‘Prestigious’ Swiss hotel contract for brick maker
The York Handmade Brick Company has secured a £33,000 contract to help construct a hotel in Switzerland.
The company, which is based near Easingwold, is supplying over 20,000 bricks for the new hotel in the historic Swiss town of Martigny.
The “Lo Dze” hotel project consists of two separate buildings around a central courtyard which is open to the public.
Above ground it comprises “Borsari”, a hotel with 51 rooms and the Kitchen 180, which services the wine bar, restaurant and café, the courtyard and terraces.
Lo Dze also features underground Roman baths in the space that was formerly Les Caves Orsat, a 19th century winery.
David Armitage
John Cretton, of QDS Leisure, who is masterminding this project, explained: “I was looking for a brick that was handmade with the right colours and the right size.
“The massive nature of the architecture – one side of the street façade is windowless apart from a half-moon opening on the ground floor – meant that the brick had to be visually strong. Overall, it was a winning combination of colour, form, texture and cost.
“The concept for the hotel was first developed over 10 years ago. Construction began in 2021 and it will officially open this September.”
David Armitage, chairman of York Handmade, added: “This is a very prestigious project for us, especially in the context of these challenging economic times.
“It has been a tremendous boost for our factory and a great honour to contribute to a pioneering and innovative development in such an historic town.
“This is a crucial year for us at York Handmade. We have invested £1.5m in brand-new machinery which has transformed how we make our bricks.
“Over the years, we have undertaken significant technological improvements, culminating in this overhaul and renewal of our manufacturing process, which has speeded up production, facilitated two brand-new products and increased efficiency.
“For this very special project, we are supplying Hunsingore Blend bricks. They will help to make the new hotel visually stunning and blend in seamlessly with the other historic buildings in the town.”
