Lancaster House Hotel’s cultural links with Portugal and the production of the country’s renowned Port wines have been brought alive through the modern refurbishment of its bar and lounge.
The venue has completed the renovation of The Sandeman Bar with a contemporary upgrade which gives a nod to its connections with the House of Sandeman from which it draws its name.
The hotel became inextricably linked with the world-famous port wine and sherry producers due to a chance meeting on a continental flight in the early 1990s.
When the hotel first opened, its hospitality team were searching for a suitable name and theme for the main bar area. A conversation between English Lakes Hotels board member Douglas Dale and a Sandeman executive proved inspirational, with the result that the Sandeman Bar was named and themed after the Portuguese port producer.
The refurbishment of the hotel bar includes an array of contemporary artwork, upholstered chairs and tables, new curtains, wallpaper and decoration in bold colours.
The new look for the bar has been inspired by Tammy Barwell, the restaurant and bars manager at Lancaster House Hotel, who embarked on a fact finding mission to Porto arranged by the House of Sandeman.
Tammy returned from Portugal with the idea to showcase the Sandeman Bar with colour schemes to match the company’s history, as well as new artwork and images featuring the Sandeman Cellars to elevate the look and feel of the bar. It was also Tammy’s idea to introduce a timeline graphic of the history of the House of Sandeman dating back to 1790.
Another feature is the Sandeman branded barrel with a plaque explaining how the company was the first to brand a cask of Port in 1805.
The close links between the House of Sandeman and Lancaster House Hotel have their roots from a Spanish holiday in the 90s. English Lakes Hotels was closing in on the completion of its new hotel in Lancaster but there was a quandary about what to call the main bar at the venue.
Whilst returning home from a holiday in Jerez, Spain, the hotel group’s operations director Douglas Dale struck up a conversation on the plane with a chap who was very interested to hear about the new hotel venture. That was David Sandeman, the managing director of the House of Sandeman at the time.
The pair got on so well that Douglas tabled the idea of naming the bar after the Portuguese wine company and theming it accordingly. David graciously accepted the offer to come and open The Sandeman Bar, bringing with him various items of company memorabilia that are still on display today.”
Tammy Barwell
The partnership has endured and flourished over 30 years, with a feature of the hotel bar being it's Port and cheese nights and stocks of Sandeman Port sweet red wines, including Ruby, White, and Tawny Ports.
These are all produced from grapes grown in the vineyards of the Douro Valley in Portugal. The nearby city of Porto is renowned for its historical commercialisation and bulk transportation of fortified port wines in the 17th century – hence the eponymous link.
My trip to Portugal was a wonderful opportunity to discover more about the grapes, valleys, Ports, and vineyards of the area, as well as immersing myself in the history of the House of Sandeman.
Experiencing Sandeman’s traditions first-hand made a lasting impression on me, and it shaped the vision for our bar. I wanted to create a space to celebrate that craftsmanship and invite guests to enjoy its character and charm in a relaxed, welcoming setting. I’m thrilled to have been so closely involved in this thematic refurbishment of our main bar at the hotel.”
Tammy Barwell
The Sandeman Bar at Lancaster House Hotel offers a range of light meals and pub classics are served throughout the day in the bar and lounge areas. On warmer days, the outdoor seating area makes for enjoyable al fresco dining.
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