02.03.26
Better and Rockliffe launch ATLAS James & Maria Close: a fine dining brand built for discovery
The world-class fine dining concept by James and Maria Close is Rockliffe’s boldest step yet. Opening later this year, it will help transform the resort into one of the UK's leading luxury destinations.
Written by James BoltonJames Bolton
Written by James Bolton,
Brand Strategist & Creative Copywriter
As the strategic brand agency spearheading Rockliffe’s redevelopment, we partnered with the team to define ATLAS from the inside out. Delivering brand strategy, verbal identity, and a full visual identity.
Rockliffe has long set the standard across hospitality, spa and golf in the North East. And now, with a multimillion-pound programme underway, including the restoration of the Grade II-listed Old Hall, the 375-acre resort is building a more distinctive, gastronomy-led future.
ATLAS sits at the heart of that journey: an intimate 36-cover standalone restaurant designed as an immersive, chef-guided experience. Guests will begin with Champagne and aperitifs before moving through curated sequences: from globally-inspired favourites to deeply refined dishes authored by the places James and Maria have travelled to, and the memories those moments left behind.
From a brand perspective, ATLAS needed to be much more than “another restaurant opening”. It needed to feel storied, human, and quietly confident. It needed an identity and narrative with craft, simplicity, and originality at its core. Working closely with James and Maria, we shaped a clear strategic proposition. Anchored in The Art of Discovery, this is a promise of emotionally attuned, globally-influenced fine dining.
Paul Bell, Client Services Director at Better, said: “ATLAS is a bold yet quietly confident statement from Rockliffe. Not loud or performative, just original and intentional. Our job was to capture the feeling behind the food: the curiosity, the craft, the memory. The brand we’ve built helps deepen that experience.”
James Close, Culinary Director at Rockliffe, added: “ATLAS is personal. It’s shaped by what we’ve seen, tasted and learned. And it’s built to put Rockliffe firmly on the culinary map.
“Better helped us translate that into a brand with clarity and meaning, so guests understand what they’re stepping into before the first aperitif arrives.”
Due to open in summer 2026, ATLAS sets the tone for Rockliffe’s next chapter: original, emotionally resonant, and made to stay with you.
Watch the Atlas brand launch video on our YouTube channel or follow ATLAS on Instagram for the latest updates. Head to Rockliffe to find out more about the renovation and reopening plans.
