Williams Tarr have been kept busy throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period. At the outset of restrictions, we had just commenced a £5 million design and build contract on one site for an International manufacturer that was classified as an “essential project”. It was important that construction work on site could continue without delay, to get the facility up and running quickly.

In consultation with our client and health and safety professionals, we worked round-the-clock to devise a comprehensive range of supplementary measures for safe working practices. Thanks to the positive attitude and excellent co-operation from all our staff, supply chain and the client, we have avoided any stoppage of work on site and are on track to complete the contract by the original completion date.

Trevor Hughes, Williams Tarr Contracts and H&S Director, is in charge of the project, keeping a close eye on the works and compliance with H&S guidelines. Trevor explained:

The wealth of experience of COVID Secure measures we’ve gained over the past few months working on this contract has been invaluable as we now resume construction on other sites post-lockdown. We are familiar and strictly compliant with Government rules for ‘COVID-19 Secure in 2020’ and the ‘5 Steps’ that include risk assessment, hygiene, working from home if possible, safe distancing in the workplace and managing transmission risk.

Williams Tarr Managing Director, David Wilkinson commented:

We are fully operational and open for business as usual, with some staff working efficiently from home. However, with the ever-present risk of another spike in the pandemic, we believe that it will be essential to maintain rigorous COVID-19 Secure measures throughout the business for the foreseeable future.

Williams Tarr have commenced work on a £2.5m scheme for T J Morris at the Peel Centre, Hyndburn. The 49,000 sq. ft. Unit 1 is being gutted and completely refurbished and sub-divided to form a 34,000 sq. ft. Home Bargains Retail Store and a 15,000 sq. ft. unit ear-marked for another occupier.

Pictured right – the 49,000 sq. ft. unit about to be rejuvenated

The project involves a full strip out old fixtures, fittings, mezzanine floors and internal  walls.  Then all external masonry cavity walls, profiled cladding and roof coverings will be removed back to the steel frame. The frame will be repaired and be modified to form parapets. New secondary steelwork will be installed for the roof and to support new profiled cladding.  New external walls will comprise facing brickwork and  feature micro-rib composite cladding with expansive glazed shop fronts and entrance lobbies.

Williams Tarr Contracts Manager, Paul Hamlett  says:

Its good to be back on site for T J Morris, on this exciting refurbishment scheme. It’s our latest in a line of retail developments for this valued client, helping to provide a new and exciting store in the Hyndburn area. It’s especially pleasing to be bringing new life to the building which has been empty for a number of years. The design will bring an attractive and striking new façade to the building, and provide the local residents with a top class, modern shopping experience.

NOTE: In light of Covid-19, we want to let you know that Williams Tarr is OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
To protect the H&S of our valued staff, we are safely working from home. Please keep safe during these unprecedented times. #workingfromhome #construction #AllInThisTogether #Covid19UK

Williams Tarr is very happy to announce that it has once again secured a repeat business win.

Alpla, one of the world’s leading packaging system designers, based out of Stonecross Business Park in Golborne, has appointed Williams Tarr Construction as Principal Contractor for the next phase of development on its manufacturing facility.

This will be the 4th project that Williams Tarr Construction has completed for Alpla since 2012 and the Company is pleased to once again be secured for this next phase of work.

The project, which is circ £150k in value, includes excavation and alterations to the existing building.

To be selected on more than one occasion by the same business is a great achievement as it confirms to us that the standard and quality of the work that we deliver is appreciated and seen” says David Wilkinson, Managing Director of Williams Tarr Construction.

This next phase of re-development will commence on site in October, lasting for approximately 12 weeks. As with all projects within live manufacturing environments, this project requires extensive planning and organisation prior to us commencing on site. Safety will be our priority throughout.

Williams Tarr Construction is proud to have been awarded the design and build contract for a new retail development at Flintshire Retail Park.

Working on behalf of T J Morris and HMG Investments Limited, Williams Tarr will redevelop existing car parking areas to construct four units to provide a total of 38,600 sq. ft. of new retail space. The £3M project will commence in the coming weeks and will be phased over 27 weeks.

The largest unit in the scheme is a 24,670 sq. ft. store commissioned by T J Morris for Home Bargains, who have outgrown their existing store located nearby on the park. The other three units are being built for the park owners HMG Investments, who have Iceland Food Warehouse lined up for the largest one. The remaining two units are currently under offer, with the potential retailers yet to be named.

Located prominently in the heart of Flint on the A548, the popular Flintshire Retail Park is home to many other major retailers besides Home Bargains, including Sainsburys, ASDA, Farmfoods, Argos, B&M, McDonalds and many more. These four additional stores will ensure that the busy facility remains a prominent and appealing location for shoppers across the region.

Willliams Tarr Managing Director David Wilkinson commented:

“It’s great to be able to confirm that we have secured this job. We have worked with T J Morris on a number of projects and to be appointed to deliver another large Home Bargains store for them is a credit to the work we have already done. In addition, renewing our relationship with clients such as HMG Investments, means that as a company we are continuing to successfully demonstrate our ability to deliver high quality and cost-effective projects. I am looking forward to seeing the finished scheme at Flint which I’m sure will be impressive”.

Williams Tarr Construction is celebrating thanks to Trainee Site Manager Josh Makin who has successfully achieved his HNC in Construction qualification.

After gaining a wealth of experience working alongside the existing Williams Tarr Construction Site Managers, Josh is now all set to take on a project of his own, with the support of the experienced Williams Tarr management team.

The company, which has paid for Josh to study part-time whilst working, is excited to see Josh continue to grow in capability as he builds on the knowledge and experience that he already has. Having gained site management skills by assisting on a selection of industrial, commercial and retail projects, Josh’s experience is already vast and provides him with a solid base to work from.

