Accoya modified wood has been selected to construct the windows and doors of the Channel Islands’ only Michelin Bib Gourmand accredited restaurant.
Formerly known as Bistro Soleil, The Beach is one of Jersey’s most popular restaurants and is owned by Mark Jordan, who has retained the Bib Gourmand accreditation for his work for the last five years.
Mark Jordan said: “The restaurant sits on the south coast of Jersey, close to St Hellier and just a stone’s throw from the picturesque St Aubin’s Harbour. We wanted to use a high quality product that could also withstand the worst of coastal weather conditions.
“Critically, Accoya has the ability to withstand the salt spray and winter storms presented by the English Channel, as well as to face Jersey’s summer weather without sustaining damage from the sun’s UV rays. It also matches the high-level presentation of the restaurant aesthetically.”
Manufactured by Accsys Technologies using its proprietary process, Accoya is one of the most advanced modified wood products on the market using the latest in wood acetylation technology to deliver outstanding levels of performance, stability and durability. Providing the same high-quality and aesthetic attributes of tropical hardwoods, it also boasts excellent environmental credentials by using wood sourced from FSC certified and sustainable forests – while being 100% non-toxic.
Tony Gray of Trinity Joinery, who supplied Accoya for the restaurant, added: “Accoya was the obvious choice for the restaurant’s windows and doors, given its excellent stability and resistance to rot and insect attack. These properties also ensure that the paint finish on the timber lasts a lot longer, resulting in lower maintenance costs.
The new windows and doors replace rotten softwood which did not stand up to the challenges posed by the harsh weather conditions of Jersey’s seafront.”
Until now, using wood in potentially damp external conditions such as this has been a real challenge, chiefly because of the risk of fungal attack and dimensional instability which affects the air tightness of the wood. The most effective preservatives are by definition toxic and so have environmental issues both in use and disposal. While there are a few species of wood with good natural resistance to fungal attack, they are often difficult to glue and offer very limited benefit with respect to dimensional stability. Additionally, such species are often of tropical origin and sustainably sourced supplies are becoming increasingly limited.
With Accoya, all of these issues are addressed and resolved. Accoya wood is guaranteed against fungal decay and to be stability for at least 50 years above ground and 25 years in ground.
Accoya is available from a number of distributers throughout the UK and Europe.
