Pre-tax profit climbs one third at Northern Ireland firm

Turnover at Northern Ireland contractor Graham edged closer to the £1bn mark with the firm seeing income jump more than £100m, accounts filed at Companies House reveal.

The firm, which is working on £25m revamp of the BBC’s base in Belfast, said income was up 16% to £853m. Pre-tax profit was up 38% to £11.3m in the year to March 2020.

Eton pool hall

It said cash at the bank and in hand has increased to £72.9m from £62.9m last year.

Graham, which is building a new Hopkins Architects-designed swimming pool (pictured) at Eton College, the £42,500-a-year public school attended by prime minister Boris Johnson, said its orderbook stood at £1.8bn.

Turnover at the business has grown 68% since 2016 but executive chairman Michael Graham said: “We remain focused on quality projects rather than chasing revenue. Our strategic approach to work winning has accounted for an exceptionally strong pipeline.”

Other schemes the firm is working on include a new hospital in Aberdeen and a new headquarters fit-out in Manchester.