20 Jul 2005

In July 2004 the Armada Project, costing the MOD over £500 million, was approved to provide modern, en-suite, single living accommodation as standard in HMS Drake, together with 25 years of extensive service delivery to the Fleet Accommodation Centre. This major project is a combination of new build and refurbishment; construction began in October 2004 and is due to complete in March 2008.  The first building completed in June 2005 is the conversion of the Drill Shed to provide a Warrant Officer/Senior Rates Mess.

The Drill Shed is a Grade 2 listed building with historical significance for HMS Drake and particular care had to be exercised by the contractors, Falcon Support Services Ltd, to ensure that that the conversion was sympathetic to the surroundings and met the requirements of English Heritage. This has included renewing all the large external Georgian panelled windows in the same design, but doubled glazed, renewing external doors and creating a mezzanine floor at the back of the drill shed, which will be the level for a covered walkway to the new WO/SRs accommodation, currently in build. The design of the new facility is very modern, providing some spectacular areas in what was previously large open space. The mess includes a dining room, galley and servery, function room with stage and dance floor, two bars, coffee lounge, TV rooms and snooker room.

The building is to be called Hawkins after Sir John Hawkins, a famous naval commander of the Elizabethan era.  He was born into a family of Plymouth seafarers, was a cousin of Sir Francis Drake and later commanded a portion of the English fleet that defeated the Spanish Armada.  The move from Cunningham Fraser Block began on 28 June with the first meal in Hawkins on 11 July. Full occupation of the building will be from 13 July.