Next door to Bellingham Station in London, the Grade II Listed Fellowship Inn was a semi derelict pub that has recently been repurposed as a new cultural centre for the local community and beyond. Selectaglaze assisted the refurbishment with its secondary glazing to address the requirement for noise insulation.
Constructed in 1923 by architect F.G. Newnham, The Fellowship Inn was the first ever pub on a London housing estate - The Bellingham Estate, which was developed to help ease inner city overcrowding following WW1. The Inn formed part of this ‘Homes for Heroes’ development, providing an outlet for soldiers and their families for clubs and social activities. The Fellowship Inn was a training base for British heavyweight boxer Sir Henry Cooper, prior to his 1963 fight against Mohammad Ali. It has also provided a stage and backdrop for performances by Eric Clapton and Fleetwood Mac.
It was Grade II Listed by Historic England in 2013, as an example of a remarkably complete inter-war public house. Despite the Listing, parts of the building excluding the pub area fell into a state of disrepair but have been rescued thanks to; the Electric Star Group, Phoenix Community Housing and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Bellingham space relaunched in June 2019 as the ‘Fellowship and Star’ and functions as a pub, microbrewery, cinema, theatre and comedy venue, music hub and rehearsal area. The pub will also be home to charity ‘Lewisham Music’, which provides after-school instrument tuition and rehearsals for the Borough’s schools on the first floor. The Fellowship Inn presents a range of social and community benefits, in support of Phoenix’s broader vision. This includes creating opportunities for local residents through apprenticeships, work placements and job opportunities, to deliver cultural experiences and support the regeneration of the local area.
Given the vital repairs and conservation works the site was to undergo, it was necessary to improve the acoustic efficiency of the original crittal single glazed windows which could not be removed due to conservation restrictions.
Architect Thomas Ford and main contractor Ash Constructing contacted Selectaglaze, as an essential element of the works was to ensure a reduction of noise ingress and breakout from the building. High level insulation was required to create an undisturbed optimal movie experience for film goers and to ensure student’s concentration levels during music lessons in Lewisham Music’s upper floors were not compromised by the busy thoroughfare on Randlesdown Road. Prior to the secondary glazing being fitted, the reveals had to be replastered and the rotting primary window timbers needed to be replaced and repaired.
Selectaglaze installed a total of 32 units across all four floors of the Inn. The majority of the openings were fitted with Series 15 horizontal sliders, which is a mid-range horizontal sliding system with more robust but still slender framing sections allowing discreet treatments of larger windows. It can support thicker glass when higher levels of noise insulation are needed.
The original curved windows in the cinema were treated sympathetically, utilising Selectaglaze’s Series 15 units, combined with Series 40 curved fixed light units. The Series 40 fixed light lends itself well to shaping and curving, so these were formed to create the top portion of the windows and then transom coupled to the Series 15, which created access to the primary windows for ventilation and maintenance.
Near to an external staircase serving as a fire escape, Series 40 fixed lights offering 30 mins fire integrity were installed to protect the route in the case of an emergency.
The Series 15 horizontal slider was specified for windows in the performance venue on the ground floor, the rehearsal and music production rooms to ensure maximum noise insulation during recordings, rehearsals and performances. A Series 41 side hung casement was also installed to treat a small window in the rehearsal room.
The inclusion of secondary glazing to support the successful renovation of this Bellingham landmark will ensure it becomes a thriving and acoustically efficient community hub with a multitude of uses for years to come.
Jim Ripley, Chief Executive of Phoenix Community Housing which led the restoration project, said: “When we set out to restore the Fellowship, we wanted not only to save a historic landmark but to bring back a community venue. That meant making sure that it brought benefits to those who wanted to use it without disturbing the surrounding residents with loud noises. This secondary glazing means the Fellowship can do just that, enabling our community to enjoy one of Lewisham’s only cinemas, a large music and comedy venue, and to learn instruments – all while keeping noise to a minimum and maintain the Fellowship’s historic character for future generations.”
Selectaglaze secondary windows, can achieve a sound level reduction of 45dB, rising to more than 50dB if specialist acoustic glass is specified. The results are achieved through tightly engineered systems, high performance seals and an air gap between the windows of 100mm or more. It will also reduce heat loss and practically diminish draughts making spaces more comfortable and improving the energy performance of the building.
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