Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Paul Bence, managing director of Cheltenham builders merchant Bence Builders Merchants rubbed shoulders with the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer at a private garden party at 10 Downing Street hosted by David Cameron and George Osborne.
The invitation, which also included commercial director Carlwyn Coombes, came after the Chancellor visited Bence’s Cheltenham branch before the General Election.
Bence said: “I took little time in promoting the construction industry to Mr Cameron, and in our discussion he personally believed that the second half of 2015 will see a real spike in building works nationally. We briefly went on to discuss our company heritage and growth in our family business. At this juncture he said he had to leave as he had Obama on the phone, but we were then lucky enough to meet Larry, the PM’s cat on the way out!’
Coombes said: “Representing the merchant industry in the PM’s back garden was a great and humbling experience. Not many people get the opportunity to converse with the Prime Minister and Chancellor and it was a privilege to discuss current affairs and our business with them.”
