Work has begun on the sensitive restoration of the Pavilion building, located in the Garrison Historic Area of Barbados, and considered to be one of the islandå‘s national treasures.  Built in 1806 and originally the Purveyorå‘s quarters of the General Hospital for the British Army, the coral stone Pavilion is an integral part of the second oldest military garrison in the western hemisphere.
The historic building will be restored, retaining all of its original features, to become a state-of-the-art, environmentally-designed conference centre and multi-purpose functions venue, with fine dining restaurant and colonial-style bar.
The multi-million dollar project is the brainchild of James Blades, Chief Executive Officer of The Coconut Court Beach Resort, located opposite the Pavilion.  Blades’ vision is to redevelop the Pavilion, paying close attention to environmental, conservation and heritage issues.  He comments:  “As both a father and someone who has worked in tourism for many years, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to create something lasting and sustainable for generations to come, which is also going to have a positive impact on the people of Barbados.”
The restoration project follows closely the United Nations Environmental Programme:  ‘Environmentally Sound Tourism Facility Design and Development.’  It is also being developed to meet Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Green Globe certification standards.
On completion, the hi-tech facility will incorporate satellite conferencing capabilities, state-of-the-art audio visual and bilingual facilities.  The Pavilion’s six independent conference rooms have the flexibility of converting into one larger venue with a capacity for up to 300 delegates. 
A world-class kitchen will have the capability of catering for up to 150 people at both lunch and dinner, in the spectacular restaurant overlooking the Caribbean Sea, in addition to providing meals for up to several hundred conference delegates, wedding guests, or attendees at other premier events.
Set to be the leading multi functions venue in the Caribbean and to rival other top tier facilities elsewhere in the world, the Pavilion aims to target a wide range of potential clientele, from the conference and incentive industry, to the likes of the automobile market and high fashion industry.  In addition, it is hoped that the backdrop of the historic garrison building, set in approximately four acres of land, surrounded by mature trees, will be the perfect choice for spectacular weddings, theatrical performances and musical concerts.
The Barbados Pavilion is scheduled to be fully restored and ready for use by the beginning of September 2003.  It is the first phase in a major redevelopment programme, expected to cost around £18m, which will include building new, spacious hotel suites fitted with cutting-edge technology, and upgrading existing facilities at Coconut Court Beach Hotel during the next four years.
For further information about Coconut Court Beach Hotel or The Barbados Pavilion, contact Connect AB Ltd, European Sales & Marketing office on tel: 01753 684810, fax: 01753 681871, email:  [email protected]
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