Roofing Work News Roundup – September, 2018
Here at D-marc we like to keep a close eye on current affairs so that we can bring to our readers’ attention any news items that are relevant to the roofing sector and the construction industry as a whole. Every month, we publish a collection of news stories that we think our readers should be aware of, some serious, some not so serious and some which are downright funny. If you don’t want to miss out on our regular news roundups, why not follow us on Facebook or Twitter so that you’re notified when the newsreel is published.
Our first report is about the Queensgate Arcade in Inverness, part of a Victorian covered market designed in the 19th Century. Businesses in the privately owned section of the market have taken action to deal with repeated leaks in the roof that, in some cases have led to them having to stop trading during rainy weather. A café owner has revealed that there have been occasions when they’ve had “waterfalls coming into the tearoom while customers have been in”, forcing them to close shop. An application for a grant of more than £30,000 has been made and work could begin in January, 2019. This is a complex Heritage refurbishment project and there is, as yet, no timescale for completion.
Meanwhile, a planning officer and a building control officer form Watford Borough Council rushed to the scene of a roof collapse at a property in Watford. The residential development involved the extension of a building when the roof collapsed without warning overnight. The pavement in front of the building has been shut to pedestrians for safety reasons and officers are working with the builder to find the safest way to take the building down.
Police are asking for help to find a bogus roofer after a gang of frauds conned pensioners out of their savings in a roof repair scam. A Northfield couple lost £24,000 after being told their roof was in urgent need of repair but a later inspection revealed that the gang had pulled up tiles and then just painted part of the roof to make it look as if the repair work had been carried out. Among those arrested for questioning was Brian Williams-Craven who failed to answer bail and remains missing.
A roofing contractor who tweeted an advert seeking a “young lad who wants a job” has been branded a sexist. The tweet has gone viral and shared more than 3.000 times, with the roofer being criticised for not including women in his job profile. The roofer defended the tweet, claiming that “unless the woman is a world class body builder she won’t be able to lift half the stuff”.
Our final story this month involves a mystery deep in the heart of Yorkshire. Roofers working on a 200 year old cottage in Helmsley were concerned by a foul odour when they removed tiles and coping stones from the property. Police were alerted and recovered human remains which led to the arrest of a man and two women. Neighbours reported that a young girl had once lived at the property but that she had not been seen recently.