The Kelway Inn

Located in the heart of the Somerset Levels, the village of Langport boasts one of the leading eateries in the area. The Kelway Inn, which used to be the home of the oldest plant nursery in the country, founded in 1847 by the Kelways family, combines excellent restaurant facilities with a small number of rooms for guests. At the centre of the catering operation is a RACS designed and installed kitchen, combining gas and electric equipment for maximum efficiency. This serves the bar, a bistro restaurant and an a la carte restaurant, catering for the wide needs of the clientele. The facilities within the Kelway Inn include a series of small function rooms, a 200 seater function suite as well as the 8 en suite bedrooms, and for relaxation, there is a custom built skittle alley.


The new kitchen includes a gas combination oven, range, steakhouse and charcoal grills and deep fat fryers, while electrically, there is a purpose built dual compartment 'walk in' deep freeze and cold room, refrigerated counters, servery counter with Bain Marie, 11 chilled drink display cabinets, ice makers, dish and glass washers and extract canopies. In addition, all of the racking, benches etc. were specified and installed.


The complete layout, designed on the RACS CAD system, was a joint effort between RACS and the client. After several alterations to the original specification, the completed design provides an ergonomic means of satisfying the varied calls on the kitchen from the different function suites, restaurants and bars within the building.


The owner specified a very tight timescale, to ensure that the facility was up and running in time to catch the Christmas trade, and RACS kept to that time schedule.  Not-withstanding late deliveries and other problems with the equipment manufacturers, the kitchen was completed on time, enabling the Inn to open at the end of November, catching the Christmas trade.


With the distance from Swansea to Somerset no longer presenting a major problem, the modern road network enables RACS to provide a same day service to customers in the South West of England.


"The service provided by RACS has been second to none. They fully understood my requirements, and designed and installed a splendid kitchen which provides for all our needs."

Norman Parfitt Owner