Pulse

Cromwell Mint rebranded as Forty-Five Kensington, London

By Lewis - 2 January 2020

One of the oldest casino properties operated by Genting has undergone a multi-million-pound refurbishment, which has seen it transformed into a world-class premium gaming venue at the heart of London’s South Kensington Borough. With a renewed emphasis on hospitality, Forty-Five Kensington has seen the property upgraded with a first-class dining facility and new private gaming room.

“For over thirty years, Cromwell Mint had its specific place in the market,” explained Gary Moore, Casino Director of Forty-Five Kensington. “In the 18 months prior to the refurbishment, the sector in which Cromwell Mint was situated had been in decline. This decline wasn’t due to one thing, but a result of many changes which happen in business. Cromwell Mint served a certain customer base, but market trends change and the Kensington area shifted towards a premium player market. In order to maximise our market share of this sector, the opportunity for a refurbishment and rebrand has enabled us to reposition the business and bring a completely new offering. The feedback from the soft openings so far has been incredible.”

Genting has recently refurbished Westcliff Casino and Luton Casino, but the refurbishment of Forty-Five Kensington is not part of a total brand overhaul of their casino estate. The refurbishment of Cromwell Mint is independent and specific to Forty-Five Kensington, whose rebrand harks back to the casino’s origins as the ’45 Club’ during the 1960s.

Originally a Victorian residential building, the whole venue has been renovated with the casino now boasting a stylish gaming environment overlooking the Natural History Museum. The main gaming floor has been fully refurbished, with a new table configuration. “There is now a theatre-like effect with the hydra e-tables and American roulette tables,” described Moore. “One of the major benefits has been the improved organic flow with more areas against the wall resulting in a fluid and more comfortable experience for our customers.”

Whilst London casinos traditionally rely on their history and design as their unique selling point, the heritage of these buildings can become an expensive difficulty to overcome when attempting to make alterations and adjustments to the existing architecture. Moore elaborated: “There were limitations on what we could do. Forty-Five Kensington was originally a residential building and the space we had just wasn’t being utilised correctly. In the Queensbury Room, we found an incredible amount of space behind the façade created by numerous enhancements over the years. The recovery of space has been massive.”

Comprised of four high-end casinos, Forty-Five Kensington sits at the premium end of Genting’s London offering. The casino runs neither an open-door nor membership policy, welcoming guests on business and those holidaying through its warm, inviting and non-intimidating atmosphere. The venue has introduced a high-stakes Queensberry Room for players seeking slightly higher table minimums and maximums alongside a bespoke offering featuring American Roulette, blackjack and baccarat. The Queensberry Room is a captivating and flexible space, featuring a bay window whose natural light gives the room a unique feel that cannot be found elsewhere in Mayfair.

The makeover has seen the e-lounge expanded with 20 slot machines and hydra e-tables. “The whole offer has been radically changed and the e-lounge is part of the identity here,” explained Moore. “Electronic players utilising the hydra e-tables and slot machines didn’t always have the best service. As such, a huge part of the business is now tailored towards offering a dedicated area for these players with the best service in the market. Delivering that has really added value to our business. It is the now the very best environment in which to play electronic games.” The e-lounge’s aesthetic environment and service offering means that food and beverage can be dispensed directly from the kitchen, with a dedicated slots host to offer hospitality.

Forty-Five Kensington is now ideally placed to compete with London’s leading casinos. “Moving forward, the marketing strategy is more an education process,” Moore explained. “We have always had our customer base that has moved with us. We need to raise awareness about who we are and what we have to offer. There will be a strong internal marketing push and hosted events to raise awareness that we have the best offering in the area. Once people visit, the overriding reaction has been that people have felt welcomed in a way they have never been before. Once people come and visit us, they want and do come back.”