A Lancaster hotel has completed a refurbishment of its main bar, drawing on long-standing cultural and commercial links with the Portuguese port wine producer House of Sandeman.
Lancaster House Hotel has renovated its Sandeman Bar and lounge, introducing a contemporary design that references the history and branding of the port house from which the bar takes its name. The upgrade includes new artwork, furnishings and decorative features inspired by Sandeman’s heritage.
The refurbishment was led by Tammy Barwell, restaurant and bars manager at the hotel, following a research visit to Porto arranged by the House of Sandeman. The redesign incorporates colour schemes linked to the company’s history, images of the Sandeman cellars and a timeline charting the firm’s origins back to 1790.
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Additional features include upholstered seating, new curtains and wallpaper, and a branded barrel displaying information about Sandeman’s role in being among the first producers to brand port casks in the early 19th Century.
The hotel’s association with the Portuguese wine producer dates back more than 30 years. When the hotel was nearing completion in the early 1990s, its owners were considering a name and theme for the main bar.
The connection emerged following a chance conversation on a flight returning from Spain between Douglas Dale, then operations director of English Lakes Hotels, and David Sandeman, managing director of the House of Sandeman at the time. The discussion led to the bar being named and themed after the port producer, with Sandeman attending the opening and providing company memorabilia that remains on display.
Barwell said the refurbishment aimed to reflect that history while updating the space.
She said: “Experiencing their traditions first-hand made a lasting impression on me, and it shaped the vision for our new bar design.”
The partnership has continued since the hotel opened, with the bar hosting port and cheese events and stocking a range of Sandeman wines produced from grapes grown in Portugal’s Douro Valley.
