Bohemia Village Voice

Gavin Holden of Holden Roofing

Gavin Holden (pictured) started up his own business, Holden Roofing, in 2006. Ask him what he likes about his job and he says, “I like being up there and looking at the views!” Gavin, of Cranbrook Road, has been roofing for ten years, including five years as an apprentice. He initially worked in Seaford, the town where he grew up, and moved to Hastings in 2003. He travels to Tunbridge Wells, Brighton and Eastbourne to work on residential properties, churches and schools. He recently worked on Norman Road Methodist church. On several occasions Gavin has found interesting old things in lofts; old bottles, newspapers, often from the 1920s and 30s, and old tools. “It’s great when you’re doing a roof which hasn’t been done for a hundred years and you find a bottle which the last roofer drank out of!” he said. Gavin also found a pair of pincers, called tile nibblers, in a pile of rendering, while he was doing a roof which had not been done for 120 years, and now uses them himself! Most of the newspapers he finds have deteriorated badly, but the one in the best condition just happened to be for the actual date that his grandfather was born; 3rd February 1934. “It was as if it was meant to be! My grandad was made up with it.”