Page 26 - Oundle Life October 2024

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Ross Thain, Director of RTK Oundle is clearly excited about his new office – in a way, it’s a home coming for him...
When was RTK established? In 1991 as a chartered surveying practice. We have slowly morphed into a firm of (predominantly) architects with eight chartered professionals, further technicians and other staff.
What made you choose Oundle? I was at school here in the early 1980s and have had a strong attachment to the town ever since. Our first house was in Bulwick and my parents lived in the town for a short while. Having another office here just made perfect sense – even if for self indulgent reasons only.
Tell us more... Oundle has retained a very strong identity and core, despite pretty much doubling in size in the last 50 years. I look at places like Amps (I was in the same class as Philip’s brother Duncan) and it shows that the town has a lovely sense of historic solidity. I also had my first illicit pint in the front bar of the
(now derelict) Riverside Pub when I was 13. Plans to expand further? No – our Stamford
office has 14 or so staff and Oundle has four – that is plenty! I can honestly say that I would be lost without my very good colleagues.
Highlight of your day? When I was at the school I started rowing, and I never really stopped. So, the sad highlight of my day is sitting on my rowing machine and doing a 5k to keep myself sane. My wife thinks I’m mad.
Most challenging part of the job? The planning process, and the dire state that the system is in at the moment.
Any funny moments? We were doing a project in St Mawes in Cornwall a number of years ago. During a site meeting, the client wanted to establish the height of an adjacent hedge that would enable someone swimming
in the pool to see the Lizard Peninsular in the distance over the top of it. They talked for ages and couldn’t decide so I took off my suit, dived in wearing not a lot, and instructed the gardener
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Historic expertise with contemporary vision