Adderley Barker has refreshed the Lensbury club

The Lensbury is a members club, conference centre and hotel located at Teddington on the banks of the River Thames, 35 minutes from London Waterloo and 20 minutes from Heathrow.  Adderley Barker was appointed in March 2005 to focus on the new lounge, conservatory and catering offer, but their role soon expanded into a brand management exercise for the entire club.

Adderley Barker’s initial research phase included

• an examination of customer journeys through the club
• catering
• attendance rates
• spend per visit
• club use through the day
• feedback from member’s focus groups

The research was presented in July and further analysis founded an agreed set of Lensbury’s core values.  Once the core values were in place they began the design of the Lensbury interiors.

The catering offer to the members was an area highlighted by anecdotal and focus group feedback that required particular attention in the redevelopment.  Adderley Barker’s first step was a “food safari” to central London to demonstrate the high standards available to club members away from the club.  The Lensbury needed to match and/or exceed the competition.  The safari was highly instrumental in the design, both visually and operationally, of the new Terrace Deli.  Higher quality, faster service, improved coffee offer being the watchwords.

The club is very family friendly, two thirds of the membership are family groups.  The new menu enables parents a wider non-nugget choice in line with the “Jamie Oliver school dinners” philosophy.  Using the club alongside all the children are the rest of the club’s membership – single, couples without children, retired and the elderly.  They all need to be able to use the space and not be overrun with kids (lovely though they are).  Instead of a disciplinarian approach with a heavy use of signage such as “Over 9 years only”, “No Children”, members will be guided by the types of finishes and furniture available and an increased presence of floor staff.

Adderley Barker knew from studying the member’s use of the club the types of furniture and ambience required.  The furniture and fixtures are sourced from throughout Europe to ensure a varied and individual approach to specific areas.

Outside the initial interiors brief, but soon added, was the external landscaping and terrace design.  On any sunny weekend the members will always head outside to take advantage of the fabulous riverside surroundings.  Contemporary pieces have been selected, which will make for a stunning terrace with the River Thames in view.

Rolling the brand out – Adderley Barker’s brand management for the Lensbury has centred on defining the core values for the Lensbury and then assisting the Lensbury in how this manifests itself.  The member’s newsletter, membership cards and a new sales brochure are the first items to be re-launched.

Adderley Barker has had a large influence on the Lensbury since the initial interiors brief.  Our hospitality and leisure experience has been brought to bear on the brand, interiors, uniforms, signage, graphics and even the masonry choice for the front steps.