Mears Group

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Mears Group plc
LSE: MER
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HeadquartersGloucester
Key people
Jim Clarke (Chairman)
Lucas Critchley (CEO)
ProductsRepairs and maintenance, Care services, development, GIS & land referencing
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Websitewww.mearsgroup.co.uk

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Mears Group plc is a housing and social care provider. It repairs and maintains over 700,000 social homes across the UK.[2]

History

The company was founded in 1988 in Gloucestershire, where it is still based, was initially focused on the social housing sector as a contractor. In 1996, Mears Group was acquired by Bob Holt, who promptly took over management of the firm and embarked on an ambitious plan to greatly expand the business.[3] That same year, it was floated on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange as Mears Group plc. The late 1990s and early 2000s were a particularly prosperous time for the company; between 1996 and 2003, recorded profits increase at an annual compound rate of 42 per cent while its share value sometimes doubled within a single 12-month period, vastly outpacing the AIM average rates.[4][5]

Buoyed by strong financial performance, Mears Group adopted a strong acquisitive stance, albeit one that was largely restricted to within the facilities management sector, during this period.[6] In 1999, the installer Haydon & Co was its first large acquisition.[7] During 2007, Mears Group bought Careforce. One year later, the company was transferred to the main market on the London Stock Exchange.[8]

Despite events such as the Credit Crunch and the Great Recession, Mears Group continued to return strong results.[9][10] Throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, social housing was a particularly strong performing area for the business,[11][12] to the extent that management sought to expand the firm's presence in the repair subsector.[13] In contrast, the firm decided to withdraw from the solar photovoltaic market in response to decreasing feed-in tariffs.[14]

During 2011, the group took over more than 20 Home Improvement Services from Anchor; one year later, it acquired Morrison Facilities Services from AWG plc.[15][16] In 2013, the firm acquired Independent Living Services Scotland[17][18] and launched Mears Nurseplus, enabling the company to offer health services as well as social care. Nurseplus (specialising in the care of adult and paediatric service users with complex health conditions, both acute and chronic that require clinical intervention and management) was awarded a place on the NHS framework contract to supply staff into NHS establishments across Scotland in November 2014.[19]

In October 2014, it took over Omega Group Ltd., a private sector provider of residential lettings and management services to the social housing market.[20][21] In December 2014, Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust named the Group as the preferred bidder to run its Living Well@Home Services contract, integrating IT systems and deliver a range of community-based services for a minimum of five years.[22]

During June 2015, Mears Group bought Care UK's home care division, with about 6,000 employees for £11.3 million. Subsequently renamed Mears Care, it looked after roughly 13,000 people at that time.[23][24]

In December 2016, executive director Alan Long announced that the company was pulling out of contracts with local authorities because it could not afford to operate on the money it was being paid.[25][26] By June 2017, attributing its decision to challenging market conditions, Mears Group reduced the size of its care businesses by roughly 20 per cent; at this point, the housing sector was seen as a more viable business area.[27]

In December 2018, it was announced that, after 23 years as chief executive, Bob Holt was stepping down from active involvement in Mears Group and would be replaced by Kieran Murphy.[28][29]

In January 2019, it was announced that Mears Group would take over a Home Office contract to provide housing for asylum seekers in Glasgow from Serco.[30] At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic Mears moved 350 asylum seekers from living in their own private apartments to living in six hotels across the city, reducing their independence and reducing their ability to social distance, often being moved with little or no prior notice.[31] At the same time, the Home Office suspended the £5.37 per day support payment that they had been receiving, leaving asylum seekers fully dependent on the services provided by Mears, and in some cases unable to communicate with friends, family, solicitors or any external support.[32] Charities like Refuweegee and Scottish Refugee Council drew attention to the conditions that people were being held in calling on the UK Government and their contractor Mears to restore the support payments and move people back into private accommodation.[31]

On 5 May 2020, Adnan Walid Elbi, a Syrian refugee, was found dead in his room at the Mclays Guest House in Glasgow.[33] Elbi's father had been murdered by ISIS in 2018, his youngest brother was kidnapped by ISIS in 2019, and Elbi himself had been detained and tortured by Ansar al-Sharia.[33] Elbi had repeatedly told authorities about previous suicide attempts and ongoing suicidal ideation including the week before his death.[33]

In June 2020, Badreddin Abadlla Adam, a Sudanese asylum seeker being cared for by Mears in a hotel in Glasgow city centre stabbed three fellow asylum seekers, two hotel staff and a responding police officer with a knife.[31] Adam was shot dead by armed police officers but the six stabbing victims survived.[34] A report by the Home Affairs Select Committee in July 2020 advised that asylum seekers "should not have been moved to new accommodation during the pandemic without justified and urgent reasons for doing so, or without a vulnerability assessment demonstrating that the move could be made safely."[31]

In August 2020, Mercy Baguma was discovered dead in her Govan flat beside her one-year-old child.[35] Baguma had been working in a restaurant to support herself, but after her leave to remain had expired she wasn't allowed to work, meaning she was dependent on others for support including the asylum system.[36][37]

