March 2015 saw us returf Cathedral Green for the third time following the annual Christmas Market. The Cathedral was keen to employ local businesses and had selected County Grounds Maintenance in 2014 and again this year, with turf supplied by us.

David Burdick of CGM inspected the 3000 square metre site with our Vernon Hockley and then produced risk assessments and method statements to take account of members of the public using the space and employees operating equipment safely. The job was broken down into how each operation would be done safely with banksmen in place to monitor. Machinery was used before 9am and then kept in cages while only turf laying was performed during the day to make for the safest environment. In this way all of the paths across the Green remained in full use during the work.

We delivered early each morning before the Exeter rush hour and used the system of planks arranged by CGM to cross the space with our forklift and place pallets of turf at specified intervals ready for laying. After CGM had finished laying all the turf, in both 2014 and 2015 there was a spell of dry weather and they were able to advise the Cathedral on watering. The area was taped for 3 weeks to enable the turf to “take” and then opened to the public. It had been crucial for the process to be successful as it had to be ready for events scheduled outside the Cathedral in June.

The only unforeseen difficulty with the job was that the great population of city centre seagulls wanted to lift up a few corners of the newly laid rolls to see if some tasty worms were sheltering underneath. And then didn’t have the good manners to replace them. But the grass roots grow quickly at that time of year so it wasn’t too serious