Shifnal's Mark reflects on 35 years’ service at Bradford Estates
A long-serving employee for landed estates business Bradford Estates says it has been “a pleasure” as he prepares to celebrate 35 years’ service for the company next week.
Mark Lucas, a supervisor for Bradford Estates construction team, has described his role as extremely satisfying and rewarding.
Mark, from Shifnal, joined the business in 1989 as a carpenter under the stewardship of The Earl of Bradford and has since witnessed the business grow and diversify as part of managing director Alexander Newport’s 100-year plan.
Mark said: “I have been fortunate to have so many wonderful experiences at Bradford Estates. It is a pleasure to get up and go to work every day, not something everyone can say!
“I joined the business in 1989 as a carpenter, responsible for repairing properties, but now, we are multi skilled team and take on full refurbishments of residential and commercial properties. No two days are the same and it is very rewarding.
“During my time I have had the opportunity to experience lots of different roles. I spent five years working in the office to understand the planning, purchasing and project management side of the business. This gave me a great overview and I really enjoy now sharing the knowledge I have with newer members of the team.
“Key highlights include the refurbishment of 100-year-old properties on the estates. It is very satisfying and rewarding, a real credit to the team that we can do this. Recently I had the opportunity to work on a house I refurbished when I first joined in 1989, that was very emotional.”
“Another fond memory I have is my involvement in the 1998 G8 Summit at Weston Park, which saw senior world leaders gather for talks. We worked with the security services to ensure all rooms were safe and secure. I even had to take a TV to Tony Blair’s room so he could watch the FA Cup final, which was a surreal experience.”
“I feel fortunate to work with a group of colleagues and residents I consider great friends. It is a fantastic place to work in a beautiful setting. We take pride in our work, we treat the properties we work on like they are our own and put the estates at the heart of what we do.”
Looking ahead to the future Mark hopes to achieve many more years at Bradford Estates.
He said: “I am not ready to retire just yet. I love my job and want to continue for as long as possible. I want to pass on the knowledge I have picked up over the years and share that with everyone in the business.”
