We start the New Year off with ten snippets of information you may not know about us:
- We are celebrating our 27th year in our Head Office
Founded by Tony Hickton in 1991, our company was formed in Tony’s home conservatory in the village of Elsecar South Yorkshire. Ten years later we had grown and required a larger premise, two doors down from his home Tony spotted the potential in a former Co-operative shop. Since 2001 we have resided in the Elsecar property which still retains original shop features including trap doors and original beams. If you are ever passing by we would love to meet you so why not call in!
- Moto Motorway was our first project
Our first project was for Granada Motorway Services in 1991. We were commissioned to inspect the quality of this flagship project at Thurrock. From there we went on to inspect every one of their service areas throughout the UK for the next ten years. A pretty good ‘first client’ to have!
- 2003 ‘Building on Quality’ award for Yorkshire Sculpture Park
In 2003 the biennial ‘Building on Quality’ awards presented by the ICWCI was won by our Clerk of Works Brian Crisp. Brian was announced as winner of the new-build section for his work on the park and went on to be the overall winner of the ‘Building on Quality’ awards. Our involvement with the Yorkshire Sculpture Park spanned two years and one which we are still very proud of today.
- 2008 ‘Barnsley Business Award’ winners
In 2008 we were awarded winners of the Barnsley Business Award. At that point we were in our 17th year of trading with an expanding project portfolio and growing numbers of Clerk of Works. This award was an acknowledgement to the hard work and dedication our Head Office and site staff did and still do day in and day out.
- 1997 starts off our Leisure portfolio
In 1997 we worked on our first ever swimming pool and leisure centre at Harrogate Hydro. Since then we have continued to strengthen our portfolio with projects including the £15m Scarborough Leisure Village development, Huddersfield Leisure Centre and the Tooting Bec Lido Pavillion in London.
- Approved Inspection services via our sister company BRCS
In 2017 our parent company Hickton Holdings bought BRCS (Building Control) Limited—a longstanding and one of the three original Building Control operators in the UK.
This allows for a unique and combined Clerk of Works and Building Control service which is unparalleled and the first of its kind.
- Office expansion into Scotland
Following on from our success in Scotland, we have opened an office in Edinburgh which allows us to service clients such as The City of Edinburgh Council. We have a valued and long-standing relationship with Scotland and opening an office there allows us to provide a base for our Scottish connections. If you wish to visit us just drop us a line and we will be more than happy to meet with you.
‘Stepping’ out of 2017 into 2018
We recently embarked on a ‘One Step Ahead’ challenge at Head Office which saw four teams undertake a month-long challenge to do the most steps possible. It was not uncommon to see staff during their lunchtime wondering around the local area clocking-up steps. Collectively a whopping 3,620,418 steps were completed and with no pun intended our Managing Director Tony Mobbs led from the front in the winning team ‘The Pace Makers’. These steps meant that we donated £250 to four chosen charities. We are a kind and charitable bunch we are!
- Raising the profile of Clerk of Works
The last 12 months has regrettably high-lighted examples of how defective work can lead to tragic consequences in both Scotland and England. The spotlight is now shining on the construction industry and in turn it is exploring ways to ensure headlines like these do not appear again. We have noticed an increase in demand for our service which may or may not be a result of this. However, the word is getting out there that having an independent person whose sole interest is the quality of the build can only be a benefit. Read the article from Derwent London in our news section on our website http://hickton.co.uk/developer-reintroduces-clerks-of-works-bd-article-10th-november-dave-rogers/
- The future is bright
As the saying goes…the future is bright! As we steadily move into 2018 we can say with confidence that our strategic growth is going to plan with secured business of 126 new projects of which 59% is from repeat business.
With offices in Barnsley, Chelmsford and Edinburgh, we welcome the opportunity to talk with you about the ways in which we can help you improve the quality control aspects of your projects. Please speak to a member of our team on 01226 743959.
