Commercial Conversion & Structural Design
Conversion of a former pub into a sustainable Starbucks Drive Thru in Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Project Overview
The Home Engineers provided structural engineering design services for the sustainable conversion of a former public house in Berwick-upon-Tweed into a modern Starbucks Drive Thru.
Working closely with the developer and architect, the project focused on maximising reuse of the existing structure to reduce embodied carbon while delivering a safe, durable, and commercially functional retail space.
Through careful structural assessments, steel strengthening works, and coordinated refurbishment solutions, the project successfully balanced sustainability, practicality, and long-term performance.
Commercial Conversion / Zero Carbon Refurbishment.
The Home Engineers, Cliff Court (Redcar) Developments Ltd, Project Architect.
- Structural Survey.
- Steel Design & Detailing.
- Temporary Works Coordination.
- Commercial Refurbishment Engineering.
The Requirements:
The project involved the conversion of the former Meadow House Inn in Berwick-upon-Tweed into a modern Starbucks Drive Thru outlet.
The key challenge was to transform the disused public house into a safe, efficient, and commercially viable retail space while retaining as much of the original structure as possible.
The design team needed to carefully assess the existing masonry walls, roof trusses, foundations, and timber floor structures to determine what could be safely reused and adapted.
The project also required new loading arrangements, structural strengthening works, and coordinated temporary works to facilitate construction safely.
A major objective of the scheme was to significantly reduce embodied carbon by avoiding unnecessary demolition and minimising the use of new high-impact materials such as steel and concrete.
The Solution
We worked closely with both the developer and architect from concept through to completion to deliver a practical and sustainable structural solution.
A detailed structural appraisal was carried out to identify opportunities for reuse throughout the building. Significant portions of the existing structure, including masonry walls, roof elements, foundations, and timber floor joists, were retained and incorporated into the final design.
Where strengthening works were required, new structural steelwork was introduced carefully and efficiently to supplement the retained structure while complying with modern standards.
The project included careful coordination of temporary works and propping arrangements during construction to ensure the stability and protection of adjoining structural elements throughout the refurbishment process.
The Outcome
The completed project successfully transformed the former public house into a modern Starbucks Drive Thru facility that balances commercial functionality with sustainable engineering principles.
Through the reuse of major structural elements, the project achieved a saving of approximately 54 tonnes of embodied carbon when compared to a traditional demolition and rebuild approach. This is equivalent to the annual emissions produced by 17 average family cars or 63 one-way flights from London to New York.
The result is a high-quality commercial refurbishment that delivers long-term durability, improved energy performance, and reduced environmental impact while extending the life of the original structure.
The coordinated engineering package also streamlined the construction process and ensured safe, efficient installation on site.
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