The UK’s first purpose-designed and built ‘socially distanced’ restaurant
The Anti-Social Club @ St. Moritz Hotel
Commercial Interior Design
Mixing the elements of private members clubs, private dining rooms, cool beach clubs and summer pop-up restaurants, the Anti-Social Club featured multiple dining times, clear guidance and exacting operating procedures that ensured the 2-metre rule and environmental health requirements were met at all times, ushering in a new ‘bubble’ dining ethos as an exclusive dining opportunity.
The brand-new, specially designed summer ‘pop-up’ restaurant allowed the team to overcome the obstacle created by the Covid-19 pandemic, adding to, rather than detracting from, its stylish, VIP guest experience. The concept was specifically designed to ensure that the individual dining rooms built within the marquee were all easily accessed from outside, with the service function being provided from a central atrium, and all food and drink being delivered to the private dining rooms via a set of hatches, just like they did in the 1930s!
The Solution
The Anti-Social Club took its inspiration from the clean, white art deco architecture of the hotel, mixing a subtle Miami colour-pop palette with classic coastal stripes, textures and flourishes. Absolute worked closely with local strategic communications agency, Excess Energy to develop on-point brand communications which included summer-inspired song lyrics in each of the dining rooms and cheeky phrases on coasters, proving yet again that safe does not have to mean boring!
The Results
The results of our work with the Anti-Social Club were bountiful. We are forever talking about the pioneering British spirit and it’s true to say that out of adversity comes creativity. Within six weeks of the launch of the concept, over 4,238 room nights had been booked, with an income of over £417,662 attached to those bookings. The hotel also enjoyed a 35% revenue increase on food and beverage sales from the previous year, demonstrating how the ‘summer fun’ and VIP private dining experience encouraged people to go ‘all out’ at the Anti-Social Club.
