Lowri Beck, which provides meter reading, call centre and data services to many utility and other businesses, already has four Wigan offices in the town centre, employing nearly 200 people within the borough and a further 600 field workers nationally.
Now the independently owned firm, which has been based in the town since 1996, is set to move into the historic 19th century Mayor’s Boatyard alongside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, making it their corporate headquarters.
A lottery grant of £1/3m, together with financial investment from British Waterways and Europe, will see the derelict waterside site restored to its former Victorian glory.
Abandoned as a boatyard over two decades ago, the main building, with its distinctive arched windows, is being sensitively restored.
The external character of the building will be retained, with the extensively damaged roof and windows replaced and the brickwork cleaned up.
After 30 years in the electricity business with Manweb, one of Lowri Beck’s founders and managing director, Bob Vernon, has taken the company from a small independent meter reading business with a £4M turnover to one that can offer a wide range of technical and support services mainly to the metering and data industry. Last year turnover was a healthy £20.5M.
He said: “We’re really excited about this development. The building offers us an ideal location next to two of our other offices on Swan Meadow Road. It gives us the flexibility to continue to grow our business and expand our Wigan base in a convenient and picturesque location.
“We have offices in Scotland, Chirk and London but Wigan is our home and it’s good to be putting something back into the town.”
Deputy council leader David Molyneux said: “Lowri Beck is a great example of a home grown Wigan company that has become a national success story. Despite the economic climate, this project demonstrates that regeneration is taking place in Wigan and that our local heritage can be preserved.”
Contrary to popular opinion, the name ‘Mayor’s Boatyard’ comes not from the mayor of Wigan but from a previous occupier, James Mayor and Co Ltd, which is believed to have constructed two of the buildings on the site around 1880. Lowri Beck’s name is derived from the daughters of the two original founders. Lowri Beck can be contacted on 01942 496575 or through their website, Lowri Beck (external link)
