WHAT LIES BENEATH CLARIDGE'S

Lees Associates’ partners, Andrew Paulson and Kathryn Archer, were yesterday privileged to be given a private tour around the incredible 5-storey basement excavation project currently nearing completion under Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair by Michael McGee, Director of contractors McGee.

The project is truly unique and - quite literally - ground-breaking. Andrew and Kathryn learned how every pile and column was dug entirely by hand by actual miners! But most impressive of all is that the hotel has continued to function completely as normal throughout, even while propped up on hydraulic jacks!

Many experts said it couldn’t be done but McGee have pulled it off magnificently. We take our hats off to them.