The old Clucas Laundry has gone and foundations are now being excavated for the steel framework of Strand Group’s new corporate HQ. Onchan MHK, David Quirk visited the site this week to see how work was progressing.
“It’s amazing to be asked to come down to Tromode Estate today and see the Gateway Development about to take shape. This was my old stomping ground as a youngster. My family lived in Willaston and many of Clucas’s staff came from that area so a number of friends and family including my brother Allan, worked at the laundry at one time or another.’
When Mr Quirk was 16 he got the opportunity to be a ‘Laundry Nipper’.
Part of the job involved collecting laundry from the islands big hotels – nipping in and out – hence the name. This was in the 70s and in the summer months the laundry could be working till 9 or 10 at night to keep up with demand from the hotels.
Mr Quirk who was a local authority member for Onchan for 17 years and has been one of Onchan’s MHKs since 2006 said, ‘Over the years I’ve seen the Tromode Estate develop with a number of thriving businesses bringing Onchan a good mix of employment opportunities. The laundry has now gone and a new building is starting to take shape from the rubble. It will be good to welcome the Strand Group into the Onchan community.’
John Hellowell, chairman of Strand Group was pleased with the progress being made by local contractors JCK, ‘Things are moving very quickly now that the site has been cleared. I try to drop by every few days and can really see things changing. It’s a hive of activity’ he added.
‘I take a few photographs each week and am looking forward to the framework going up. We will really start to see the scale of the building then.’
Also on site for the visit where Alex Thomas, Managing Director of Clucas Plc and Derek Clarkson, Project Director of JCK the demolition and building contractor.
Photo - On site at the new Strand Group HQ. Left to right John Hellowell (Chairman Strand Group), David Quirk MHK, Derek Clarkson (Project Director JCK) Alex Thompson, (Managing Director Clucas Plc).
