Fife furniture firm delivers £1.6m contract for high performing school

A Fife furniture firm has delivered a £1.6 million contract for one of Scotland’s highest performing secondary schools.

Dunfermline-based Deanestor has fitted out 228 rooms across the new Boclair Academy in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire.

The £40.9m school for 1,000 pupils was designed by Ryder Architecture and built by McLaughlin & Harvey.

This was Deanestor’s fourth project for the builder following earlier fitout projects at Hopefield Primary School in Midlothian and two primary schools in the Borders.

Over 3,000 furniture items supplied

The Enterprise Way firm provided fitted and loose furniture, including teaching aids, lockers, ballet barres and laboratory fume cupboards.

Its team manufactured bespoke items, including a solid oak reception desk, storage cabinets, booth seating, benching and lockers.

McLaughlin & Harvey senior project manager Neil Kemp said: “Despite the challenges of Brexit and the Covid pandemic, the project and the fit out went very well and we were able to hand the new campus over early.

“The quality of the furniture manufactured by Deanestor met our expectations and requirements.

“The finished school looks fantastic, particularly the open plan spaces. Staff and students at the academy are delighted with their new facility.”

Nearly 3,000 items of loose furniture were also supplied as part of Deanestor’s contract, such as tables and chairs, dining tables, modular soft seating, mobile storage, and over 300 sofas.

Deanestor contract delivered well

The new academy has a double-height entrance atrium, flexible learning zones, performance spaces and improved outdoor sports facilities.

Natural colours and tones feature to complement the surrounding landscape and there are views into the hillside.

Architect Charles Riach at Ryder Architecture said the finished school is “outstanding”.

“The design both internally and externally references the quality, textures and colours of the surrounding architecture and landscape,” he said.

“Deanestor has once again delivered the brief and the design for the furniture and fitout, and their team worked well with us at each stage.”