Episode Details

What does it take to turn a tired country hotel into a destination people genuinely want to return to?

In this episode of Yours for the Making, Robin Johnson sits down with Chris King, founder of Crafted, to explore the transformation of PowderMills in Battle, East Sussex. Set around a seven acre lake on the site of a former gunpowder mill, Crafted brings together boutique hospitality, bold interior design, British craftsmanship, wellness, food and community.

Chris shares the thinking behind the hotel’s transformation, from trusting bold design decisions and commissioning local craftspeople to creating a lakeside sauna, cold water swimming area, padel courts, pottery workshops and spaces designed for social connection.

They discuss the realities of building a new hospitality brand from scratch, supporting British makers, sourcing food locally, creating memorable guest experiences and making major investment decisions when there is no guarantee they will work.

Chris also explains why Crafted is being built as a social catalyst. With remote work and changing lifestyles leaving many people increasingly isolated, the aim is to create opportunities for guests and members to meet, try new things and build genuine connections.

It is a conversation about hospitality, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and what happens when every detail of a physical space is considered through the eyes of the person who will actually use it.

Key Topics Covered

✦ Transforming PowderMills into Crafted

✦ Building a distinctive boutique hotel brand

✦ Bold interior design and taking creative risks

✦ Working with British craftspeople and local makers

✦ Reclaimed timber, handmade ceramics and bespoke furniture

✦ Sauna, cold water swimming and padel

✦ Designing hospitality around guest experience

✦ Local food, organic growing and sustainability

✦ Building community through shared experiences

✦ Social connection and social health

✦ Starting a hospitality brand from zero

✦ Reversible and irreversible business decisions

Check out Chris King in LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckroaming/

Check out Crafted at PowderMills: https://www.staycrafted.com/

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Yours for the Making with Robin Johnson is the podcast that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of making. Hosted by Robin Johnson — founder of Johnson Bespoke and BBC presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers, The Restorers, Woodland Workshop — this podcast dives into the stories of makers from all walks of life. From woodworkers, metal fabricators, and chefs to artists, designers, and hobbyists, each episode offers real conversations with the people behind the things we love.

Whether you're a hands-on creative, aspiring artisan, or simply curious about how things are made, this podcast offers inspiration, insight, and practical wisdom. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, lessons in process and passion, and a celebration of the maker movement in all its forms.

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Key Moments:

00:00 Introducing Chris King and Crafted

07:00 Why PowderMills was the right location

13:10 Bold interiors and trusting the designer

16:53 Bringing local craftsmanship into the hotel

20:00 Creating the lakeside sauna and swim experience

26:30 Can this hospitality model make money?

31:09 British craftsmanship competing on price

38:30 Designing a frictionl