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Hinkley Point Makes It Local

How a nuclear power station became a local business powerhouse.

The new Hinkley Point C power station has a challenge. Built to export energy to the entire country; creating 25,000 jobs during construction, and employing skilled workers from across the UK, and some even from all around the world; how could they Make It Local?

The answer – in terms of food service – is Somerset Larder, a caterer, set up to make sure that Hinkley Point staff enjoy the best locally-sourced produce, using fresh ingredients from Somerset and the wider West Country.

Now, MYA Consulting have been awarded the contract to work with Somerset Larder, giving a whole new look and feel to the existing restaurant facilities, and designing new retail shops and coffee shops for the entire site.

According to Steve Braithwaite, Managing Director of Somerset Larder:

“We chose MYA because they offered thought leadership in design, took time to understand the culture of our customers, and demonstrated a unique design flair for the project.”

Carla McKenzie, Managing Director of MYA, comments:

“The credit goes to our Head of Studio, Catherine Francis, who will be leading the project: she has a strong retail approach, and we’re planning to create a High Street experience inside this massive complex. Somerset Larder are on a mission to deliver the best food on a construction site in Europe. And because they ‘think local’, they will create an economic legacy for the region, which will live on long past the building stage. We’re delighted to be on board with this important project!”

  • We recently worked with the team at MYA on a bid for a tender for multiple catering sites. Their proactive, innovative and dynamic approach to the task was a breath of fresh air, and we were able to work systematically through a complex set of designs with an abundance of creativity and design options to consider. Throughout the whole process, the team at MYA were fully engaged and, above all, great fun to work with. I will definitely be working with the team again on future projects and would highly recommend them as design consultants.

    Steven Braithwaite, Managing Director, Somerset Larder
  • We recently had the pleasure of collaborating with MYA on the City of London School for Girls project at the Barbican, London. One of the standout aspects of MYA’s involvement was their swift, detailed, and highly effective coordination of design elements. MYA’s proactive approach, attention to detail, and dedication to achieving design harmony made them an invaluable partner in this project. Their ability to strategically align diverse design aspects contributed significantly to the success of the collaboration, reinforcing the importance of well-integrated teamwork in delivering high-quality solutions.

    Simon Spiteri, Director/Architect, Cowan Architects
  • The team, led by Carla McKenzie, were meticulous in every detail. They modelled the cleaning requirements to deliver the optimum solution for the facilities across EMEA, and really took time to understand the culture of our business. I have no hesitation in recommending MYA and its team – they are dedicated and innovative, and always go the extra mile.

    Natalia Ros Vargas, Office Team Leader, Booking.com
  • Carla and her team have broad experience in the industry. Apart from being very supportive in inventing (new) concepts, they also make use of their many years of experience when implementing these concepts. Their ultimate goal is to let people enjoy honest and good food.

    Marcel Bisselink, Owner, Daily Fresh Food, Galeen, Netherlands
  • Carla and her team worked tirelessly with us to ensure our very international and cross-cultural needs were met with great creativity and skill. They listened to us, responded to our needs and delivered above expectations.

    Angela Hencher, Director of Business Administration, Dulwich College, Shanghai Pudong
  • They are brave enough to challenge others in pursuit of the ultimate solution, whether it be behind the scenes with kitchen flow and catering management, or front-of-house service and design.

    Richard Russell, Catering Equipment Distributor Director, Western Blueprint
  • If all companies who serve the independent school sector had your breadth of vision and openness of mind, I have little doubt that the sector would be a richer and more exciting place to be.

    Phillip Godfrey, Bursar, Halliford School
  • During the negotiation process, Carla’s knowledge and expertise enabled our company to achieve a very strong commercial outcome, and some significant savings were yielded from the exercise.

    Penny Arnold, Commercial & Operations Director, Fusion Lifestyle