Author: Neil Ambler

In September 2021, Watson & Sole Associates celebrated its fiftieth year of trading. Who would have imagined that I would be sitting at home in my office writing this, having spent the majority of the last eighteen months working from home? That certainly wouldn’t have been possible fifty years ago.

For those of you who may not know our background the company was originally started back in 1971 by Tony Watson and John Sole, who saw a gap in the market for this specialist service. The majority of the work in those days came from Matthew Hall who were then located at Great Dover Street in London and Waddon in Croydon. This was mainly due to John Sole’s contacts as he had worked for Matthew Hall for many years.

The business grew slowly with work coming from other Contractors such as Haden Young, Briggs & Forrester, How Engineering and Drake & Scull to name a few and Commissioning & Testing Services who were based in Rickmansworth, now long gone.

Tony was a keen amateur rally driver and managed to convince John that buying a Ford RS 2000 Escort as a Company car was a good idea. I think John’s view changed when Tony wrote the car off one weekend at a rally. Tony Watson was an extremely good engineer and was very interested in Controls and by 1983 he left the business to seek pastures new.

In 1989 Derek Howard was appointed to the board and continued to move the business forward and developed a few more work streams such as setting up planned maintenance systems for Clients such as the BBC, BP and The Prison Service. I joined the Company in 1985 and was fortunate enough to have Derek as a mentor whom I am very grateful to some 35 years later. I still quote some of his sayings now like “you must have a defendable position”.

In 1985 we didn’t even have a computer, the engineers wrote in pencil on pre-printed templates for the ladies to type up using golf ball typewriters. I can recall the company purchasing our first computer, an IBM with the small green screen and a massive 10 mb hard disk. This was purchased in order for us to implement the setting up of a Comac PPM system for BP who then resided in Britannic House just near Moorgate tube station. That along with a fax machine which soon followed was the start of technology entering the business.

In those days it was normal to produce four or even six hard copies of the Manuals along with full size hard copy Record Drawings. I can vividly recall the smell of the ammonia dyeline drawings that were often sent unfolded and we would sit on the floor folding them correctly to fit in an A4 plastic wallet.

The business continued to grow steadily and probably one of the biggest defining moments in the history of the Company was when Derek secured the production of the manuals for the Barbican development. The reason for this was that this is where our unique system based format was born, which has been our USP ever since.

Obviously there have been other significant moments over the last fifty years such as the development of our LAN based documentation solution Inteli-Scan by Neil Ambler in 1997 which then developed into the web based solution in 2003.

Gone are the days of making up four hard copies which often comprised of 60 to 80 books in a set.

Neil and I completed a Management buyout in 2006 which allowed John to retire to his golf and Derek to his music, love of motorcycle racing and painting.

In 2016 Lisa McLaughlin and Sam Denton were appointed Board Directors to support the business’ evolution seen over the preceding 45 years.

Here we are now in 2021, working from home with projects throughout the UK, Europe and a few other countries around the world. Technology has had a massive influence on how we produce and deliver our product whether it be Inteli-Scan for a commercial development or our Home User Guide App for the residential market. Who knows what the next fifty years will bring?

Finally, I would like to thank all of our Clients for their support over the years and our staff who have contributed to us achieving this significant milestone of fifty years in business.

Here’s to the next fifty!

Many Thanks

Paul Vermont

Managing Director

Watson & Sole is delighted to be teaming up with Jigsaw4U as the company’s chosen charity for 2019/2020 which means the company and staff will be busy fundraising and raising awareness of the very important work that Jigsaw4U does with thousands of children, young people and parents every year.

Jigsaw4u is a well-established South-West London based children’s charity supporting children and young people with complex social, emotional and bereavement issues.

Like many others charities, Jigsaw4U has seen cuts to its funding budget over recent years and Watson & Sole aim to make a difference in a variety of ways including contributing to some potentially exciting capital projects as well as day-to-day necessities like books, resources for support or special activities like music or art therapy.

We are only just starting out on this charity sponsorship/relationship* and are excited to see what we can achieve together over the next 12 months, so watch this space.   And if you feel you can help with anything we are doing please let us know – we’d be delighted to hear from you.

