A stunning redevelopment in Nottingham has put the city on the map alongside design projects in London, Australia, Canada, the USA and Swizterland. A first floor storage room above a boutique and caves underneath in the heart of the city were transformed into Bar Gigi and Cantine Dell'Angelo at the Flying Horse Walk.
They opened in 2021 after years of Herculean grit and determination and an investment well in excess of £1million. The project has been named as one of the finalists in the prestigious Civic Trust Awards 2023, selected from 250 national and international entries.
Owner Angelo Trivigno, whose wife Debra and daughter Gabriella run Gigi Bottega, the high end fashion boutique below, started restoring the building back to its original glory in 2015 to create Italian restaurant and bar, Bar Gigi. Modelled on a similar concept in Milan, the contemporary touches blend seamlessly with original beams and decorative leaded light windows in the building, where parts date back to the 14th century.
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Two years into the project they were taken aback to discover a huge network of caves below after Angelo found a damp patch leading down to an archway. Filled to the brim with rubble, it was cleared and excavated to create Castine Dell'Angelo, an exclusive subterranean bar, with the help of Dan Lacey, of Nottingham-based DL Design Studio.
Around 660 tonnes of rubble were removed by hand, unearthing a spectacular 120m warren of cellars and caves. They were transformed into a unique venue for wines not available anywhere else in the UK, prosecco and champagne. The hideaway boasts a table for six in a Barolo room with exclusive L'Astemia Pentita wines and an alcove with a table for two - ideal for a romantic proposal.
Angelo had no idea what he would discover behind the bricks, soil, bottles and rubble blocking the path. With no blueprint or inkling about the scale of the network of medieval cellars and 11th century sandstone caves, he embarked on a massive risk.
He said: "If it was not for the fact that I went with my heart, this would never have happened. I could not have done it with the maths. It was just pure destiny but I had a gut feeling about this place. I just believed in it."
The gamble paid off. The restaurant and Castine Dell'Angelo are among 127 projects around the world judged by a Civic Trust Awards' panel. The winners will be revealed on January 9.
Angelo said: "There are some serious projects in Australia, Canada, the USA, it's not just the UK. We are the only one in Nottingham. Three judges came here to look and they were blown away. They did say it was very, very special. I had to explain all about the project and show photographic evidence of what I've done and they were very impressed.
"To be in the final is something to be proud of. I'm not thinking I'm going to win it but I'm very pleased with what I've achieved. They said 'you've done something amazing. You've managed to bring history back but not only that you have twisted it, and everything connects perfectly. The way you've done the building, the way you've brought the historical wood back and the caves'.
"If I win it it's going to be an absolutely amazing achievement. Not only for me, but for Nottingham as well."
Dan Lacey, director of DL Designs, on Broadway, said the outcome was 'a real asset to Nottingham'. The company worked with Angelo on listed building consent and building regulations to make sure everything was safe and compliant and helped with the layout.
Dan said: "We worked with them on getting the layout right They've got the caves, Bar Gigi, and Gigi Bottega shop, the three floors so it was trying to work out how the three businesses could be used independently or all together so you could access each one without having to go them or you could open two out of three up.
"It was about flexibility for them as a business. The high street has got to diversify. People come to the city for leisure and entertainment now probably more than they do to shop and I think they realised that. The discovery of the caves and what he has done down there is just unbelievable really.
"I've never worked on anything like this before. We've done listed building work, we've done restaurants but this is certainly unique. I went down the caves half-way through and the amount of rubble down there... How he's gone about it, how hard he's worked, the fact all three of the businesses are family-owned, it is really impressive to see commitment.
"I don't want to talk ill of Nottingham Castle and the trust but to see the kind of money spent on that and they've not managed to make it work and to see a small family work hard and make something work, I just think they really deserve to be recognised. It's a great achievement."
The Civic Trust Awards scheme was established in 1959 to recognise outstanding architecture, planning and design. The aim is to encourage the very best in architecture and environmental design, to improve the built environment for us all through design, sustainability, inclusiveness and accessibility, and also to reward projects that offer a positive cultural, social, economic or environmental benefit to their local communities.
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