With next year in reach and Britain preparing to leave the EU on 29th March 2019, there's a stale air of uncertainty lingering over the nation as Theresa May works on a Brexit deal. Currently, much scepticism is emerging surrounding May's deal not only from dubious citizens but also from economic forecasters such as the Bank of England, which predicted that if the country voted to remain within the EU, gross domestic product (GDP) would have grown by at least 1% within five years' time¹.
With an expected departure date in plain sight, the construction industry's concerns over Brexit-related matters not only include skills shortages, labour deficiencies and price hikes of materials but also disquiets over how British businesses within the UK construction realm will continue to bid for work, goods and services within the EU. FC&A has talked to two representatives from top transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson regarding construction and EU procurement in a No-Deal Brexit scenario. Katherine Eddon, Head of the Public Procurement Unit, and Michelle Essen, Managing Associate Practice Development Lawyer, look at the industry's concerns surrounding EU bids and reveal if the Government has provided clarification in the event of a No-Deal Brexit. Turn to pages 26-27 to read up on their account of a No-Deal Brexit.
Elsewhere in this issue, FC&A explores two very different yet remarkable UK-based projects. Firstly, on pages 44-45, Howells Patent Glazing talks through the history of one of the UK's most popular theme parks, Alton Towers Resort. In this article, the glazier discusses the preservation of the site's historical features and explains how it met the pencil-line requirements of English Heritage when creating a glazing package for the park's Gothic Revival architecture. Meanwhile, on pages 34-35, Carlisle Construction Materials explains how it met the spec at the outstanding new premises of a world-renowned Scottish distiller.
Finally, on behalf of the team at FC&A's publishing house, Mixed Media Information, I'd like to wish all our readers a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.