LOCAL STORY
A sprinkling of MKM magic was applied to the Beauty & Fitness Spa at the iconic Savoy Hotel in London.
SWATRAGH TO SLOANE SQUARE - IT’S BEEN A LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO SUCCESS FOR LOCAL COMPANY MKM CONTRACTS LTD... An inspirational ‘Pony’ tale
P adraig McAtamney’s nickname as a kid was ‘pony’. So, when his efforts to establish a foothold in London required a re-brand, it seemed only natural to shape the future using something from the past. Pony Plastering it was then, the new name subsequently plastered (sorry!) on the side of the firm’s van and work clothes. It appeared to have the desired effect, with a major upsurge in attention. Unfortunately, as Padraig was to find out to his embarrassment, this new-found notoriety was not all it seemed. “At the start I didn’t
concern myself much with re- branding and the latest marketing slang, I focussed on the work,” he explained. “So, I didn’t pay much heed to the new name until I noticed some weird glances and a few sniggers, and it was explained to me that ‘pony and trap’ means ‘crap’ in Cockney rhyming slang.” So, how do you go from feeling like Del Trotter after a bad day down the market, to smoothing out the walls in some of the most iconic buildings in London? MKM Contracts Ltd is currently engaged in work at Claridge’s Hotel,
adding to an already impressive portfolio that includes The Savoy, Goldsmith’s College, Lord Cadogan Estates on the King’s Road, and property on Sloane Square. From pony to thoroughbred - it’s a far cry from the company’s humble beginnings. “I left school at 17 with virtually no qualifications,” Padraig explained. “I was slow to learn, couldn’t concentrate and was later diagnosed with a form of Attention Deficit Disorder. Plenty of times I came home and told my dad I was struggling to pick something up. He always said stick at it, to do whatever I tried to the best of my ability.” What Padraig might have lacked in formal qualifications, he more than made up for with a seemingly unbreakable determination to succeed. It was a resolve that would be tested to the full on more than one occasion.
So, howdo you go fromfeeling likeDel Trotter after a bad day down themarket, to smoothingout thewalls in some of themost iconic buildings in London?
46 | NI BUILDER
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