My father, Alan Maddison, who has died aged 96, was a quantity surveyor who later moved into construction management.
His career highlight was probably the complete refurbishment of the Ritz hotel in London, begun in the late 1970s when it was bought by the conglomerate Trafalgar House. No major work had been done to the hotel since its construction in the 1900s. The first weekend of the new constructor’s commission saw the kitchens, basement and staff areas condemned under public health regulations, with the team given 48 hours to get it fit to avoid closure. After that, each room was refitted and redecorated – many with designs from leading interior designers – all while remaining open to guests.
