Situated on the edge of the Thames in Docklands, The Gun is a grade two listed building and is one of the most historic sites we have had the honour of working on. Built in the early 18th century, the venue takes its current name from the cannon fired to celebrate the opening of the West India import docks in 1802. Lord Horatio Nelson, and his mistress Lady Emma Hamilton, famously frequented The Gun during his visits to the docks to inspect the shipments of his guns, and would both meet in the ‘river room’ still used as the function room to discuss their secret assignments.

Being such an original, time-worn venue we have had the pleasure of working on The Gun for numerous years, in every way from sympathetic refurbishment to consistent maintenance, as the ancient building is gradually subsiding into the Thames.

Our first works took place in the river room, where we undertook a full refurbishment consisting of the manufacture and installation of low-level panelling, a full mirrored wall and a large feature banquet table, finished off with re-finishing of the original floor, and redecoration.

Following this, the client wanted to transform the ‘cabin room’, the second function room downstairs, from the bland, tasteless room it had become into something more in keeping with the building. After conducting an in-depth site survey, we manufactured traditionally styled floor to ceiling oak wall panelling, with two arch-topped cupboards built into the alcoves of the room. We fully assembled the room in our workshop in Doncaster so ETM Director Tom Martin could stand inside it, and make his final decisions before it was transported to London, and painstakingly installed to the misshapen, twisted, unlevel room of the subsiding building.

Both the kitchen and prep areas followed shortly after, featuring full rip out and fitting of hygienic wall cladding and Altro flooring to meet current hygiene regulations before installation of full new stainless kitchen systems.

Other works to the site include major structural works to original oak beams, working closely alongside a team of structural engineers as well as external repairs to both the fabric of the building, and the roof and parapet walls, ensuring The Gun continues to live on as a historic landmark for future generations to enjoy.