Audio recording of Roz Collier (b. 1972) and Matthew Lappin (b. 1971)

Both RC and ML recall the interview process for their jobs, their first impressions of David Lock Associates and the people who worked there and the difficult process of settling in and being accepted in their new jobs. There was not a very good induction process in place as there is today, nor a good support network for new staff and people either sank or swam. There was however a lively social life, with ‘it’s Friday evening and we’re all going out’ being a good time to get to know new colleagues. They also talk about fund raising events, the Christmas Party, picnics and the training away days in France. They both discuss the ‘house band’ ‘The Beaulocks’, the brain child of David Lock, and memories of firm social events that they have played at, as well as at staff weddings and birthday parties. RC talks about how she developed the library. There is a discussion about the ‘paperless office’. ML talks about the shift in outlook and approach from public to private sector where it’s all about charging your time, projects are run within very tight specific budgets.
RC now has a role in tendering for new work and she appreciates that at David Lock Associates has given her (and others) ‘licence to morph’ – to grow and change. ML believes that it is was easy to spot a David Lock Associates master plan – they were ahead of the game, especially before David Lock became as Government Special Adviser – but now more doing it and it’s difficult to visually distinguish between them. But they believe David Lock Associates is more ‘maverick’, ‘left field’, ‘non-corporate’, ‘human and humorous’ – they push the boundaries more and doing and getting the best is more important than making large profits. They believe others perceive them as ‘a bit different’ to ‘the normal run of the mill rapacious consultancies.’
ML describes how they do regeneration projects, visiting places to get a first hand view and talking to people about what works and what doesn’t and teaching them to see that a place is a good place and helping them to identify the areas in which it could be better. He describes what he means by a good place – it has variety, is vibrant and lively, has an attractive urban environment that people want to live in and which has a sense of pride and purpose. Milton Keynes as a business address is discussed; well placed for regional business but difficult to recruit staff, particularly as there are a lot of Urban Design opportunities in major cities. Milton Keynes ‘is a Marmite sort of place, you either love it or hate it’. But, ‘it does get under your skin after a while’. Looking to the future ML thinks there will be a need to re-invent the new town and there will be greater awareness of sustainability issues – hopes David Lock Associates will be leading the way on that agenda.