Commercial Shop Fit Out — Sandwich Sandwich, Tottenham Court Road, London

The Project

Sandwich Sandwich is one of the UK’s most talked-about independent food brands — an internet sensation with a rapidly growing following and an ambitious expansion programme that includes new sites across London and into the Middle East. Their Tottenham Court Road location is a flagship store: a large, multi-level retail and dining space that needed to be built to the highest standard, from scratch, in one of London’s most prominent commercial thoroughfares.

Portcullis Power Solutions were brought in to deliver the complete electrical installation for the fit out. This was not a straightforward domestic or light commercial job. It was a complex, multi-trade project encompassing full electrical design and installation, commercial kitchen power supply, HVAC systems, feature lighting throughout, LED staircase lighting, signage power, and all associated first and second fix work required to bring the space to life.

The finished result is a striking two-floor venue that has already become one of London’s most visually distinctive food retail spaces — and every circuit, fitting, and connection behind it was installed by our team.

Scope of Works

Commercial fit outs of this scale require an electrician who can work across multiple disciplines simultaneously, coordinate with other trades, and deliver to a deadline without compromising on quality. The scope we delivered for Sandwich Sandwich included:

• Full electrical design and installation — from distribution board specification through to final circuit testing and certification
• Commercial kitchen power supply — heavy-duty circuits for kitchen equipment including ovens, fridges, display counters, and extraction
• HVAC electrical installation — power supply and controls for the full heating, ventilation and air conditioning system throughout both floors
• Feature and ambient lighting — including pendant lighting, track lighting, recessed downlights, and decorative fittings across the ground and first floors
• LED staircase lighting — integrated strip lighting along both stair stringers, creating the signature illuminated staircase that connects the two floors
• Signage and display power — power supply for the illuminated Sandwich Sandwich branding, menu boards, Grab & Go refrigeration units, and feature display elements
• Data and AV infrastructure — cabling and containment for point-of-sale systems, CCTV, and audio-visual equipment
• Testing, certification and sign-off — full electrical installation condition reporting and certification to current UK standards

The Challenges

Working on a flagship commercial fit out in central London presents challenges that simply do not exist on a standard domestic or light commercial project. Site access, delivery windows, coordination with multiple trades, and the pressure of a fixed opening date all demand a level of organisation and adaptability that goes well beyond the electrical work itself.

The Sandwich Sandwich site required our team to work around joinery, flooring, tiling, kitchen installation, and HVAC contractors simultaneously. Sequencing the electrical work correctly — ensuring first fix was completed before walls were closed, and second fix timed precisely to follow other trades — required constant communication and a willingness to flex the programme when other elements of the build ran ahead or behind.

The commercial kitchen installation was particularly demanding. High-current circuits for commercial catering equipment must be designed and installed with precision — both for performance and for compliance with the relevant standards that govern commercial electrical installation. Every circuit was specified, installed, tested, and signed off before kitchen equipment was commissioned.

Illuminated menu boards and feature lighting — all powered and installed by Portcullis Power Solutions

Feature Lighting and the Staircase

One of the most visually striking elements of the Sandwich Sandwich fit out is the LED-lit staircase connecting the ground floor to the first-floor seating area. Strip lighting integrated into both stair stringers creates a clean, dramatic effect that works equally well in daylight and at night — and has become one of the most photographed features of the venue.

This kind of detail requires careful electrical planning. The LED drivers, dimming controls, and containment all need to be installed cleanly and without compromising the architectural intent of the staircase design. Our team worked closely with the fit out contractor to ensure the lighting was integrated seamlessly into the structure rather than retrofitted around it.

The same attention to detail applied to the ambient and feature lighting throughout both floors — from the pendant globes over the ground floor seating to the track lighting above the service counter. Good commercial lighting is not just about illumination. It is about atmosphere, and atmosphere has a direct effect on how customers experience a space and how long they stay in it.

First floor seating area — full electrical installation including lighting, data, and HVAC supply

Commercial Electrical Work Beyond Cheshire

Portcullis Power Solutions is based in Nantwich, Cheshire, and the majority of our work is local — covering Nantwich, Crewe, and the wider Cheshire area for both domestic and commercial clients. But projects of sufficient scale and interest take us further afield, and the Sandwich Sandwich fit out is a good example of what our commercial team is capable of delivering at flagship level.

If you are a contractor, developer, or business owner with a commercial fit out requirement — whether in Cheshire or beyond — we are happy to discuss your project. We bring the same standards, the same attention to detail, and the same commitment to programme delivery to every job, regardless of size or location.

The Result

Sandwich Sandwich on Tottenham Court Road opened to considerable attention and has quickly established itself as one of London’s most talked-about food retail destinations. The electrical installation underpins every aspect of the customer experience — from the kitchen that produces the food, to the lighting that makes the space feel the way it does, to the staircase that draws customers up to the first floor.

It is the kind of project that demonstrates what a commercial electrical contractor can achieve when the brief is ambitious, the client is serious, and the team delivers. We are proud of our involvement and look forward to supporting Sandwich Sandwich as they continue to expand.