GPH Builders Merchants
8 November 2017
MSP offers planning hope at new builders merchants opening
A North-east builders merchants has invested more than £500,000 in a new facility in Stonehaven, north-east Scotland, designed to give customers easy access to professional and DIY building and landscaping materials.
GPH Builders Merchants (GPH), which also has branches in Inverurie and Westhill, is based in Spurryhillock Industrial Estate, having acquired MacDougall & Masson in 2015.
The third GPH Builders Merchants was officially opened on Friday, 3rd November 2017 by Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Local Government and Housing.
At the opening, Mr Stewart answered questions from local business people regarding planning consent, local infrastructure and affordable housing.
The independent builders merchants has been serving the North-east’s building and DIY markets with a complete range of materials for almost 35 years, as well as running an extensive plant hire business.
GPH enhanced the Stonehaven site in 2016, with additional racking to hold a wider range of products, improved lighting and larger bays for easy delivery and collection of loose materials.
This next phase of the five-figure investment has seen the expansion and upgrade of a new two-storey state-of the-art facility. The spacious, purpose-built building will feature a new retail space with a bright, larger stock area, improvements and expansion of the yard, as well as a dedicated plant and tool hire site.
Additionally, as part of the site enhancement, GPH has installed a landscaping display, which enables customers to see, feel and touch landscaping materials in their natural setting, including paving, decking, walling, decorative pebbles and chippings, garden structures and fencing.
GPH managing director, Grant Shewan, said: “Our branch at Stonehaven will enable GPH to offer clear displays and easily accessible products. The full range of GPH products and services are available at every one of our branches, so we are delighted to bring our wide stock range and the improved plant and tool hire facilities to our customers in the south of Aberdeenshire and Angus.
“The yard enhancements will allow customers to drive in and easily load up their cars or vans with building and landscaping materials, and the new shop will showcase our wide variety of professional and DIY products. With eight HGV vehicles, GPH delivers orders large and small across north-east Scotland every day.
Mr Shewan added: ”We are delighted with the welcome GPH has received in Stonehaven, despite challenging economic circumstances. All staff that worked for the previous owner stayed with the store, which has been a tremendous help not just during the renovation phase, but also for existing and new customers.
“This six-figure investment is a testament of our confidence in the local area, and we are sure the enhancements to the store and the new landscape display will show our customers the extensive range of building materials and DIY materials we have to offer.”
Mr Stewart said: “I am pleased to officially open GPH Builders Merchants in Stonehaven. It is good to see such a large investment in the area to support local businesses and residents. As part of that, I was grateful to have the opportunity to meet with local people, and hear their views on planning and housing.
“Much of what they raised is exactly what we are committed to delivering as a government. That includes a planning system that works for everyone, putting a priority on affordable, high quality housing, and giving people a greater say in the future of their communities. And that will be reflected in our forthcoming Planning Bill.”