Low-investment, high-impact refurbishment for The Cricketers Pub, Cambridge

The Cricketers is a long‑established Cambridge pub and Thai restaurant on Melbourne Place, known for its authentic Thai food served within a traditional pub setting. Following a recent change in ownership, the venue entered a new chapter with a team keen to build on its strong local reputation.

After more than a decade without significant refurbishment, The Cricketers’ interiors had become dated and disconnected. The new owners needed a clearer identity and more commercially effective environment. The challenge was to re‑establish purpose and atmosphere in each zone without creating a disjointed or themed experience, and all within a tightly controlled budget.

The Scope

The Brief

The space needed to operate as two distinct but connected areas:

A traditional English pub at the front

A warmer, restaurant‑led dining area at the rear

The challenge was to re‑establish purpose and atmosphere in each zone without creating a disjointed or themed experience, and all within a tightly controlled budget.

Our Design

Re‑establishing the pub identity

In the front bar, the aim was to restore the character of a traditional pub while creating a richer, more inviting space for drinks‑led trade. A deep green palette anchored the room in heritage, with patterned wallpapers and tactile upholstery adding warmth and visual depth. Leather seating and dark timber flooring provided durability and weight.

The back bar was redesigned as a focal point, with mirrored shelving to reflect light and activity, a tiled frontage for texture and a more intentional display structure for spirits and glassware. Together, these elements create a layered, intimate and confidently traditional pub environment.

Creating a more atmospheric dining space

In the rear restaurant, the design shifted to a softer tone that would sit comfortably alongside the pub. Warm, muted colours from mustard and dusky pink to soft red brought a gentle glow and supported a slower dining pace. Timber textures, slatted detailing and bamboo‑inspired tiles added tactility and offered a subtle nod to the Thai menu without tipping into themed décor.

The restaurant service bar was also redesigned to feel calmer and more contemporary, supporting smoother operations and giving the dining room a distinct identity without disconnecting it from the front.

Design-only support with commercial impact

With budget control a priority, Styled provided a clear creative and commercial framework that enabled the owners to manage procurement and implementation with their own team. A structured design pack guided decisions, helping them prioritise spend where it mattered most, avoid unnecessary upgrades and maintain momentum throughout the refurbishment.

The Cricketers Pub now has a clear, cohesive identity across both halves of the venue, creating an inviting pub and atmospheric dining experience, achieved on a modest budget.

“The feedback from customers has been incredibly positive, with so many commenting on how much more welcoming and cohesive the pub and restaurant now feel.”