One of Newcastle’s popular leisure complexes is to have a major facelift and its owner The Crown Estate, has appointed Surgo Construction to deliver the £3.5m project.
Each year The Gate plays host to more than eight million visitors and recognising Newcastle’s growing leisure sector, The Crown Estate is keen to capitalise on that.
As part of The Crown Estate’s significant investment programme at The Gate, launched to expand and refresh the leisure facilities which opened in 2002, the remodelled centre will benefit from a new lobby area, space for a cocktail bar or café and a feature chandelier will be installed as well as a sophisticated and striking new LED lighting system.
Surgo is expected to take up to six months to complete the work which includes removing metal balustrades and replacing them with contemporary glass and timber panels, upgrading the toilets, removing brick pillars to open up the walkways and taking out stairs leading to the second floor.
Meeting the client’s desire to remain open while detailed works are carried out, Surgo’s site team will not turn up for work until 1am in the morning and will work through until the complex reopens for business later in the morning.
Speaking about its latest investment in The Gate, Katherine Armstead, senior asset manager at The Crown Estate, said:
“With over eight million visitors a year, The Gate is Newcastle city centre’s dominant leisure destination.
“Our investment in its refurbishment will ensure that it holds its own amongst the wider regeneration in the area and continues to offer our customers a great experience in the heart of this fantastic city.”
Adding his thoughts about the contractor’s latest contract win, managing director, James Walker, said:
“We are thrilled to have been awarded this key contract to work on such a popular leisure venue in the city. As can be expected, when working on a project of this type its successful delivery will be down to detailed scheduling and using the most appropriate build solutions – which in this case will require a certain amount of off-site prefabrication- to ensure we stay on track to deliver the scheme in a timely fashion.”