News

After the existing cedar shingle roof had been attacked by woodpeckers, which were making large holes on a daily basis, the owners of an award winning vineyard in Hampshire were faced with re-roofing their property. After much research the owners were advised that the woodpeckers were not selective as to whether the shingles were old or new!  It was explained that the hungry birds were seeking the tiny insects which can be found living in the shingles, so if they were to replace the roof like for like, the same problem would occur again.  With that in mind the owners started to explore alternative roof coverings.  Because of the large roof span there was a concern about what other material could be used due to the weight of the product.  The owners employed the expertise of an engineer to investigate … Continue reading →

European Slate Company were delighted to be chosen to help a Dorset charity realise its vision of building a new facility supporting young adults with a learning disability. As a registered charity and housing association, Sturts community Trust combines promoting sustainability with providing supportive communities on Sturts Farm – a 90 acre working organic farm.  On the farm, the charity offers work opportunities, individualised support and supported living.  It has a number of housing projects on the site and recently opened a new housing neighbourhood called Twin Oaks. This Lottery funded project will enable the charity to offer more opportunities to young adults with a learning disability, providing living accommodation to them and their supporters. Contractors building the new housing, Castle Lodge Construction of Ringwood in Hampshire, presented several choices of roofing for the new neighbourhood to the client.  ESCO’s … Continue reading →

Cirencester is well known as one of the premier locations in The Cotswolds. It offers a mix of town life, boutique shops and restaurants all within this stunning surrounding countryside (this also includes the Cotswold Water Park). We were delighted that our Merayo Spanish Roofing Slate were chosen for use on this development of six 5 bedroom luxury detached homes, which sit within a small private tree lined development and offer a standard well above the ‘norm’.  Ashford homes of Bradford On Avon in Wiltshire have been crafting beautiful homes in the South West for 30 years, synonymous with quality they are dedicated to building unique and modern developments, using design and technology to deliver life convenience and enjoyment. Rather than mass producing, they focus on building smaller, individual developments crafted to a higher standard. They are devoted to the … Continue reading →

This interesting development of the grade II listed building which formerly housed Ferndale Prep School from 1952 until it’s closure in 2016 was completed and roofed by Bicester Roofing using our ‘Merayo’.  Ferndale private school opened in 1952 with 6 pupils in Dunraven House, London St, Faringdon which is in Oxfordshire. The schoolroom contained just 3 tables, 6 chairs, and a teacher’s table. After 2 terms, the school had grown and moved to Chieveley House in Gloucester St. By 1956 there were 36 pupils before the school moved to Bromsgrove.  By 1979 there were 135 pupils.  The school provided an intimate and friendly atmosphere with a philosophy of developing each individual pupil’s potential. The children came from Swindon, Lechlade, Highworth, Buckland, Longworth as well as Faringdon. Parents were attracted by the insistence of courtesy, consideration for others, and good mannered … Continue reading →

  Esco100 slates were chosen for their exceptional performance and characteristics which complimented the design considerations for this bespoke development Sourced from Spain it carries the highest W1 S1 T1 rating from the BS EN 12326. In addition, slates from this producer are supplied into the French and German market where they achieve the NF Marque 228 (highest pass), which imposes stricter criteria than the European Standard and into the Belgian Market where they achieve the comprehensive ATG approval. With a slightly textured surface, no visible pyrites and a long proven track record the Esco100 carries a full 75 year guarantee.      The Main Contractor for this stunning project was Spitfire Bespoke Homes.  They are a forward thinking, modern, privately-owned property development company specialising in the construction of sustainable, high-quality bespoke residential dwellings.  Tasked with slating these luxurious properties … Continue reading →

‘Weighbridge House Leads the way at the Jersey Construction Awards.’ The redevelopment of one of Jersey’s best-recognised buildings, Weighbridge House (formerly the Southampton Hotel) led the field at the Jersey Construction Awards, when it won two awards – The Ogier Best Use Of Innovation and the Benest & Syvret Project Of The Year Over £3 Million. The awards, which recently took place at the Hotel De France saw over 300 people gather to celebrate the very best examples of companies and projects in Jersey’s Construction Industry over the past year. The keynote speaker for the prestigious event was none other than Matt Dawson MBE, the former England Rugby Union and World Cup Winner. ‘There’s no doubt that the annual Jersey Construction Council Gala Awards evening is a vitally important part of the industry’s calendar.’ said Martin Holmes, Chairman of the … Continue reading →

Spanish roofing slate and pyrite have always been a talking point. Is it an oxidising pyrite? Will it rust and leave streaks on your roof? Will it rust through and leave a hole? These are typical questions and, of course, everyone has an opinion. The worst possible location for a slate with an oxidising pyrite is on the coast. So, if you have a property like this that sits literally on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea you need a slate you can trust. At ESCO our opinion is based on fact and we had no hesitation in recommending our Merayo with its stable, visible pyrites. Hill Head is a residential area and estate on the coast of the Solent. It is located south of Stubbington, west of Lee-on-the-Solent and south east of Titchfield, in the borough of … Continue reading →

We recently supplied our Merayo roofing slate to Mr and Mrs Price at Ansty Pick Your Own & Farm Shop. Ansty is a small village and civil parish in southwest Wiltshire, England, about 6 miles east of Shaftesbury. The village is just north of the A30 road between Shaftesbury and Salisbury. The parish includes the hamlet of Ansty Coombe. Mrs Price’s family bought the site at Barnfield Farm in October 1998 as a diversification of their nearby dairy farm. Subsequently the dairy farm was sold to enable the family to concentrate on the expansion of the busy Farm Shop and Pick Your Own enterprise. When they first started at the site they operated out of an old tin shack. This was then upgraded to a mobile home and then about 10 years ago they swapped this for a wooden chalet. … Continue reading →