We have had the pleasure of working with Philip and Amanda O’Shea in Devizes since July 2019, when we carpeted a 29 sq. meter bedroom with ‘Scala Twist’, a heavy contract material with built-in underlay. They acquired the adjoining Old Crown Centre during the year with plans to turn their lovely 7-bedroom boutique hotel into a 17-bedroom townhouse hotel, including a large function space, meeting room, and restaurant.

They took on a monumental task as the property was built around 1452 and was not in the best of health. In fact, when we first saw what they intended to do we were amazed by the complexity of the task. Walls needed realignment and floors levelled (1) on top of mammoth utilities and decorating job.

We must congratulate them on the refurbishment as the result is quite superb. Due to the hotel’s position near the market place soundproofing windows and floors was a top priority. We were involved in the latter. In November we carpeted a 24 sq. meter bedroom above the sometimes noisy original restaurant. This involved glueing a two-layer acoustic underlay (2) to a pre ply boarded floor before putting down the ‘Scala Twist’ carpet (3). The chosen colour was Havanna which blended well into the overall design concept.

As work progressed into 2020 we were asked to lay an LVT, a thin, highly resilient and water-resistant vinyl flooring, in what was to become the new reception area (25 sq. meters) and restaurant/meeting room (49 sq. meters). LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) replicates tile and wood designs beautifully and a plank from the ‘Moduleo Transform’ range was chosen in a Classic Oak colour. Due to the unevenness of the floor, we trowelled the area with latex to give a smoother and more level surface. When dry we bonded the LVT to the floor with a pressure-sensitive adhesive (4, 5 & 6).

The old building is attractively quirky with stairs, landings and hallways on various levels. Much of this and the bedrooms were carpeted at different times as areas became available after being decorated (7 & 8). As with any building of this age, there were some complications, but the outcome was hugely satisfying for all concerned.

We thoroughly recommend a stay at this hotel where you are assured of a warm welcome. The ambience is first class and the accommodation fits delightfully into the 15th Century character of the location.