For more information about Jigsaw4U you can visit their website www.jigsaw4u.org.uk

If you think you can help us make a difference please contact;  Sally Hull at our Head Office

Client 

Overbury

Period 

2016 to 2017

Services 

• Inteli-Scan
• weWRITE

Deutsche Bank, one of Europe’s biggest banks confirmed its commitment to London by opening its biggest office in the capital in the Canary Wharf business district. In February 2016 W&S started work for Overbury to undertake the production of Handover Documentation including the O&M Manuals and Health & Safety File using Inteli-Scan on a weWRITE basis.

Our services were configured to reflect Deutsche Bank’s and Canary Wharf Estates requirements by the bank using Inteli-Scan.

The successful project was delivered on time and on budget.

Client

Selfridge & Co.

Period

2007 to Current

Services

• INTELI-SCAN
• weWRITE
• reWRITE

Watson & Sole are thrilled to be appointed by Selfridge & Co. to author and manage all record documentation matters within their iconic Oxford Street store.

Every change to this listed building has to be carefully managed.  W&S work with the specially appointed fit-out contractors to ensure that the record documents for the entire building are kept up-to-date

Client

Stanhope / Lend Lease / Rothschild

Period

2009 to present

Services

• Inteli-Scan
• theyWRITE
• CAD Modelling

Located in the heart of London’s Square Mile, New Court was developed for private bank – Rothchilds. Watson & Sole were appointed by Stanhope to manage the procurement of Record Documentation for the base build and fit-out phases of the project and deliver Inteli-Scan to the client.

Along with the maintenance of the Inteli-Scan documentation suite, Rothschild’s decided to engage us to compile 2D Models of their office floors.  These were created from the diverse set of As Built Drawings available.  The models permit consistent updating of the drawings when moves and changes and small technical projects are carried out.

Client

Sky

Period

2010 to present

Services

• Inteli-Scan
• WeWRITE
• weUPDATE

W&S commenced work with Sky on their Osterley Studios.  With further development of their Campus at Osterley we were specified as framework handover information managers for the development and to capture their satellite site documentation.  Inteli-Scan now supports their operation of 30 Buildings.

Sky also chose us to support the Asset Information and linking (AIM) within their BIM programme for the Osterley masterplan.

Client

Faithdean plc. / Apple

Period

2010

Services

• theyWRITE

Apple Computer Corporation’s flagship UK store in trendy Covent Garden has been developed by Faithdean plc.  Watson & Sole were engaged by Faithdean to play catch-up and procure the O&M Manuals from a wide range of specialist sub-contractors.

Inteli-Scan features IOS APP for Resident Handbooks and Building Engineering Documents.

Client

Kings Mall-Retail SARL

Period

2013 to present

Services

• weLoad
• Library Services

With the planned redevelopment of the Shopping Centre and Theatre the client discovered that they had a basement archive of drawings that the design and construction teams needed easy access to.  W&S were appointed to scan and catalogue these files and load to Inteli-Scan for easy access throughout the project.

To this were added the new build and refurbishment records for ongoing use by Centre Management

Client

British Museum – MACE

Period

2010 to present

Services

• Inteli-Scan
• WeWRITE

The Landmark and RIBA London Award 2017 winner development extending the exhibition space and conservation facilities of the Museum is fully recorded on Inteli-Scan.

This project exemplified our fixed price commitment whereby we remained on standby to update the Record Documentation and Inteli-Scan during the extended de snagging, final commissioning and defects liability programme finally loading the final drawings and test records up to 5 years after the first handover of the project.

Client

Kier Build

Period

2010 to present

Services

• Inteli-Scan
• weWRITE

The Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) is a new research institute funded by the Gatsby Foundation.

W&S working with Banyard Consultants and Kier Build prepared the entire Operation and Maintenance Manual Suite, provided Commissioning Management and handed over Inteli-Scan to the Facilities Management Team

SLCU have continued to use Inteli-Scan since the completion of the project to assist the Facilities Management Team in their operation of the building.