One of the most well-known figures in the construction business in the south and west has retired from the family firm where he worked for 70 years.
Alan Beard was the third-generation head at the helm of the construction firm that was started by his grandfather and continues to bear the family name.
Today, Beard Construction is an award-winning construction company, operating across the south west with a turnover of £160m and has offices in Swindon, Oxford, Guildford and Bristol.
The pinnacle of Mr Beard’s success in the sector is arguably the Bishop Edward King Chapel, Cuddesdon, which was completed in 2013.
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The education sector was another growth area that Mr Beard oversaw with contracts at prestigious schools around the region; including Eton, Marlborough and Radley colleges as well as a wide variety of projects for Oxford University.
It was also an area where he saw great potential for talent which led to a programme for school leavers and university graduates looking to start their careers in construction, and remains in this form of the trainee scheme today.
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Over seven decades in the business, during which there have been national crises, recessions and boom times, it has been a time of steady expansion for Beard.
Going from two offices to four, the firm has entered new sectors such as education, healthcare and culture.
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