JMS and the epic saga of Bedworth Water Tower

Anyone who visits the market town of Bedworth, near Coventry, cannot fail to notice the pagoda-like water tower that dominates the local skyline. Built in 1898, this Victorian landmark’s rich history has included storing the thirsty town’s water supply, a stint as a world war II watch tower, and being home to a pair of rare peregrine falcons. What you may not know is it also has a significant place in the pre-history of JMS, and, as we’ll explain, is set to be an exciting part of our future!

As our MD Daniel Staines explains: “Back in 1995, before I started JMS, I was involved in organising a charity abseil down the side of Bedworth Water Tower with a previous employer. Let me tell you, it’s hair raising looking down 150ft from the top of the tower. But I’m pleased to tell you that we collected a fair bit of cash for the George Eliot Hospital, and their scanner appeal. Besides my abseiling duties, I was also involved in the bold redesign of the tower at the time, which was set to be the jewel in the crown of an exclusive residential redevelopment in the area. That daunting view from the top was going to be the view from the penthouse.”

However, as anyone who has ever been involved in a large and complex project will tell you, sometimes there can be delays….

A few years later Daniel swapped leaping off water towers for charity to leaping into the world of business ownership when he formed JMS. Since then he has become successful on a national level with many huge and ambitious engineering projects, while the Bedworth Water Tower has remained empty, un-developed and forgotten. That is, until now.

New developments at Bedworth Water Tower

“We received an email recently, asking if we’d be interested in working on the Bedworth Water Tower,” Daniel explains. “And as it turns out, the developers were requesting our help to bring those very same plans I created all those years ago to fruition. That means the six two-bedroom apartments, and the three-level penthouse I drew up might finally come to pass. It was a real blast from the past, and it made me smile. It seems that some projects come and go, but others follow you around.”

And while the likes of the Spice Girls, Oasis and Take That from the same era may be showing their age these days, Daniel’s original plans for the building have basically stayed the same.

Does this mean Bedworth will finally get some use out of its striking but dormant landmark? All we’ll say is that JMS may be taking the leap, and this time we do not mean down the side of the building….

To find out more, visit www.jmsengineers.co.uk