We Have Decided What We Want To Do With The Convent

[PhillipBolan]

Billy, before you begin to rip out walls to enlarge the main kitchen, as an ex-professional chef I would like to point out a few common mistakes that people make when creating industrial kitchens. One major mistake is to forget the amount of storage and refrigeration area you need. Also what is commonly referred to a the “Pass” area where the meals are finally assembled is a very important area and needs careful consideration as getting it wrong can cause huge “bottleneck” problems at time of service. My advice would be to get professional design help before you go ahead including getting advice from professional chefs about the layout. Also you need to consider where the dining area will be in relation to the kitchen so that transfer of meals is made easy and efficient. Good luck and keep up all the great work you guys.

[revjamescollins]

What an amazing building. I am a retired clergyman and have been envisioning the convent for retreats and conferences. You have the residential space, kitchen, chapel, outdoor meditative space and meeting floor space. A unique, historical, beautiful, isolated, relaxing retreat center in a small town would attract groups from all over Europe - possibly from around the world. A huge room like the rectory could easily be fitted with a wood panel folding divider to transform the space from huge to two intimate space. The smaller rooms could, without much expense, be transformed in meeting rooms. Groups from corporate boards to religious entities would be thrilled to find a place like this to hold residential gatherings.

[giteducalme]

As you have a Chapel, you could host weddings and the bedrooms for guests and the large rooms for the actual wedding venue. You could reinstate the biblioteque you bought and make that into one of the wedding room venues either as the main room or the library/snooker/chat n chill / Cognac room. In the summer you could put up a marquee or not. Good luck 👍

[Tracey-The_Momma_Bear]

Billy, I personally think a luxury home would be pointless, but a business center or a even specialized school (cooking, art, music, or even a place of studying history or theology) could utilize the kitchen, the rectory, the library, e.t.c. I love the chapel! You're doing a wonderful job!

[CynthiaBerry]

The left side wing where Sadie is could have a few more nice apartments to rent out, the middle wing straight in from the gate could have hotel-type or BnB rooms, and the right side wing could be for big events, with rooms up top for guests, larger convention-type rooms, etc, on the 1st floor, and the ground floor for weddings, with dressing rooms etc since it's near the chapel, and other similar gatherings. So much potential, it's exciting to think about!

[kristinwerner]

Once you are done renovating, you could set up a lovely website for the convent as a multi-use venue. List the features and then anyone can book throughout the year for whatever they need it for. As you mentioned, it would serve any purpose (personal, professional, commercial, etc). It already has free advertisement through your YouTube channel. I’m sure you would book it up in no time! You could include local contacts to catering, flower arranging, etc as needed. Whatever you do, it will be great!

[nilenethompson-finn]

I have gone to several “makers” retreats in rural Italy. We used the equivalent of a room the size of the Refectory for setting up multiple tables for sewing, art work, quilting etc. In addition, twice during the week a local chef came in and taught us how to cook with their local produce, special recipes, etc. I think the Convent could become a premiere retreat/conference center as well as a wedding venue (the Chapel!). I am ready to book in! ☺️

[nrthstr]

A boutique hotel would be a great idea for the convent. An extra large kitchen and the adjoining dinning hall would be perfect for catering a party or an event space too. Most especially for weddings since you have everything there. It lends itself to this especially with the lovely garden areas, the chapel, a dinning hall and or ballroom and the beautiful common areas to enjoy.

[ReverendLinc]

Excellent idea! A Venue you can also stay at! Would be fantastic for weddings, bar and bat mitzvas, family reunions, and even air BnB!

[deniseblackman]

I love your idea for expanding the kitchen to include a catering/cooking school set up. For the other large area it could be a great dining area. One part with a large table, say 25 people and the rest set up with tables for 2 and 4 people. That way it could be used for multiple uses. With your ideas for the bedrooms, kitchen and dining it could be used for large family reunions, week long cooking classes, conferences and many other large gathering ideas! So exciting to have a vision!

[lelialenderink]

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest of the US, where there is a local well-known business that takes historic buildings and transforms them into pubs/restaurant/hotels/cinema combos (whatever is appropriate to the property) while embracing and respecting the history of the buildings, usually giving old historic abandoned buildings a new lease on life. It is a family-owned business called McMenamins, and I would totally check them out for inspiration for what to do with the convent. They really do a superb and magical job.

[christydavis]

I think it would be wonderful as a banquet facility/special occasion rental. There’s a chapel for a wedding, large kitchen for food preparation. The large room could be a banquet hall/ dance floor. Rent the rooms to the guests. Then for businesses to use the facility, large room could be used as the presentation area and rooms for guests could still be rented out. This would also provide you with an income. It’s also large enough that one wing could be converted to apartments. So many possibilities. It is absolutely stunning!!

[deniceweihe]

A Christmas market would be beautiful at the convent, with people paying for stalls that sell pancakes, mulled wine, Christmas decor etc, either inside on the groundfloor or outside in the courtyard. Maybe it could bring some business to the city aswell?! 🎄🤶🎅

[jenniferbakos]

I love the idea of a luxury hotel, and community spaces. I think cooking classes in the kitchen and lectures in the library would be brilliant

[jennichristie]

Love that you’re going to renovate the suites. Great idea. My thoughts are that you speak to a restaurant chef abt what they’d do with the kitchen as they might want a cool room and a prep room and specific restaurant quality fixtures. Having that in place opens up the options in having a group come in and run a restaurant there and renting out the spaces involved including the big dining room and possibly outdoor dining too. This would provide instant guest opportunities for the suites and if you have other big rooms rented out to art galleries and brocantes and other exciting shopping options then the restaurant would be able to run thru the day too. I can see it all coming together!

[normamurray]

Great idea as a possible Convention Centre. Great job with the plumbing Billy! I do agree, as a caterer, that the kitchen absolutely MUST flow properly for efficiency. Knowing you, you'll do it right Billy. Great video Ryan!

[vivienneturner]

I suggest the big room gets set up as a banquet hall or a ballroom. You could host weddings easily and the chapel could be used.
Love your renovation ideas! Go for it! 👍👍😁🎉

[desertdiva]

Billy, among your many talents is the ability to choose and put together a great team. Rick is a wonderful addition! I always look forward to seeing what he’s up to today.

[yourspiritwhisperstarot]

The convent would be a wonderful wedding venue! You would need to have the Chapel consecrated again but how lovely to have the wedding, reception and hotel stay all in one place! Good luck with it whatever you decide!

[ginaroberts]

You could use the property for events, such as weddings. The guest can stay in the rooms, the wedding ceremony in the gorgeous chapel, the large room can be the ballroom for the reception. The courtyard is great for outside weddings or pictures. Also other events can be held there, like conventions or business meetings. The sky is the limit! I think this property will do very well. Love all the beautiful, thoughtful restoration and improvements so far! Now, time to "Crack on"