Harris Your Place Q&A Series: Adam from the James Mercer Group

A number of individuals and companies are responsible for the renovations currently taking place as part of the Harris Your Place project. This Q&A series sees us chat with those responsible about their involvement, and what their role is throughout the renovation project. 

Tell us a little more about your ties to Preston? 

I live here and the job is close to home so it’s really handy!

Tell us a little more about the project you’re currently working on? 

So, we’re working at The Harris at the moment – the building is having a full refurb. We are working on the electrical side of things. We have stripped everything out and everything that has gone back in is new. I would say this is probably the biggest job I’ve worked on.

Tell us a little more about what you like best about this project? 

I would say it’s the different jobs that we get to work on every day, it isn’t the same thing over and over again. My most recent job has involved connecting the lights on the first floor.

Tell us a little more about how you ended up working on this job? 

I started off at college studying engineering, and then I applied to work for James Mercer. This was all just over a year ago, so I’ve been an apprentice with the company now for a year. My Dad works in construction too, so I kind of got a taste for this working alongside my Dad.

Tell us a little more about how you got into your career path? What advice can you give young people starting out or looking for a career in construction? 

When I was studying engineering at college, we talked about different trades, and being an electrician sounded really interesting to me, so I decided to go down that path. My advice to anyone starting out would be to make sure you’re doing something that you like and make sure you enjoy it.  

 Harris Your Place

Harris Your Place is a £16 million project set to restore and reimagine the Harris for 21st-century audiences as a cultural learning space. The aim of this project is to protect the building and the architecture for future generations whilst enhancing accessibility options and positioning the Harris as a community hub for Preston and Lancashire.

The capital project is more than simply preserving this much-loved building; Harris wants to ensure that it remains a vibrant heart of the community. A place where people want to spend their time.