Gowers Bell
Gowers Bell is an architectural and structural engineering design company based in Hessle, Hull. For 25 years, they have provided a range of specialist services to clients in both the private and public sector, and with Hull Esteem Consortium taking charge of the Hull Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme in Hull, Gowers Bell is focusing on the opportunity to be involved.
As well as working in the commercial, health, industrial and housing sectors, Gowers Bell has experience working with clients in the education sector, including delivering buildings for Hull College and being involved with a number of school developments throughout the city. It is this experience with contractors and in the construction industry that will form the basis of the company's plans to work on the Hull BSF, as the company prepares for a potential involvement with the building of seventeen new schools in the city.
Chris Gowers, managing director architect at Gowers Bell, said: "It is absolutely critical that, with such a large amount of government money being invested in the city, Hull people should benefit directly from the programme. Major projects that have previously been completed in Hull have taken work out of the city with the belief that outside businesses are better suited to deliver than those in the city, so the Hull BSF project should give Hull people a chance to showcase their business skills and qualities.
"From our point of view, a contract with Hull Esteem Consortium would provide us with greater work certainty in what is a difficult time for the construction industry. One of the effects of the recession has been that some businesses have been unable to develop projects because funders have been unwilling to provide support. This has hindered an already slow recovery so it is to be hoped that this investment will play a major part in returning the local economy to its pre-recession level.
"Currently, Gowers Bell is geared up to handle projects of a reasonable size, although if we were faced with a significant workload spread over a sustainable time period we would obviously look to recruit additional staff. Our preference is to directly employ people, rather than use agency staff, as it enables us to get to know our people and their strengths better through working with them closely over a period of time.
"Gowers Bell specialises in architectural design and structural engineering and has expertise in 3D virtual reality modelling. Our clients come to us for everything from initial design concepts to taking projects to final handover, and our flexible approach throughout all contracts ensures every effort is made to accommodate the needs of our clients.
"Being a part of the Hull BSF programme would mean a lot to Gowers Bell, particularly in terms of giving greater reassurance for the future. The projects are of sufficient size to guarantee job security for our employees and to give certainty of cash flow whilst recovery from the recession gathers pace, so we are very enthusiastic about being involved."