Newton Abbot based Flooring Matters SW has won two national flooring industry awards for its work transforming a Torquay harbourside building into luxury restaurant and bar The Yacht.
The Devon company won the Flooring in Cafes, Restaurants & Hospitality Dining award at the CFJ Flooring Industry Awards 2026 before taking the event’s overall Installation of the Year title.
The recognition follows three months of specialist work at The Yacht, formerly Cinnabar, overlooking Torquay Harbour. The venue was stripped back to a shell before being rebuilt across several levels, with a ground floor bar, glass fronted gin distillery and upper bar area designed around the feel of a high end yacht.
Flooring Matters SW tackles complex Torquay installation
The flooring presented a significant technical challenge before the finished surfaces could be installed.
The existing subfloor combined concrete, old vinyl and plywood, with variations in level of up to 18mm requiring correction. The completed scheme covers around 900 square metres and includes bespoke 900mm by 900mm luxury vinyl tiles manufactured for the project.
Other elements include Parisienne Weave flooring, a hand cut checkerboard bar island, custom LED lit stair nosings and recessed mat wells. The installation had to combine the visual finish required for the new restaurant with the durability needed in a busy commercial hospitality venue.
A four person team from Flooring Matters SW completed the work over three months.
Andy Law, founder and director of Flooring Matters SW, said: “We’re proud to once again be recognised by the industry. It’s a real reflection of the hard work the whole team puts in every day, and The Yacht was one of the most demanding projects we’ve taken on, from the subfloor preparation right through to the finer craftsmanship on the bar and staircase.
“We’re also proud to work so closely with local independent businesses like Gutxi and East Street Pub Co, and to see that partnership rewarded like this means a huge amount to us.”
South Devon businesses working together
The Yacht was designed by Gutxi for East Street Pub Company, with Flooring Matters SW working alongside both businesses throughout the project. Product partners included Tarkett UK, Calderdale Carpets, Gradus, Invictus, Bostik and Altro.
For South Devon, the project is also an example of specialist businesses contributing to investment in Torquay’s hospitality sector. Flooring Matters SW is based at Heathfield in Newton Abbot and works on commercial and residential projects across Devon and the wider South West.
Founded by Andy in 2016, the company has grown from a small local operation and now works across sectors including hospitality, retail, education and healthcare.
Its latest national recognition puts the spotlight on specialist skills available within Devon, while the project itself has brought together businesses working on the redevelopment of a prominent Torquay harbourside venue.
More information about Flooring Matters SW and its Newton Abbot showroom is available from the company’s website Flooring Matters.
Businesses based in Newton Abbot, Torquay and elsewhere across Devon can also submit a free company listing to Devon Business Directory, with Business Leader listings and featured articles available for companies looking to tell more of their story.
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