Phoenix from the flames

Olly Murs is playing at Powderham Castle and Devon Contract Waste will be clearing the site.

A major Exeter business has risen like a phoenix from the flames of a devastating blaze to ‘star’ in a series of prestigious summer concerts.

But fans watching Olly Murs and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Powderham Castle on consecutive nights this July will probably not even notice the firm’s presence.

For Devon Contract Waste (DCW) will be working mostly behind the scenes at the historic venue near the River Exe to keep the site clean and remove the rubbish generated by thousands of people.

This comes after a major fire in March at the firm’s Envirohub recycling centre at Marsh Barton, Exeter, which was battled by hundreds of firefighters.

The processing plant was destroyed by the fire but the entire DCW fleet was saved, enabling the company to continue to service its clients, emptying 7,000 commercial bins a week.

DCW, the Devon waste company, has secured the contract to clean up after the thousands of people have heard Olly Murs in concert at Powderham Castle.

Now, DCW has forged a partnership with a top concert promoter, Stephen C Associates (SCA), for the Powderham summer concerts by Olly Murs on Saturday, July 29 and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on Sunday July 30.

SCA managing director Stephen McManus said: “We had no hesitation in choosing DCW to work with us. The firm’s reputation is second-to-none and we were hugely impressed by the way they dealt with the catastrophic blaze and its aftermath.

“We have a huge responsibility to maintain the beautiful grounds of Powderham and DCW, despite the obvious difficulties caused by the fire, fitted the bill perfectly – especially because their ‘zero to landfill’ policy synergises with our green outlook.”

DCW was established in 1989 and provides commercial waste recycling and waste management services in Devon and Somerset, including Exeter, Plymouth, Torbay, North and South Devon, West Somerset.

Devon Contract Waste managing director, Simon Almond, said: “Since the fire that destroyed our Envirohub at the start of March, we have been delivering our Zero to Landfill services as normal.

“We continue to welcome new customers and I am delighted that SCA has asked us to cover the Olly Murs and BSO evenings at Powderham.

“We look forward to providing our usual exceptional service to return the grounds of the historic manor house to their pristine condition after the events.

“We are continuing with our recovery activities with the support of our customers, business associates and employees and are proud to remain the only Zero to Landfill supplier in the south west.”

Around 12,000 people are expected at Powderham to see Olly Murs on Saturday, July 29, when special guest is X Factor winner Louisa Johnson.

Tickets are £39.50 with Golden Circle tickets at £55, both subject to a booking fee. To book go to www.ollyatthecastle.co.uk/ or for hospitality bookings call 01202 255161.

The hugely popular Last Night of the BSO Proms on Sunday July 30, returning after a five-year absence, features acclaimed French conductor Victor Aviat and soloists, baritone Stephen Gadd and soprano Claire Rutter.

Tickets are £27.50 adults, £16.50 child (aged six to 16, under-sixes free), £75 family (2 adults, 2 children) and £95 for VIP hospitality. A booking fee applies. Car parking is free.

For more details or to book see www.promsatthecastle.co.uk. For hospitality packages, group bookings or queries call 01202 255161.