BACARDI RESTORES WORKERS’ COTTAGES AT LAVERSTOKE MILL By Bacardi Cuba

INTRODUCTION

When BOMBAY SAPPHIRE crews first spearheaded the restoration of Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire, England, they found buildings in great disrepair, with crumbling mortar, overgrown plants, and peeling paint. Despite these obstacles, however, designers noted the structures’ solid foundations and charming Georgian and Victorian architecture. As a mill that formerly produced the special paper used to create British pounds and Indian rupees, Laverstoke Mill has a rich history that also includes connections to the British royal family, who visited the site five times in the 19th and 20th centuries.

LAVERSTOKE MILL

Since purchasing Laverstoke Mill in 2010, Bacardi has worked to sustainably renovate the 40 buildings on the mill campus, including the workers’ cottages, where mill laborers lived. Because of the age of the cottages, they have government-protected status. To honor the history of these buildings, Bacardi restored them with the utmost care, using specialized equipment to remove paint carefully and taking stock of each brick and flint stone moved during the renovation. Following heritage guidelines required an extraordinary amount of time, but this degree of precision reflects Bacardi’s commitment to respecting history and tradition.