H-Cell LED Strip Elevates Michelin Star Dining at South Lodge Hotel & Spa

The Brief

The Pass at South Lodge is no ordinary restaurant. Nestled within one of the UK’s most prestigious five-star hotels, it holds a coveted Michelin star and sets exceptional standards in both cuisine and design. When the restaurant underwent a full refurbishment, the lighting brief was equally demanding — demanding both a premium visual finish and an atmosphere entirely in keeping with a world-class dining experience.

The design required two distinct results: an impressive, high-quality aesthetic on the entrance bottle display to create immediate impact; and a warm, controlled ambience throughout the restaurant to set the mood for fine dining.

The Ansell Solution

Having worked successfully with Ansell products and the team on previous projects, the specifying designer turned once again to the range, knowing it would deliver on both performance and precision. The H-Cell IP20 Single White LED strip was selected as the product of choice — installed throughout the restaurant within aluminium profiles to deliver a clean, polished finish with no visible LED hotspots.

A key contributor to the success of the installation was Robert McCaw, Electrical Project Manager at M & E Integrated Services, Belfast. Robert oversaw the full electrical installation on the project and played an instrumental role in advising on how the LED strip lighting would be installed across the various architectural elements of the space. Drawing on his expertise, Robert worked closely with the team to ensure that the end client’s requirements were fully understood and met — from the precise routing of the strip within profiles to the integration of dimming control throughout the restaurant.

The H-Cell’s high LED density of up to 240 LEDs per metre produces a smooth, continuous light output — a critical requirement for the curved entrance bottle display, where a seamless strip with no visible LED pips was specified. Installed within Ansell’s aluminium profile, the strip followed the curve cleanly, achieving the uninterrupted, luxury look the design demanded.

Throughout the restaurant itself, the H-Cell strip was deployed across multiple architectural elements. Alcoves above the seating areas were lined with LED strip to create a warm, enveloping glow that frames the dining spaces. The shelving units around the perimeter of the restaurant were also detailed with strip lighting in the corners, providing subtle definition and depth. The centrepiece of the interior — a feature shelving display running through the middle of the space — was highlighted using LED strip as a key design element, elevating its visual impact and creating a striking focal point that draws the eye and contributes to the restaurant’s refined atmosphere.

Casambi dimming was integrated throughout the installation, allowing the lighting to be adjusted with precision to suit different times of service — from a brighter, more defined look during pre-dinner reception to a softened, intimate ambience during evening dining. The H-Cell strip’s compatibility with Casambi made this seamless to specify and straightforward to install.

The Result

The refurbished Pass at South Lodge now benefits from a lighting scheme that matches the exceptional standard of the venue itself. From the dramatic, dot-free glow of the curved entrance bottle display to the warm layering of light across the seating alcoves and shelving displays, the Ansell H-Cell LED strip has helped transform the space into one that is both visually striking and immersively comfortable for diners.

The combination of high-efficiency, high-CRI output, seamless uniformity, Casambi-compatible dimming, and the practical advantage of pre-cut supply made Ansell the complete solution for one of the UK’s most prestigious hospitality refurbishments.