Landmark given new lease of life by cleaning team

In just six days, a local business breathed new life into one of Ilfracombe's most iconic structures — and in the process proved just how far a once-humble family trade can go when passion meets precision.

- by LEWIS CLARKE

When Rohan Radford first took over the family business in 2019, he wasn't inheriting an empire. He was taking on what had started as a part-time window cleaning venture, the sort of small operation cobbled together after hours by his father-in-law. Fast forward a few years, and Rohan has transformed it into a full-time, fast-growing enterprise now trusted with some of North Devon's most high-profile cleaning contracts.

At just 31, Rohan is already making waves — or rather, sprays — in the world of exterior cleaning with his company E&R Exterior Cleaning. His latest project? Restoring Ilfracombe's Landmark Theatre to its former glory. "We got asked to take a look at the Landmark because it hadn't been cleaned for a number of years," he recalls. "It was going to be a large-scale clean."

It wasn't just another job. It was a test of his team's capabilities and a challenge with plenty of public attention.

Cleaning the Landmark was no small task. Plagued by years of neglect, the building was covered in black algae, graffiti, and a particularly stubborn foe: aspergillus niger, an aggressive organic growth that can eat away at brickwork if left untreated.

"The condition was quite poor," Rohan admits. "We wanted to make the people of Ilfracombe proud."

With safety and effectiveness front of mind, the team used specialist HSE-approved chemicals, sprayed using high-level nozzles, followed by a thorough rinse. For the harder-to-reach spots, they deployed cherry pickers. "From start to finish the job took six days, with 5am starts," he adds.