Conservation- Old buildings needing the Stone treatment help North East business to grow
Stone Technical Services’ conservation division has experienced exceptional growth in the last year as more ancient and historic buildings fall victim to environmental damage.
The company’s conservation department has seen a 30% rise in business since last year, especially in the North East and in the London area.
Stone has recently secured new contracts to carry out a variety of conservation works on Hexham Abbey, in Northumberland, and the Laing Art Gallery, in Newcastle.
At Hexham Abbey, which dates back to around 1100, Stone is carrying out decoration repair work to the iron sections of the abbey’s stained glass windows.
And at the Laing Art Gallery, in Newcastle city centre, conservation experts at Stone have been engaged to complete a detailed roof survey and also to restore the projected bay windows, which are listed.
Stone Technical Services employs a team of 25 at its headquarters in Darlington and also at its site in Middlesex. Its conservation team regularly carries out projects such as surveys, leadwork repairs, vegetation control, and church steeple and tower restorations on high profile buildings such as St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in London and for organisations such as English Heritage and the National Trust.
As well as conservation, restoration and masonry refurbishment projects on churches, museums, clock towers, castles, spires and historic buildings, Stone specialises in all aspects of high level maintenance, lightning conductor installation and steeplejack services
Managing director, Dave Stone said: “Our conservation team has seen a real increase in work in the last year as ancient and historic buildings are susceptible to environmental damage and the effects of the British weather. These types of buildings, which are often vital for tourism and heritage purposes, need close inspection as problems are not always visible initially but could cause severe and rapid deterioration if not treated effectively.”
