London Museum

Project Overview

Schedule of Work (December-January)

Poultry Market 

• Continuation of mechanical and electrical plant installation, including security.
• Completion of basement AHU installation.
• Completion of glazing and copper roofing, commencement of flat roofing.
• Continuation of fit out works. 

West Poultry Avenue 

• Completion of internal & external fixed portal glazing
• Completion of the ground floor slab.
• Installation of services.

General Market 

• Continuation of commissioning and environmental testing. 
• Ongoing fit out works, including decorations.
• Installation of lifts, cabling & 2nd fix services.
• Striking of temporary roofs & access scaffolds.

Construction Update  

The London Museum continues to take shape, with the General Market currently in fit-out stage whilst substantial progress is being made in the Poultry Market.
 
100% of concrete has now been poured and all structural steel has been installed. Façades are beginning to take visible form along Farringdon Street and behind the site hoarding.
 
In the General Market, mechanical and electrical installations are near completion, and underway in the Poultry Market, with various works happening from ductwork, cable pulling and lift installation. Progressing from the previous construction update, the Poultry Market's underfloor heating is now partially complete.
 
On site, the crane has been removed to accommodate glass installation, before returning in December to continue assisting with offloading material onto the roof. The construction site continues to operate from 8am to 6pm every weekday and 9am to 2pm every Saturday, with extended hours declared above.

Environmental

Restoring Key Building Materials

With the construction industry continuing to consume finite resources, our project has been able to refurbish and reinstall Sapele hardwood timber taken from the existing building for the façade. Our trade contractors have also restored Portland stone plinths and ashlar blocks. The environmental impact of reusing the stone has been ~31 tCO2e to date, with more expected as the project progresses, in addition to the natural benefits of avoiding further quarrying.

Social Value 

Social Value – London Museum 

A wide range of initiatives have been implemented by Sir Robert McAlpine throughout this project to generate Social Return on Investment (SROI), including local employment, charity partnerships, educational talks, and work experience programmes. Since the project's commencement, the following activities have been delivered to support its SROI goals:  

• Educational visits and Open House events 
• Charitable giving 
• Local job creation 
• Mentoring 
• Work placements

We endeavour to implement social value on all our projects and leave a positive lasting legacy. For this project we have some ambitious projects and have already funded £34,962 to local charities based in London.

Our most recent Charitable efforts include the delivery of the SRM Strong Foundations Grant with Action Funder. In November 2025 our project donated £10,000 worth of funding to the following community groups and charities in our local area: 

• Islington Refugee Warm Kitchens Project, Islington Mind
• Cooking Club, Copenhagen youth project 
• Courtyard Sensory Room Development, SMMA: The Courtyard 
• St Jude's Community Garden Food Growing Project - deprived adults learn skills and confidence to grow food in urban settings and small spaces; providing a measure of food justice and food security, TGC (The Garden Classroom) 
• Safe Table, Safe Minds – Angel Food and Wellbeing Project, Food for the Homeless Project

Our project is also currently collecting Christmas gifts for the ELBA and Big Alliance Toy Appeal 2025, ensuring disadvantages children in Islington and East London receive a present this Christmas.

We are actively tracking our social value employment and skills metrics as the project progresses. As of the end of October 2025, we are pleased to share our performance against the established targets. These figures will serve as a foundation for future updates, particularly as we prepare for the introduction of new trades on the project as we approach different phases. 

This marks the completion of the projects S106 obligations to the City of London. However, we will continue to demonstrate high levels of social value and aim to continue our work in the community to go above and beyond expectations!

Social Value Case Studies

Case Study 1: Work Experience  

CYT Paviors Building Future Skills 

Our London Museum project in partnership with The Worshipful Company of Paviors’ and Construction Youth Trust hosted 16 students from local schools across Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Lewisham and Westminster, who took part in a Building Future Skills programme designed to give them insight into the construction design tender process.

Individuals participated in the following activities: 

Interview skills, Mock interviews - Discussed the most asked interview questions, students are provided potential answers. Students to undertake a Mock Interview,  

Volunteers provided valuable written feedback after each interview.   

Careers Networking Activity - We find students get the most out of the industry networking session if they have a variety of different professionals to talk to.  For example, those that have followed the apprenticeship route and those with university backgrounds. 

