The Best Guide for the Neston Area

Very surprised they were allowed to do this. Aren't there restrictions on changing the colour in the conservation area? If there aren't, there should be. If it was in the high street that would be one thing, but in the context of the front at Parkgate it looks terrible.

I think its a very strange thing to do as it makes the building fade into the background. Don't they want people to see it?

Sorry, but I like it! Stands out because it DOESN'T blend in with Mostyn House. Colour may not appeal to all but I think it's a classy understatement. Each to their own.

No no no no no! Looks awful!!! Utterly depressing. What a shame!!

On the excellent nestonpast.com website there is a picture of Mostyn House from I would guess the late 19th century (Susan can correct me if necessary). Unfortunately this image, which I take to be a drawing, does not extend as far as the ship. But its reasonable to suppose I think that the current colour of the Ship is actually more representative of Parkgate tradition than the black and white, which I think only goes back to the 1930s.

I think the Ship Hotel looks very smart in its new colours. There is no reason that it has to be a carbon copy of Mostyn House, it now stands out in its own right. Grey is very classy and understated - at least they didn't go for ice cream colours like bright pink and blue!! Although bright colours look fab in seaside towns such as Aberystwyth and Aberaeron!

It's great to see another of our Parkgate Parade business investing and proving their frontage. Things definitely seem to be picking up after years of things looking increasingly tatty.

As for the colour, grey is very "on trend". Personally, I would have gone for a nice pastel shade like some other coastal towns have adopted....but judging by some of the negative comments above its a good job grey was chosen otherwise we could have has bloodshed. Good on the Ship for spending the money. I will continue to enjoy your hospitality.

This is a travesty that degrades the distinction of parkgate.

Dear fellow residents of CH64,

Thank you for your comments and taking an interest in the Ship.
We’re sorry to hear some of you don’t like our choice of colour. I hope to explain the reason for us deciding to change from black and white to grey.

Parkgate and its buildings have not and cannot remain unchanged forever. In order to attract new generations to come and live, work and spend time and money, Parkgate must evolve, change and reflect the times we live in, as it has done successfully over the past 300+ years from Georgian port to vibrant leisure destination and residential area. We more than most, acutely appreciate the need for Parkgate to retain its charm as a seaside resort of yesteryear, hence what we believe to be our sympathetic refurbishment of the building inside and out.

Parkgate is famed for its Georgian/Victorian architecture, however if the Georgians or Victorians could see Parkgate now they would be aghast at some of their stunning buildings demolished, covered up, fitted with uPVC windows, garish signs, plastic guttering, and dare I say being painted black and white. The buildings’ original render with moldings round windows and doors and the quoins would have been deliberately left unpainted, or painted with white wash to subtly show the detailing of those buildings. The render designed to look like stone. The ‘black and white trend’ in Parkgate is most likely to have been started by Mr. Grenfell when he decided to put mock Tudor cladding on the Georgian building of Mostyn House school (originally an Inn). This being completely out of context in terms of locale and the building and would have looked very out of place when originally done but making a loud statement as was no doubt the intention, as a marketing ploy to attract the well-heeled of Cheshire to send their little darling Johnny there to board. Perhaps trying to emulate some of the grander Tudor style schools of Chester. The building being so large and prominent inevitably had an influence on the locale and so other properties jumped on the black and white band wagon. We did the same in 1997/8 when we bought the building. The black and white scheme being totally inappropriate for the period and style of the building and surrounding buildings, nothing about the Ship and very little of Parkgate suggests mock Tudor or Tudor. Black and white does nothing for a building. It does the opposite of enhancing a building it in fact hides the features black not showing up any shadow or relief. Black and white was not chosen for its aesthetic nature by our ancestors the materials were chosen for their protective properties, lime was used as a wash to protect the daub from weather and happened to dry white, and the timbers black due to the tar the timbers were treated with again to protect it from the elements.

A good example of change in Parkgate is to look at Nicholls Ice cream, the Art Deco building next door to us. This no doubt would have been hugely controversial and challenging in its day with a charming Georgian villa being demolished to make way for it. Nicholls is now seen as not only a charming example of 20s/30s architecture but also intrinsically part of the parade’s architecture. This shows that your view of change can very much depend on your standpoint.

The Ship was originally rendered (which would have appeared stone-like/grey) and wasn’t white- washed until much later in life. It was painted beige in the 70’s & 80’s by Forte Hotels with bright green plastic awnings on with a rather interesting 1970s extension with PVC windows and fascias. Which I am sure was de-rigueur at the time. We think by looking at many photos we have, the first time in its life that the Ship was painted black and white was by us in 1998, jumping on the black and white band wagon, but in hindsight we now feel an inappropriate colour scheme. So this year we decided to take a slightly different route, and try to differentiate the Ship from its larger dominant neighbour, often being confused with and undistinguishable from Mostyn House. We looked for inspiration at other buildings on Parkgate’s parade and noticed two others looking great in grey. Grey also appears to be a popular colour generally at the minute with many other far more prominent historic buildings going grey, Oddfellows lodge in Chester, Clarence Hotel in Llandudno, Jospeh Benjamin in Chester and receiving accolades from many quarters in the process.

We’re glad to have received many complimentary comments about the colour but there have also been those that don’t like it. I have to say, it’s saddening that little mention has been made of the huge effort and expense that has gone into the Ship in recent years to give what we think is a very positive contribution to Parkgate and the wider area. The sympathetic refurbishment of the interior & exterior, creating 30+ additional jobs, and giving those visiting or living in Parkgate a vibrant quality place to spend time. Developers have approached us several times in recent years about purchasing the Ship and demolishing it for redevelopment of the site. Not being listed would have made that quite possible and likely, especially considering the prices achieved next door. Instead we made the decision to invest significant time and money into the building, to give it a new lease of life, making a viable and vibrant business of the Ship, and we would like to think giving Parkgate a business it can be proud of.

In summary, a certain W. Churchill once said ‘To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to have changed often’ on that note it will only be 3 years until we change the colour again no doubt….

Kind regards,

The Ship

Great answer The Ship.

I think it looks dapper, and very appropriate that The Ship should be Battleship Grey.

Be good if there was a dog corner for the occasional day when it is just a bit too bracing to sit outside

What an articulate and interesting response from The Ship! Carrie, perhaps you should consider promoting it to article status so it doesn't get lost in the comments?

The Ship are to be congratulated for their investment. One thing that I really admire about the Ship, and have done for years, is that they continue to have a traditional pub sign. Shockingly the traditional, old, artistically painted pub sign, faded but beautiful, at the Boathouse was removed and replaced with a modern black thing, much like any other coffee shop or restaurant in any town. The Parkgate Society at the time asked if they could have it to preserve it, but were told that it was too late it had gone. The Old Quay took their boat pub sign down too. It is a Conservation Area and hopefully The Ship will continue to have a traditional pub sign. Good luck to The Ship.

My first reaction was surely that is only the undercoat. Then horror as I read more and realised that it is the finished paintwork. How dare they spoil the stretch of wonderful white buildings in our beautiful village. However as I was going for lunch there yesterday it gave me the opportunity to have a real look at the building and I have to say I changed my mind. The grey paint really does look good. It does blend in and having now read the response from the Ship management it all makes sense. Well done the Ship your investment in Parkgate is very positive and to be welcomed. The Christmas lunch was very good as well. I would definitely recommend the Queenie Scallops as a starter.