SRC Students Help to Dress Belfast
5th Aug 2021
The Bank Buildings or the Primark Building in Belfast made the NI public gasp when the clock fell in the devastating fire on 28th August 2018. This building has stood on the site for a rumored 300 years so the pressure is on to restore this Belfast treasure to its former glory.
Cregg Stone NI has been awarded the contract for the stone restoration. Company director, Cathal Cregg noted: “This has led to one of the most complex construction and stone restoration jobs in Europe located on Belfast’s most central business address. This is an exciting opportunity for stonemasons to have access to intricate carving work. We have 18 staff on this job and there are openings for more.”
SRC is the only college in NI running Level 3 NVQ in Heritage Skills and NVQ in Stonemasonry (Fixer & Banker). A number of past SRC students who have completed all the stone restoration courses are working on this site and Cregg Stone have 3 candidates for entry to the Heritage Skills from September 2021.
Sean Jackson has completed all 3 courses at SRC. He noted “Completing the NVQ in Heritage skills and Stonemasonry with lecturer Adrian Curran has greatly expanded my knowledge of the sector and the craft of stonemasonry. I have gained confidence when speaking to site architects and other stakeholders. Employment opportunities opened up for me and I am now delighted to be part of the team in Cregg stone delivering the intricate and exciting job that is the landmark Bank Buildings in Belfast. I look forward to walking past here in years to come with pride and think I had a part in that.”
So all Primark shoppers can hope to visit a better dressed building by October 2022.
These courses are fully funded under the Department for the Economy’s Skills Focus Programme. If you are interested please contact betterbusiness@src.ac.uk.
