The Golf Tavern, Bruntsfield | Restoration Case Study

Our role: Specialist masonry conservation contractor
Client: Instructed through the client's agent
Value: Under £0.5m
Programme: July 2011 to October 2011
Scope: Descaling of dressed sandstone, plastic mortar repairs, repointing of open joints, lead flashing to the side entrance parapet

The Golf Tavern stands on the edge of Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh. Its main and side entrances are framed in dressed red sandstone, with columns, a carved pediment and a cornice. While the pub was being refurbished, we were asked to prepare a repair scheme for the façade and to carry out the first phase: the immediate works to the main and side entrances.

The challenge

Our survey found the sandstone suffering from several kinds of decay: scaling stone and salt efflorescence, open joints in the cornice and entablature, earlier cement-based repairs, biological growth at higher levels and many fixing holes left by former signage. The architrave showed localised erosion and some columns had lost architectural detail. The refurbishment had a fixed completion date, so the client wanted the entrance section dealt with promptly and focused on improving the general appearance rather than a full schedule of every defect.

Our solution

We priced the work in two phases, the entrances first and the remaining ashlar façade as a second option, so the client could start quickly. For the entrances, the dressed sandstone was descaled to remove loose, scaling stone and salt, working from access towers set up at the main and side doors. Eroded areas of the architrave, the bases of the pilasters and the signage fixing holes were repaired in a plastic repair mortar, toned to sit within the surrounding stone. Open joints to the cornice and the side entrance junction were raked out and repointed, and the parapet to the side entrance was dealt with in lead. Photographs taken through the programme show the repairs advancing from the first access towers through to the finished entrances.

Outcomes

Entrances repaired

Scaling stone, fixing holes and eroded stone at the main and side entrances were repaired.

Open joints closed

Cornice and side entrance joints were repointed to keep water out of the masonry.

Phased scope

Splitting the work into entrance and façade phases let works start quickly within the refurbishment programme.

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The Golf Tavern