Piccolo Bar

The brief for the Piccolo Bar was to improve and expand the facilities of the existing Coffee and Ice-Cream Parlour, located on the main Promenade of Porthcawl, with an aim to provide a better amenity for the local residents and visitors to Porthcawl.

The existing building offered no internal seating area because of its limited size. It did however offer a considerable area of external seating on the surrounding Promenade. The external seating was always in high demand as a result of the reputation for excellent coffee and home-made ice cream, served within a beautiful setting just meters from the beach and offering views across the Bristol Channel. The concept of a single continuous floating roof that wraps around the existing building with a glazed ‘room’ beneath was derived as a simple, elegant structure that provides a sensitive addition to the Promenade in contrast to the ornate, pastiche existing building and its context. The roof extends asymmetrically to the east and west of the existing building to give two new covered spaces.

The proposals were discussed with various consultees early in the design process due to the complex nature of the building that is owned by the Council and leased by our client. The proposals were met with support from the Head of Regeneration, the Council’s Property Department and The Principal Conservation and Design officer. Following successfully gaining planning permission the project had to over come several constraints as a result of its location and proximity to the highway and pedestrian walkway. In order not to lose revenue during the summer months and to avoid an area of the Promenade being closed off during Porthcawl’s peak tourist period the building was constructed during the winter. Works commenced in November 2011 and was completed on target at the end of April 2012.