Stakeholder engagement - Students act out different roles in a community engagement meeting where development concerns are raised 

Design & Build - Students to design and construct their proposed building, each member of the group allocated a role. 

Islington College 

Sir Robert McAlpine hosted multiple work experience placements at the London Museum project from Islington College in 2023 and 2024 which allowed the students to gain valuable work experience with various teams.

Students shadowed members of the project team completing the following activities: 

Health and safety talks, Scheduling, Environmental CO2 deliveries mileage carbon emissions, Shadowing ductwork, witness tests, working alongside Engineers. 

Engineering students would also complete an engineering workbook based on the McAlpine project. 

All work experience students have various site tours learning about different aspects of the project.  

Mayors Fund for London

Supporting our local communities is important to SRM. Working with the Mayor’s Fund for London, a charity that champions opportunities for young Londoners facing the biggest barriers. SRM’s London Museum Project hosted a week’s work experience for eight students from across London. 

As well as the opportunity to visit a live construction site the work experience provided students with the opportunity to engage with the various members of the team who have undertaken different career paths within the construction industry and participate in activities mirroring the different job roles. Ed McAlpine Chairman and Executive Partner of SRM and Chair of The Construction Youth Trust, passionate about widening the talent pool within the industry, heard from the students about how their work experience had challenged their thoughts about the construction industry. “Site was clean and well organised.” “The Construction Industry has many opportunities.” 

The students were able to use the skills and knowledge gained across their work experience week to compete in teams to redesign Oxford Street. Below the winning team - JLMR Construction Company.

Key learning outcomes:   

• Communication: Enhanced ability to express ideas and information.  
• Teamwork: Work effectively with peers and professionals.  
• Confidence: Build self-assurance by facing new challenges.  
• Interpersonal Skills: Improve interactions with diverse groups.  
• Organisational Skills: Learn to manage tasks and time efficiently.

Case study 2: Apprentice

In a world facing a growing skills gap, we hire for attitude and train for skill. A blend of practical and theoretical learning allows apprentices to develop the necessary skills and expertise to thrive in the construction industry, focusing on transferring goals into achievable steps, keeping track of personal development. Recruited through Construction Youth Trust, our newest apprentice Khadir, was employed by Phoenix ME subcontractor, Envirotek Construction Limited on a L3 Plumbing Apprenticeship.

Envirotek have provided a solid foundation for Khadir to build skills and competency in his chosen field.

The Apprenticeship will offer Khadir: 

Practical skill development: provide hands-on training that allows Khadir to develop practical skills directly applicable to Plumbing.  

Earning while learning: allowing Khadir to earn income while he acquires valuable skills and knowledge.  

Industry recognition and career advancement: Completing an apprenticeship demonstrates dedication, competence, and commitment to professional growth.  

We use an inclusive recruitment process, promoting diversity by actively encouraging underrepresented groups, such as women and minorities, to pursue careers in construction through our ‘Meet the Employer’ days.

Case study 3: Meet the Employer

Our recent Meet the Employer session in partnership with DWP engaged a group of local long term unemployed individuals, SRM invited Trade Contractors to participate to maximise a variety of opportunities for job seekers. 

The session helps to develop construction skills and employability of the future workforce as well as promote vacancies across this project, whether FTE or Apprenticeships.  

The following were benefitted:  

• 50 local unemployed individuals engaged via local JCP. 
• 35 individuals attended information session. 
• 21 individuals participated in the meet the employer session. 
• 8 out of 21 participants had not thought of a career within the construction industry.

6 individuals gained employment on London Museum project.

KM – Electrical Apprentice, first job since college. 

MM - Plumbing Labourer 

LE – Electrical Labourer 

SM – Electrical Labourer 

NN – Electrical Labourer 

AR – Traffic Marshall, was disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

Part of our Social Value purpose on our meet the employer session is to further address digital poverty. We look further and support those most in need where identified, creating additional impact for individuals recognised to be living in digital poverty, by donating laptops to individuals who do not have computer access at home.

Case Study 4: Digital Inclusion 

We recognise the importance of integrating digital inclusion into our social value delivery and offering robust support with hyper local led solutions to tackle the digital divide.  
Tech Take-Back is our key partner for laptop distribution who use a circular economy approach which helps us to demonstrate collective environmental and social impact. 

