Following the completion of Hyde London City, Chris Turner Procurement reveal more on what it takes to deliver a new hotel.
With decades of experience in the hospitality sector, Chris Turner founded his own company in 2018, offering a comprehensive service that takes in every aspect of FF&E and OS&E, from budgeting and value engineering to coordination and installation.
Over the years, the company has doubled in size, delivering projects such as The Standard London, 1 Hotel Mayfair and Waldorf Astoria Lusail. Its latest project is Hyde London City, a lifestyle hotel that sits within Ennismore’s portfolio. Owned by first-time hotelier Alex Shamash, co-founder of OB Capital, the hotel occupies a Grade II-listed landmark on Old Bailey. Its design has been led by Studio Moren in a scheme that combines Victorian heritage with artistic splendour.
Having been brought into the project in its early stages, Chris Turner Procurement delivered the FF&E and OS&E, working closely with OB Capital, Ennismore and Studio Moren. Here, founder Chris Turner and Procurement Manager Francisco Hernández Olaya, reveal more.
How did you become involved in Hyde London City?
We were brought on board in 2021 by the project managers, Pillar Consulting, having worked with them before. We then met with Alex, the owner; we’re a hands-on team so were able to promise him a very personal service – I believe that’s what won us the job.
Tell us about your approach…
We’re very proud of being able to maintain the design integrity of a project – we like to think of ourselves as being designer friendly. We take a collaborative approach in finding solutions to problems that may arise, so if there are elements that need to be value engineered, are out of budget or just not suitable, we work together to find a solution.
What was the first task at Hyde London City?
We started with the guestrooms, working closely with Ennismore and Studio Moren to help bring their vision to life. When a design comes to us, it has typically already been signed off by the client; it’s always beneficial to be involved at an early stage as we can help keep the project in budget. At Hyde London City, there was some value engineering, but not without first consulting with the designers. We had open lines of communication, so we were able to explain why some aspects of the FF&E had to be changed and present cost-effective alternatives. We were also able to negotiate on prices with suppliers, which meant we could put the money saved back into the scheme and reintroduce some elements.
Tell us more about the FF&E and OS&E selected…
We have a great product in the guestrooms – an excellent package at a competitive price, which comes from the relationships we have established with vendors. For the restaurant, almost everything is bespoke. There are some off-the-shelf items, such as the Bentwood Chairs designed by Michael Thonet, now produced by GTV. Ennismore were involved in selecting some of the OS&E, which includes products from Turkey for Leydi and from Japan for Black Lacquer – this corresponds with the cuisine served and brings an authenticity to the project.
What was the biggest challenge?
Budget. Every project has a budget to work to; the difference with Hyde London City was that the client was upfront from the outset and gave us a set amount per key – this gave us defined parameters to work within. For us, it’s not about purchasing the cheapest product, it’s about providing the best value.
Which aspect of Hyde London City are you most proud of?
Despite the challenges, we still managed to create a fantastic product. In the first hour of the hotel opening, Alex called and our first instinct was that something had gone wrong. But he said ‘thank you, you have delivered exactly what you promised’ – and that is the greatest compliment.
What projects are you currently working on?
Our work takes us across a mix of hotels, private homes and restaurants – there’s even a school. Right now, we’re deep into a full refurbishment of Montcalm Marble Arch, wrapping up in 2025, and working through a phased renovation at St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. We have also teamed up with Belmond for an exciting project in Madeira. With our fifth Sushi Samba underway and a new five-star hotel in London recently won, the next few years are shaping up to be quite exciting. We love projects that bring something fresh to their neighbourhoods, like Hyde London City.
Read the full review of Hyde London City in Issue 117 of Sleeper
CREDITS
Photography: Courtesy of Ennismore
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