Reinforced grass parking for a rural reopening

Set beside the historic Coates portal of the Sapperton Canal Tunnel, the Tunnel House Inn is preparing to reopen in spring 2026 following an extensive renovation. Located within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, protecting the character of the landscape was central to every decision.

As part of the reopening, a 600m² area was reinstated as an overflow car park to accommodate busy weekends and special events. The surface needed to remain green and permeable, while providing the structural integrity required for vehicle loading.

Protecting the grass, preserving the setting

A conventional hard surface was not appropriate for such a sensitive rural location. The objective was to retain a natural grass finish while ensuring the ground would not rut, compact or deteriorate under traffic.

While the area will function as overflow parking for events and busy periods rather than everyday use, dependable ground performance remained essential. Without reinforcement, repeated loading can damage the grass root zone, compact the soil and lead to long-term surface failure. Allowing periods between use gives the grass time to recover and re-establish, helping the surface remain green, healthy and visually consistent.

Structural support beneath a natural finish

Having recently installed Beauxfort’s Gravelrings system on another project, contractor Christopher Johnson of Harcourt Landscapes was confident in continuing to work with the brand and selected Grassrings for this project.

Grassrings are designed to protect the root zone beneath a grass surface by distributing vehicle loads through a stabilised structure below. This prevents compaction and ground movement, allowing grass to establish and thrive while accommodating vehicle access when required.

The system enables the area to function as parking without losing its visual identity as green space.

Installed within a critical timeframe

The installation was completed toward the end of 2025, just ahead of colder ground conditions. Timing was crucial to support grass germination before temperatures dropped. A delay could have compromised early growth and overall performance if the seed had remained dormant over winter.

With prompt supply and close coordination between Christopher and the Beauxfort team, the works were delivered within a tight seasonal window, ensuring the surface would be ready ahead of the pub’s spring 2026 reopening.

Built for peak demand

The finished overflow car park provides discreet reinforcement beneath a fully grassed surface. During events and busy trading periods, vehicles can park with confidence, knowing the ground below is protected against rutting and structural damage.

For Tunnel House Inn, Grassrings have delivered additional parking capacity while maintaining the integrity of the landscape. The result is a surface that remains green in appearance, permeable in design and robust in performance.