Reuse is defined as any operation by which products or components that are not waste are used again for the same purpose for which they were conceived.  

Extending the life cycle of products and materials through redistribution, refurbishment, repair, or repurposing—rather than discarding them as waste—aligns with the principles of the circular economy, resource efficiency, and sustainability. This approach helps reduce waste, conserve natural resources, minimise environmental impact, and support a regenerative system where materials remain in use for as long as possible.

Case Study 5: Tech Take Back COL Give & Take day 

Sir Robert McAlpine colleagues from the London Museum project volunteered at the City of London Corporation’s Recycling Team and Tech Take Back’s event at St Giles Church in Barbican.

This ‘give and take’ initiative reduced e-waste & enhanced digital inclusion within the local community. Residents dropped off unwanted household items and tech in the morning session and other residents come to take away what they wanted in the afternoon session. Anything that was left over was recycled by COL.  

All tech is data erased by TTB and then laptops are purchased once refurbished by companies to donate to community settings or individuals in need of a laptop.

Case study 6: Open House Festival on London Museum

The public balloted to join us for a special behind-the-scenes tour of London Museum’s new home at Smithfield, currently under construction. The public explored the formerly derelict Victorian General Market - including a section of the General Market ground floor, the basement, the vaults and former market shop units. They also had the opportunity to tour the Poultry Market, open to the public for the first time during its restoration, discovering how these magnificent spaces will be transformed into a world-class museum. 

Already more than 70,000 Londoners have been involved in the shaping and creation of the new museum – from the design of inclusive and welcoming public spaces, to collecting objects, and working with the museum team to create future displays. This number is set to rise to 100,000 by completion.

The public came and enjoyed a family day at the London Museum construction site.  

They had the opportunity to dress in PPE and climb aboard a tipper truck, take part in play cycles, enjoy arts and crafts activities, make music, and join storytelling sessions. They also spoke with the architects to learn more about our journey to create a new museum for London, and explored market objects and materials salvaged during the project. 

Case study 7: Physical Exercise

Champs Within is an initiative aimed specifically towards offering young people access to a healthy outlet for those in challenging socio-economic circumstances, offering new chances, and new opportunities. 

It is a great way for SRM to integrate with our supply chain and the young people who are participating.  

The sport has great benefits for many individuals to channel Mental Health such as anxiety and depression and is a significant way to relieve stress and improve physical health and wellbeing in ways that other activities cannot.

Case study 8: Royal Trinity Hospice Gardening

Swapping hi-vis for garden gloves to maintain Royal Trinity Hospice gardens in Wandsworth.  

We also contributed to items for the garden such as a birdbath to give visiting birds somewhere to wash and drink, a pond vacuum to give their fish a healthier living environment, saving the Hospice over £5,000.

A large rattan sofa to give patients somewhere comfy to sit with their family and some garden equipment to keep the gardens nice and tidy for residents.  

Royal Trinity Hospice gardens benefitted from a four-hour fly-by blitz thanks to a team of visiting tradespeople who came to snip, clip and trim areas. 

Staff from some of the UK’s largest building, construction and engineering companies took time out from working on site, to participate in a morning of gardening volunteering, switching high-vis for gardening gloves. 

Teams from Sir Robert McAlpine, Fujitec, HSS Hire, Severfield and Szerelmey spent time lending their time and skills across the two-acre site. 

Head Gardener Graham Scott was also awarded £1000 worth of brand-new garden equipment, after Social Value Manager, Bobby-Jay Lorraine from Sir Robert McAlpine surprised him with the news that everything on his garden wish list had been bought.

Case study 9: Holy Sepulchre Church

Weekly lunch for an elderly social group at The Holy Sepulchre Church, Holborn. Provided Deli Sandwiches and snacks, from a small local Italian café.  

Shared mealtimes create a sense of community and belonging, allowing older adults to connect with peers, contributing to improved mental and emotional well-being. The group thoroughly enjoy coming together and sharing stories. 

Coming up at The Holy Sepulchre 

May/June 2025 - Free Tote Bags (including toiletries and giveaways) for homeless individuals that visit the church daily.

CCS Table

Gold Award with City of London Considerate Contractor Scheme 2025