Trusted by leading hospitality & leisure brands

JD Wetherspoon Mitchell & Butler Tenpin Stonehouse All Bar One
Architects reviewing hospitality design drawings
Est. 1993 / 2009
About the Practice

Two practices. One combined expertise.

DV Architects was founded in 2009 in Cannock, Staffordshire, as a specialist architecture and interior design practice for the UK's leisure and hospitality industries. From pub refurbishments to large-scale new builds, we have built an outstanding reputation for precision, creativity, and delivery.

The acquisition of Bignell Shacklady Ewing — a Birmingham-based RIBA-chartered practice established in 1993 — brings over three decades of hospitality architecture expertise under one roof, including long-standing national rollout programmes for JD Wetherspoon, Mitchell & Butler, and Tenpin.

RIBA Chartered Practice
Full Design & Build Service
Nationwide UK Delivery
About the Practice
What We Do

End-to-End Architecture & Design Services

From initial concept to construction completion, we deliver the full spectrum of architectural and interior design services — with specialist expertise in hospitality and leisure.

Architectural Design

RIBA-standard architectural drawings, planning applications, building regulations, and full construction documentation for new builds and refurbishments of any scale.

Interior Design

Brand-aligned interior concepts that create atmosphere, drive footfall, and hold up to the demands of high-turnover hospitality environments.

Venue Design Consulting

Strategic design consultancy helping operators maximise revenue per square foot through intelligent space planning, customer flow, and atmosphere.

3D Visuals & Flythroughs

Photorealistic 3D concept visuals and animated walkthroughs that bring designs to life for client approvals, planning submissions, and stakeholder presentations.

Project Management

Hands-on project management from tender through to handover — maintaining budgets, programmes, and quality across single sites and national rollout programmes.

Planning Applications

Expert preparation and submission of planning applications, permitted development advice, listed building consents, and engagement with local planning authorities.

Explore All Services
Our Sectors

Deep Expertise Across Hospitality & Leisure

We don't design everything for everyone — we design exceptional spaces for the hospitality and leisure sectors, and we do it better than anyone.

Traditional British pub interior with bar

Pubs & Bars

Wet-led & food-led pub refurbishments and new builds for independent operators and national pub companies.

  • National rollout programmes
  • Planning & listed building consent
  • Brand identity & refresh
  • Garden & external spaces
Contemporary restaurant interior with mood lighting

Restaurants

From casual dining to premium restaurant concepts, designed to balance atmosphere, operational efficiency, and brand identity.

  • Concept to completion
  • Kitchen & BOH planning
  • Branding & signage
  • Accessibility compliance
Modern leisure and entertainment venue

Leisure & Entertainment

Large-format leisure venues including bowling centres, health clubs, nightclubs, snooker halls, and cinemas.

  • Bowling & entertainment centres
  • Health & fitness clubs
  • Nightclubs & live music
  • Cinema & gaming
Modern commercial interior design

Commercial & Retail

Office environments, retail fit-outs, and mixed-use commercial projects where brand and function must coexist.

  • Retail rollout & fit-out
  • Office design
  • Mixed-use development
  • Brand environment design
View All Sectors
Featured Projects

A Track Record That Speaks for Itself

Selected projects from across our portfolio of hospitality, leisure, and commercial work.

JD Wetherspoon pub interior — The Prince of Wales, Cardiff
Pub Conversion & Extension

The Prince of Wales, Cardiff

Extension of a JD Wetherspoon venue through conversion of an adjacent betting shop, seamlessly integrating the new space with the existing pub character and brand standards.

Stonehouse Pizza and Carvery restaurant interior by Mitchell and Butler
Restaurant Concept Rollout

Stonehouse Restaurant Programme

Ongoing national rollout of Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery restaurant concepts for Mitchells & Butlers PLC — from design concept to construction delivery across multiple sites.

Tenpin bowling and entertainment centre interior design
Leisure & Entertainment

Tenpin Bowling Centres

Vibrant, striking interior design and architecture for Tenpin's portfolio of UK bowling and entertainment venues, creating engaging family leisure destinations with bold visual identities.

View Full Portfolio
Why DV Architects

The Right Practice for Hospitality & Leisure

We understand the pressures of the hospitality and leisure industries — tight programmes, brand standards, operational continuity, and the need to create spaces that genuinely drive revenue.

Sector Specialists

We work exclusively in hospitality, leisure, and related commercial sectors. This focus means unmatched sector knowledge and design efficiency.

Rollout Experience

From single-site refurbishments to national rollout programmes of 50+ units, we have the systems and experience to deliver consistently at scale.

Designed for Trading

Every design decision is made with an eye on operational performance — revenue per cover, customer flow, staff efficiency, and maintenance ease.

A True Partner

We operate as an extension of our clients' teams — responsive, accountable, and commercially aligned throughout every project stage.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

DV Architects specialises in architecture and interior design for the hospitality, leisure, and commercial sectors. This includes pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, bowling alleys, health clubs, snooker halls, and retail environments. Through Bignell Shacklady Ewing, the practice has deep expertise in large-scale national rollout programmes for major UK hospitality brands.
Bignell Shacklady Ewing is a RIBA-chartered architecture and interior design practice founded in Birmingham in 1993. The practice specialises in hospitality and leisure architecture with a long track record of national projects for JD Wetherspoon, Mitchell & Butler, and Tenpin. DV Architects' acquisition of Bignell Shacklady Ewing unites the two practices under one brand, combining over 30 years of combined sector experience and UK coverage.
The combined practice has worked with some of the UK's most recognised hospitality and leisure brands, including JD Wetherspoon, Mitchell & Butler (Stonehouse, All Bar One), and Tenpin. The practice has experience delivering both single-site projects and national rollout programmes of 50 or more sites.
Yes. Both DV Architects and Bignell Shacklady Ewing are RIBA-chartered practices, adhering to the Royal Institute of British Architects' standards of professionalism, ethics, and service quality. RIBA membership means clients can trust that work is carried out to the highest professional standards with full professional indemnity insurance.
DV Architects is based in Cannock, Staffordshire. Bignell Shacklady Ewing operates from Birmingham. Together, the combined practice delivers projects across the whole of the United Kingdom, with extensive experience working on national rollout programmes from Cornwall to Scotland.
Yes. Our architectural team manages the full planning and regulatory process, including planning applications, listed building consents, permitted development assessments, building regulations drawings and inspections, and liaison with local planning authorities on your behalf.
Start Your Project

Ready to Create Something Exceptional?

Whether you're refreshing a single site or planning a national rollout, we'd love to hear about your project. Let's talk.

Get in Touch See Our Work