In January 2020, it announced that Mears Group intended to sell its domiciliary care division, which employed 1,500 people across 18 branches in England and Wales and 1,000 people across 16 branches in Scotland at that time; the firm stated that it would to concentrate on the provision of housing with care.[38] Accordingly, the division was sold to Cera Care one month later.[39]

In July 2020, Cornwall Council confirmed Mears Group as lead strategic partner for the delivery of extra care in Cornwall with a seven-year agreement for 750 extra care housing units worth £150 million.[40]

Political involvement

Mears Group was nominated as a Social Mobility Business Compact ‘Champion’ after signing the Social Mobility Business Compact, set up by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in 2011, to encourage employers to offer young people fair and open access to employment opportunities.[41]

The group, with the Local Government Information Unit, supported a report, in December 2014 by former care minister Paul Burstow calling for home care workers to be given key workers status and a living wage.[42]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Annual Results 2025". Mears Group. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears Group to oversee Flowgroup microCHP boiler installations". Heating and Ventilation News. 13 August 2013. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Maintenance of a high ambition". theconstructionindex.co.uk. 13 January 2005.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Judge, Elizabeth (10 October 2003). "Mears beats index and takes AIM award". The Times.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Boardroom Sweep: Mears boss sells £8m share stake". citywire.com. 16 December 2005.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears stakes its future on extensive range of services". constructionnews.co.uk. 11 April 2002.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears sells Haydon to management team for £1". theconstructionindex.co.uk. 5 November 2013.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Interview with Mears Group chief executive Bob Holt". Growth Business. 28 July 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Whitten, Nick (10 March 2009). "Mears Group sales up by more than a third". constructionnews.co.uk.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears Group trading in line with expectations". constructionnews.co.uk. 8 January 2009.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Hawkes, Alex (9 March 2010). "Social housing boosts Mears revenues". constructionnews.co.uk.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lowery, Dave; Sidders, Jack (2 November 2010). "Mears reaps rewards of social housing shake up". constructionnews.co.uk.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Whitten, Nick (6 May 2010). "Morrison eyes bigger role in repairs". constructionnews.co.uk.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Pitcher, Greg (10 November 2011). "Mears withdraws from solar market". constructionnews.co.uk.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears buys Morrison Facilities Services". Facilitate Magazine. 8 November 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Berkin, Chris (19 March 2013). "Mears posts record revenues despite Morrison losses". constructionnews.co.uk.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears acquires domiciliary care business". HealthInvestor. 22 April 2013. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Fitzpatrick, Tom (19 April 2013). "Mears buys Scottish homecare firm for £22.5m". constructionnews.co.uk.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears Nurseplus to provide Nurses and Healthcare Assistants for NHS Scotland". 24 Dash.com. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."BPE Solicitors named as legal experts in £40m Mears Group plc takeover deal". Gloucestershire Echo. 17 October 2014. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Fitzpatrick, Tom (15 October 2014). "Mears acquires social housing services firm Omega". constructionnews.co.uk.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears Group named preferred bidder on NHS contract". Health Investor. 15 December 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears Group acquires Care UK's domiciliary care service for £11.3m". Health Investor. 1 June 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Smulian, Mark (1 June 2015). "Care UK sells domiciliary services". lgcplus.com.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Today's running order". BBC – Today. 14 December 2016. Archived from the original on 13 December 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  26. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Long, Alan (30 August 2016). "Why my company is handing homecare contracts back to councils". theguardian.com.
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Schouten, Charlie (27 June 2017). "Mears makes cuts to care business but retains housing push". constructionnews.co.uk.
  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Hopkins, Jon (19 December 2018). "Mears names financial services veteran to replace Bob Holt as chairman from January 2". proactiveinvestors.co.uk.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears finally parts ways with Bob Holt". theconstructionindex.co.uk. 19 December 2018.
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Serco loses contract to house asylum seekers in Scotland". The Ferret. 8 January 2019. Archived from the original on 14 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  31. ^ a b c d Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Trilling, Daniel (18 October 2020). "From Sudan to the Park Inn: the tragic story of a migrant's killing". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Covid-19: Support and Accommodation for Asylum Seekers". UK Parliament Hansard. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  33. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Qureshi, Robina (21 June 2020). "Adnan Walid Elbi: How one refugee's journey ended in tragedy". The National. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  34. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."BBC blasted for false reporting of three deaths in Glasgow stabbing". The National. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  35. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mercy Baguma: Govan mum found dead next to 'starving baby'". BBC News. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  36. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Third tragedy hits Glasgow refugee community". Scottish Housing News. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  37. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."'She was a rainbow': Friends paint fuller picture of Mercy Baguma". The Guardian. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  38. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mears Group to exit domiciliary care operations". Homecare Insight. 21 January 2020. Archived from the original on 10 March 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  39. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cera Care joins top 15 with Mears Care acquisition". Home Care Insight. 3 February 2020. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  40. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cornwall Council agrees partnership with Mears Group to deliver £150m extra care scheme". Homecare Insight. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  41. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."UK employers set a new benchmark for social mobility". Business Quarter. 20 November 2014. Archived from the original on 1 January 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  42. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Home care nearing 'crisis' point warns report". Local Government News. 2 December 2014. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.

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