Sneak peek inside new 1870 restaurant at The Fenwick Hotel

The Ayrshire hotel is putting the finishing touches to its completely transformed dining space, which will open as 1870 on Friday, September 25.

Work was still under way during our visit, with furniture yet to be put in place and final touches still to be completed – but the scale of the transformation is already becoming clear.

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Owner Robin Bawa said the former restaurant was stripped back completely before work on the new space began.

He said: “We have literally taken it back and started fresh, so everything has changed.

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“There’s nothing in that restaurant which was there before.”

The name 1870 pays tribute to the history of the hotel, with Robin explaining: “It was launched in 1870. Hence we have called our restaurant 1870, because that’s where it all started."

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While the construction itself has taken around three weeks, the vision behind the transformation stretches back much further to "about 10 years ago."

“Me and my wife always, when we talked about owning a hospitality venue, talked about what we would do in the restaurant, how we would look at the restaurant.”

Those years of ideas have also influenced some of the smallest details.

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Speakers have been deliberately positioned away from directly above tables, allowing music to create atmosphere without overpowering diners’ conversations.

Robin said: “Nobody would ever notice that. But people would have a great experience.

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“These things we have thought about over the years.”

The hotel also plans to introduce interactive activities for youngsters as an alternative to screen time and give families the option of having children’s meals brought out first.

Robin hopes the finished restaurant will offer a more luxurious dining experience closer to home.

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He added: “We want to make this one of the most important, iconic destinations for anybody in Ayrshire, not just in Kilmarnock.

“We’re not done yet. There’s a lot more to come from The Fenwick Hotel.”