Josh’s current role is a long way away from his original profession, within the hospitality industry.

Having started work in 2014 for the Retreat Bar & Grill, Bolton, Josh worked his way up within the company to Restaurant Manager before realising himself that he would prefer a career in construction management instead.

Proactive in his approach, Josh applied and paid for the initial Site Supervisors course himself, before approaching Williams Tarr Construction for some work experience during one of his holiday periods. Following this work experience, Williams Tarr Construction offered Josh a trainee position after seeing the potential that he had.

Josh studied on a part-time basis at Bolton Community College. Referring to his course, Josh said “our teacher was very knowledgeable and had lots of industry experience that he used when delivering his lessons. We were taught using the most up-to-date information available and because of that I’ve been able to use this knowledge to make immediate contributions at work.”

Upon completing his course, we decided to ask Josh a few questions to further understand why he is passionate about working within construction. Here’s what he said:

Q: Why did you choose to train and work within construction?

I have always had an interest in construction from an early age and my father, who has worked as a Quantity Surveyor his whole life, has had an influence on me and encouraged me to get into the industry

Q: What do you see as the main difficulties and challenges for the future within the construction industry?

One of the main difficulties will be a skilled labour shortage, fewer young people are getting into trades such as bricklaying and as the older generations begin to retire, we will see these shortages affecting projects in the future.

Q: What are your favourite parts of your job?

I like being on site, I enjoy the hands on feel you get when you see how the decisions you make influence the job.

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years, I hope to be running large projects of my own having worked along side the very experienced Site Managers that work at Williams Tarr.

Q: What do you think it takes to be a successful Site Manager?

I think planning is one of the most important skills a site manager can have, ensuring work is co-ordinated and organised, making sure that materials do not run out and there is always enough labour on site to keep to the programme. You also need the ability to think on your feet and make the right decisions quickly.

Following on from our recently completed project at Crewe Station for Locomotive Storage Limited, Williams Tarr is pleased to be back on site constructing a new access road and hard-standing together with infrastructure works.

The site, just to the south of Crewe Station, is directly alongside the busy West Coast Main Line and adjacent to the newly opened locomotive maintenance and heavy lift building, built by Williams Tarr. All site operations will have to be carried out to stringent health and safety procedures and in full compliance with strict railway construction regulations.  Work has just commenced on site with a planned Phase One completion date of 20th May 2019.

Our client, Locomotive Storage Limited are operators of Crewe Diesel Depot, a modern base for rolling stock and home to the steam locomotive overhaul company LNWR Heritage. They renovate, maintain and operate heritage locomotives and rolling stock on the main railway network.

Williams Tarr has commenced construction on another new Home Bargains store for T J Morris, this time in Holyhead.

The £2.4m project, is another repeat business win for Williams Tarr Construction working collaboratively with T J Morris and will be the third new Home Bargains store.

The scheme comprises a 42 metre clear span, 28,891 sq. ft. store with extensive external works on the popular Penrhos Retail Park close by  the A55 North Wales Expressway in Holyhead. The park also incorporates  Superdrug, Boots, New Look, Argos and Tesco stores, among others.

The Employer’s Agents are Faithful+Gould and the Architects are WPL Consulting, both who we have successfully delivered projects with in the past. Work is programmed to take 27 weeks; with handover scheduled for the end of September 2019.

Williams Tarr Managing Director, David Wilkinson commented:

We are once again delighted to be working for T J Morris. Repeat business wins to us are extremely important and we look forward to delivering another successful Home Bargains project.

Following on from our successful completion of T J Morris Buyers Office in 2018, Williams Tarr was pleased to be invited back to carry out additional work at their prominent offices, located on Axis Business Park on East Lancashire Road, Gillmoss Liverpool.

The latest project, an internal conversion of the existing lounge area, will provide a new restaurant for the T J Morris Staff and is scheduled to last for 17 weeks, completing in the middle of June 2019.

In addition to the restaurant conversion, one of the existing on-site bedrooms will be converted into a staff lounge area to ensure that there continues to be plenty of space for R&R within this busy open plan environment.

Construction operations will be carried out within the busy office environment and therefore noise mitigation and health & safety are key. Williams Tarr is greatly experienced working within live environments and will ensure that any effects on the T J Morris employees throughout the contract are minimal.

Particular care will be taken to ensure that the existing high quality finishes are protected and that the decor of the new restaurant itself blend in well with the existing eye catching interior.

Williams Tarr Contracts Manager Chis Lee comments:

We are very happy to be invited back to carry out this sensitive project for T J Morris. Working for a client such as T J Morris is a real pleasure. We are looking forward to delivering these new facilities to the team here to compliment the new offices which we handed over last year.

Williams Tarr Construction is pleased to announce the appointment of Olga Austin as Financial Controller, replacing Financial Director Chris Carter who retired in 2018 after 49 years of service.

Olga is reporting directly into both Managing Director of Williams Tarr Construction, David Wilkinson and Director of Williams Tarr Developments, Ed Wilkinson. Olga will be responsible for finances across all of the companies which sit within the Williams Tarr Group portfolio.

Olga, who is currently working towards her ACA, brings with her a variety of experience and is looking forward to the challenges that this new role will bring.

“I am delighted to be given this opportunity. Having lived in Warrington for 14 years, it’s great to be given the opportunity to work for such a successful local company” Says Olga.

“I have been working alongside Chris for two months to ensure a seamless transition and I have appreciated the time that we have spent together, enabling me to both develop on my skills and learn from someone with such varied knowledge”.

Before joining Williams Tarr Olga held various positions within the North West of England. Olga has an honours degree in Professional Accounting.

On behalf of everyone across the Williams Tarr Group we would like to welcome Olga and wish her well in her new role.