A painting and decorating contractor in Huddersfield has been working on some of Britain’s finest buildings.

Ramsay Clay, which was founded in 1946, has completed work on major projects at Westminster Abbey and Doncaster’s Mansion House.

Now it has strengthened its reputation by securing accreditation from the Safecontractor scheme for its commitment to achieving excellence in health and safety.

The firm, based at Bath Street and employing 14 people, handles specialist restoration and ecclesiastical works as well as domestic and commercial.

Ramsay Clay was engaged by York-based specialist contractor William Anelay to work on a £1m-plus project at Westminster Abbey.

The Huddersfield team applied protective coatings to the walls of St Dunstan’s Chapel, named after the Bishop of London who brought the first monks to Westminster in 960 AD.

Ramsay Clay also worked for the same contractor – applying gilding to the ornamental features at the Mansion House in Doncaster as part of a six-figure seven-month contract to renovate one of only three civic mansion houses in England.

Nathan Clay, director of Ramsay Clay, said: “We have done a lot of heritage work.

“We were working at the abbey for four months. All our guys were from Huddersfield and they stayed locally. The client was absolutely delighted with the job they did.”

He added: “You couldn’t get a much more prestigious building than Westminster Abbey – unless it’s Buckingham Palace!”

Huddersfield painter and decorator Ramsay Clay has completed work to apply gold leaf to architectural features at the Mansion Hosue in Doncaster

Commenting on the Mansion House scheme, he said: “It now looks like one of the seven wonders of the world. It was on the back of that we got the job at Westminster.”

Mr Clay said he hoped the firm’s Safecontractor status would provide contractors with confidence in Ramsay Clay’s high standards.

Among local projects, Ramsay Clay has helped restore the historic Almondbury Conservative Club building and helped upgrade of bedrooms at the Briar Court Hotel in Birchencliffe.

Safecontractor accreditation demonstrates a firm’s commitment to safety and is viewed positively by its insurers when the company liability policy is up for renewal.

The scheme applies to most industry sectors, but is particularly relevant to food manufacture, property, facilities management, retail and leisure sectors, all of which are big users of contracted services.