TWO of the north's best known and rival specialist fit-out firms - McCue and Marcon - have been marking separate "wins", with one scooping a major industry award in London while the other secured its latest work contract in Britain.
Specialist museum and heritage firm Marcon has been appointed by East Ayrshire Council to carry out the interpretive fit-out works at the visitor centre at Dean Castle Country Park in Kilmarnock.
Marcon, established in 2004 and whose list of specialist projects includes Titanic Belfast, will put the finishing touches to the redevelopment project which will deliver enhanced facilities for visitors to the park.
Its heritage team will be responsible for the manufacture and installation of all specialist joinery, setworks, audio-visual hardware, graphics and interactives.
The company's heritage contracts manager Martin McErlean said: “It's hugely rewarding to know our work will be enjoyed by thousands of visitors of all ages as they visit the beautiful surrounds of the country park.
"All of the bespoke joinery for the interactive exhibition will be manufactured in our specialist facility and installed onsite by our expert craftsmen. This project certainly adds to our reputation as a leading fit-out provider within the UK heritage sector.”
Meanwhile McCue Crafted Fit, which has more than 60 years’ experience in the construction industry, landed a top gong at the NAS Design Partnership Awards in London for its work at ‘The Friend at Hand’ Whiskey Shop in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.
In partnership with designer Michael McKervey from Fresh Interior Design, McCue transformed the downtown deli/sandwich shop into a traditional Irish off-licence which sells only Irish whiskey and also plays host to a mini museum paying homage to the history of distilling in Belfast.
The Friend at Hand, the first off-licence of its kind in Ireland, is dedicated to the memory of owner Willie Jack’s life-long friend and business partner Bruce Kirk, who passed away last year aged just 62.
Les McCracken, managing director of McCue, said: “We are incredibly proud to have been recognised by leading industry professionals for our work at ‘The Friend at Hand’.
"The NAS Awards are extremely competitive, so this is just that little bit sweeter. We thoroughly enjoyed working on this project due to its uniqueness and its wonderful story, so to be recognised for our work alongside that of Fresh Interior Design is humbling.”
