Nearly 50 years ago, M&Y started with a simple setup. It was no systems, no mobiles and no big teams. It was just one van, a set of ladders for 50p per week from the Littlewoods catalogue, one phone and a big commitment to showing up (no matter what time!)
When a call came in, it came through the house phone. Patricia (Gill’s mum) would answer at home, taking calls at all hours and directing Graham (M&Y Founder and Gill’s dad) straight back out again… sometimes the moment he walked through the door after a full day cleaning and repairing voids for local housing association MIH or Riverside Housing Association as it is known today.
And that’s how M&Y began, it was a family business built on hard work, resilience, and doing the right thing.
A full-circle moment at Grove Street
This week, Managing Director, and Graham and Patricia’s daughter, Gill Kelly returned to site with her parents by her side.
It had been 17 years since her dad retired and last stepped onto a construction site, and this time, it wasn’t a maintenance job or a small refurbishment. It was Grove Street, the largest scheme M&Y has ever delivered.
Phase 1 alone has brought 89 new apartments to Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter, part of a wider 304-home regeneration scheme in the heart of the city. Standing there together, and seeing the scale, quality and the bright and beautiful apartments what has been built by the business they founded half a century ago; well it was a moment that meant far more than a project milestone.
Ten years ago, M&Y made the decision to diversify into construction
Over the last decade, M&Y hasn’t followed your typical housebuilder path. Instead of repeating typical standard house types, the team have built a diverse portfolio. Which has included a church and community centre, steel frame apartments, traditional luxury homes for sale and complex mixed-use schemes, being committed to reflect, learn and develop on every project, and driving the teams forward with a transparent and continuous improvement attitude.
When M&Y first heard about the ambitious plan to deliver the biggest regeneration scheme in Liverpool for over 100 years, Gill did wonder would M&Y be able to put themselves forward to secure this work, ensuring client confidence that they would successfully deliver.
The first phase delivered 89 new homes on a tight and complex city-centre site, with protected trees and limited space adding to the challenge. It required constant coordination, problem-solving and adaptability. The development replaces ageing homes and gives residents (many of whom previously lived in the area) the opportunity to return to brand-new, high-quality apartments in a part of the city where affordable housing is limited.
We’re not just for profit
At the heart of Grove Street is something that has defined M&Y from the very beginning: people come first. From supporting Liverpool Women’s Hospital and working with a supply chain that is 94% local, to creating opportunities for young people through degree apprenticeships and site experience, the impact of the scheme reaches far beyond the site boundary.
For Gill, this is what matters most: “We’re not just about profit. We build to make a difference to lives and communities.”
This mindset is embedded across the business:
- Investing in apprentices and future talent
- Supporting local supply chains
- Creating meaningful social value, not just ticking boxes
- Encouraging diversity and opening up opportunities within construction
Gill’s journey hasn’t followed the typical path either. In an industry often shaped by father-and-son businesses, she stepped into leadership in a father-and-daughter partnership, which was extremely rare in this sector 30 years ago. Something that once felt like a challenge, over time, it became her superpower, as people remembered M&Y and the business was shaped with difference skills and decision making. By leading with honesty, resilience and a willingness to learn, she’s helped shape a culture where people are encouraged to be courageous and ambitious, learn from mistakes, adapt and grow… no matter their background or gender.
“You don’t need a certain background or degree to be successful – it’s grit, resilience and taking that leap of faith.”
And with future phases already planned, bringing even more homes and opportunities to the city. Nearly 50 years on, M&Y’s growth and legacy continues.
