Panda enclosure contractor Ashwood Scotland secures £5.5m of new work amid Covid rebound

The firm, which employs more than 75 site and office staff having retained all existing personnel, said the business was “in good health” as the economy begins to emerge from lockdown.

It has also recruited five new start apprentices and one trainee to cope with the expanded portfolio of work.

The six projects span re-purposed residential accommodation for the homeless, office refurbishments, visitor centre alterations, university building accessibility upgrades and conservation works at “one of Edinburgh’s most prominent churches”.

Managing director Archie Meikle said: “Despite the pandemic and both lockdowns Ashwood has remained strong in terms of liquidity, order book and workload.

“These past 12 months have been extremely challenging for everyone, but we are now seeing signs of a business upturn.

“Our latest round of contract wins indicates that with government restrictions finally lifting, both the public and private sectors are eager to get projects underway which have long been held in abeyance.”

Ashwood Scotland was founded by Meikle and David Charman in 1999. The firm was the main contractor on the new Panda enclosures at Edinburgh Zoo for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. It was the main contractor on the award winning Scotstoun House, South Queensferry – a £3.6m project for Arup Scotland.

Other recently completed projects include Old College for the University of Edinburgh, Home from Home for CLIC Sargent and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery for National Galleries of Scotland.

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