The Hut goes retro to bring things up to date

Popular beach restaurant pleased with the impact new Precision refrigeration is having

The Hut is a popular restaurant situated in Colwell Bay, on the northwest coast of the Isle of Wight. Since opening five years ago it has established a reputation for the quality of its menu. “Our philosophy has always been to use local produce as much as possible,” owner George Adams explains. “The quality of the seafood we use is very important, so we need to be able to keep it in perfect condition until it’s ready to be used.”

The Hut recently completed a major refurbishment to improve both the dining area and provide an upgrade to the kitchen. George brought in catering design firm Little Duffy to oversee the project, and he was quite clear about the standard he expected. “It was quite a simple brief, really. We wanted the best of everything!

With that in mind, choosing the refrigeration equipment was simple. “We’ve used Precision in the past, and knowing how reliable they are there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that we should continue to use them,” says George.

Andy Norfolk of Little Duffy worked closely with Kandie Harrison of Precision to select and agree on the equipment required, which would include a number of bespoke and customised units.

Precision equipment plays a key role in The Hut’s kitchen, with a selection of cabinets, counters and underbroilers. Separate MPT601 cabinets are used for storing meat and fish, and a selection of counters from the MCU line provide staff with easy access to regularly used ingredients. These units can be fitted with doors or drawers depending on requirements, and The Hut has both versions.

“We don’t have massive amounts of space for our kitchen,” says George. “But Little Duffy had lots of great ideas to help us make the most of it. I was particularly impressed with Precision’s wall-mounted cabinets.” Precision’s HWU wall-mounted cabinets are available in one, two and three door variants, and allow enormous flexibility when designing kitchens with limited space.

It’s not just behind the scenes that Precision equipment is used. The front-of-house bar uses Precision’s eye-catching Retro Refrigeration cabinets. Inspired by the 1950s, its large handles and heavy-duty hinges create a strong visual impression, while the vintage look conceals the same advanced technology as the rest of Precision’s equipment. “When I saw the Retro Refrigeration cabinets, I knew they would be perfect for us,” explains George. “They match our style exactly!”

Indeed, they can match any style very closely, as Precision can paint them to match any RAL number supplied by the customer. “We get a lot of compliments about the fridges from our customers, asking where they can get them,” says George. “Everybody loves them!”

Other customisation options include glass doors, which can be either plain or ribbed to accentuate the retro aesthetic.

The Hut’s front-of-house equipment also includes three of Precision’s GFS600 glass frosters, which like the Retro cabinets have been painted to match the rest of the decor. “On a hot summer’s day nothing beats an ice cold glass of drink, the glass frosters are tremendous. We’ve had plenty of great feedback from our customers about that, too!”

While the equipment’s looks are important, just as important for George is the energy efficiency. “Obviously keeping our running costs as low as possible is important to us, after all the refrigeration will be running 24/7, so every little bit helps!”

Just as The Hut’s menu uses local produce whenever possible, George is also thrilled to be supporting a British manufacturer. “The refrigeration is marvellously designed, works brilliantly and helps save money – what more could you ask for?”