid-19 and the various lockdowns.
“This is a huge milestone for us, and we look forward to seeing the reactions of visitors when they see inside for the first time.”
The next phase will include refurbishing existing offices on the site and providing additional health club and wellness facilities. A development of new homes planned for Winslade Park is currently at detailed planning stage with building work due to start later this year.
