Re-Revised Walkabout Plans Revealed

Re-revised plans for the old Walkabout pub

Dorsett Hospitality International, the group who renovated the old Shepherd's Bush Pavilion and have turned it into a successful upscale hotel, opened their doors yesterday on thursday 25 February for a second public consultation on their new, re-revised proposals for the old Walkabout pub, formerly the Shepherd's Bush Cinematograph theatre. The fresh drawings have taken into account community feedback from the last presentation on January 26th, and aim to make the new building fit better into the context of the existing Dorsett hotel.

Take a look at the photo below of the plans submitted in January and you can see what has changed in the overall design. The biggest difference is in the choice of materials used. Gone is the portland stone, replaced by a brick facade, to match the red brickwork of the neighbouring Grade II listed hotel.

Proposed building, January plans

To see the new view from the north side of the green, see the photo below. One thing you surely can't fault about these plans is the high quality of the digital artists working on this project. These 3D renders give an excellent feel for what the final building will look like. Much easier to read than architectural plans - at least for non-experts like us.

February 2016 proposals, viewed from the north side of Shepherd's Bush Green

Again, contrast the new design above with the January plans submitted below. The biggest difference is in the brick, but there are other changes too. The width of the building is less wide, making the final structure more symmetrical.

Proposed building, viewed from the north side of Shepherd's Bush Green

The re-revised proposals for the old Walkabout have also been designed by Flanagan Lawrence Architects, who were responsible for the award-winning restoration of the Dorsett Hotel.

Dorsett do seem to be doing their honest best to get public opinion behind them, and take in account the view of local residents. 

In our view, the new revised plans are better in some ways, and worse in others. The portland stone facade had a clean look that red brick doesn't quite match. But then, architecture is very much a matter of personal taste.

But one thing we can all agree on is that having old buildings boarded up does no one any good, and it is surely a good thing to find a new, effective use for this historic space.

If you would like to offer a view of your own, or if you would like any further information or have any questions, contact Paul Dimoldenberg on 020 7566 7960 or pdimoldenberg@quatro-pr.co.uk.


The Bush Telegraph offers a personal view on life in Shepherd's Bush. If you would like to contribute a story about our neighbourhood, email us at shepherdsbushblog@gmail.com.