IDK

'The restoration and continuation of a much loved community asset.'

The Prince of Wales sits on the dramatic Duddon Estuary in the South Lakeland village of Foxfield. Beyond it is the train station and beyond that, the sea: an enviable position for a public house. We are restoring the interior simply to focus attention on the people, ephemera and stories that make the pub what it is. In an intertwining of the economies and ecologies that root the institution, visitors who enter through a tunnel of fresh hops bines can see into the on-site brewery. At its heart, the Prince of Wales is a community asset that is central to village life in Foxfield. In collaboration with the new owners, our aim is to ensure the pub's longevity as public house for the community and a welcome respite for the visitor – both of whom are integral to its character and long-term viability.

The pub will be insulated externally using a natural clay, lime and cork based render and painted dark Brunswick green. Traditionally, Brunswick green is a dark yellowish green which can look almost black. It was first manufactured from copper compounds in Braunschweig, Germany (known as Brunswick in English) and became an important colour for machinery during the industrial revolution because it could be mixed using whole pots of primary colours to achieve consistent results. Railroads in particular tended to use various shades of Brunswick green to paint their rolling stock.

The brown formica bar was given to the pub by regulars in the 1970s who worked at Vickers shipyard. It was built of the same material and to the same design as the bar in the HMS Dreadnought, the first British nuclear powered submarine. The submarine was scrapped in 1980, meaning the bar at the Prince of Wales is the only one of its kind remaining and should probably be subject to a local authority listing. Spare formica is still stored at Barrow if repairs are needed.