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The term “chattel house” is a
distinctly Bajan one and chattel
houses have long been an iconic
image in Barbadian culture.
Scarlet Restaurant
Scarlet Restaurant is a self-described fun, modern bistro, located on
the idyllic West Coast. And you’re probably rolling your eyes because,
of course, the West Coast is filled with fun, modern bars and bistros.
But there is something special, something different about Scarlet,
and that’s what we are on the hunt for right? Scarlet’s décor looks like
it could be taken straight from any trendy hotspot anywhere in the
world, with sleek, designer furnishings and an extensive and varied
cocktail list and menu. So what exactly is so ‘Bajan’ about Scarlet? Well,
while Scarlet’s ultra-modern interior might scream ‘new Soho hotspot’,
its outside is quite the opposite. Scarlet restaurant, one of the hottest
bistros on the glamourous West Coast, is in fact, a chattel house.
For those who might not know, chattel houses are small moveable
wooden houses, that go back to plantation days. Our ever-resourceful
ancestors realised they needed a way to move their homes at a
moment’s notice from one plantation to another, and thus the
chattel house was born. The phrase “chattel house” in and of itself
is a distinctly Bajan one and chattel house imagery has long been an
iconic symbol in Barbadian culture. It represents us, our past, our
creativity and our resilience. Scarlet’s use of the chattel house shows
not only the necessity of bringing those potent, impactful aspects of
our past, into our future but also that it actually might not be that
hard to do. You could probably order an apple martini in any trendy,
upscale bar in the world, but drinking a refreshing rum cocktail
inside a chattel house is something you could only do in Barbados.