Flagpole maintenance

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Laura Kay — Leave a comment

Reaching the Flagpole at Reading Minster with a Cherry Picker

Flag pole on top of Reading Minster Church tower

When the flagpole at Reading Minster of St Mary the Virgin needed attention, the challenge was immediately apparent. The pole sits at the very top of the church tower, high above one of Reading’s most prominent historic buildings in the heart of the town centre. Reaching it required careful planning, the right equipment and the experience to coordinate a large-scale access operation in a busy urban environment. Hampshire Flag Company carried out a full service and halyard replacement in July 2025.

The Challenge

The flagpole at Reading Minster sits at the top of the church tower, placing it well beyond the reach of any standard access equipment. Getting a cherry picker capable of reaching that height into position in a town centre location added another layer of complexity to the job. The streets around the Minster are not designed with large plant in mind and the logistics of manoeuvring a machine of the required size into a workable position required careful advance planning.

The urgency of the job was compounded by the reason for the visit. The halyard had snapped, leaving the flagpole out of use entirely. For a church of Reading Minster’s standing and history, getting the pole back into service was a priority.

38 Metre Cherry Picker at bottom of Rading Minster Church Tower

Our Approach

Hampshire Flag Company arranged and coordinated a 38 metre cherry picker to access the flagpole at the top of the tower. At 38 metres, this is a significant piece of equipment and one that very few flagpole contractors would have the experience or connections to source and deploy for a job of this nature. Our team planned the access route and positioning carefully to ensure the operation could be carried out safely and efficiently within the constraints of the town centre location.

Once at height, our operatives carried out a full flagpole service covering a structural inspection of the pole and all its fittings, a complete assessment of all components, corrosion treatment where required and a thorough operational check. The snapped halyard was replaced in full, restoring the pole to working order and allowing the Minster to fly its flag once again.

Flagpole Halyard closeup

The Outcome

The flagpole at Reading Minster of St Mary the Virgin was fully serviced and returned to use in July 2025. The halyard replacement was completed at height in a single visit and the pole was left in excellent condition with all components inspected and treated.

This job is a good illustration of the breadth of access capability Hampshire Flag Company can bring to bear. From rope access on a quiet churchyard installation through to a 38 metre cherry picker in a busy town centre, we have the experience and resources to reach flagpoles wherever they are. If your church or historic building has a flagpole that needs attention, contact our team to discuss the best approach for your site.

Reading Minster Flag & Flagpole

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Posted on March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 by Laura Kay — Leave a comment

How We Saved Innovia Films a Five-Figure Scaffolding Bill

flagpole refurbishment without scaffolding

When Innovia Films needed their flagpoles fully refurbished, the location of the installation presented an immediate problem. The poles were mounted at the top of an eight-storey building, well beyond the reach of standard access equipment. The conventional solution would have been scaffolding. The quote for that scaffolding ran to a significant five-figure sum before a single component had been touched.

Hampshire Flag Company offered a different approach entirely.

The Challenge

Flagpoles mounted at the top of multi-storey buildings present one of the most common access challenges in commercial flagpole work. A mobile elevating work platform cannot reach that height safely. Erecting scaffold for a refurbishment job of this nature is technically possible but the cost is almost always disproportionate to the value of the flagpole work itself, which can make an otherwise straightforward refurbishment feel unaffordable.

Innovia Films needed the work done properly and needed a contractor who could solve the access problem without the ruinous scaffold cost.

Innovia flagpoles rooftop view

Our Approach

Our steeplejack-trained operatives laddered directly up the flagpoles to carry out the full refurbishment from height. Working from the poles themselves, the team fully stripped each pole back to bare material, removing all existing paintwork before repainting to a high finish. Alongside the cosmetic restoration, all worn components were replaced, corrosion was treated and the flag-flying mechanisms were fully restored to working order — all without scaffolding and in a fraction of the time that erecting and striking a scaffold structure would have required.

This is the kind of job where specialist access training pays for itself many times over. The work that needed doing was not especially complex. Getting to it safely and cost-effectively was the challenge, and steeplejack capability was the answer.

Innovia flagpoles on top of their building

The Outcome

Innovia Films received a set of fully refurbished and repainted flagpoles at a fraction of what the scaffolding quote alone would have cost. The saving compared to the scaffold route ran to a significant five-figure sum, a result that would not have been achievable without HFC’s specialist access capability.

For any building owner or facilities manager who has received a scaffolding quote that seems out of proportion to the flagpole work required, it is always worth contacting us first. In many cases we can access and complete the job for considerably less.

Hampshire Flag Company carries out flagpole refurbishment and servicing at height across the UK, including on multi-storey buildings, rooftops and other locations where standard access equipment cannot reach. Contact our team to discuss your requirements.

Innovia flagpoles rooftop view

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Posted on March 31, 2026March 31, 2026 by Laura Kay — Leave a comment

Bringing Bath Rugby Club’s Flagpoles Back to Life

When Bath Rugby Club contacted Hampshire Flag Company in the summer of 2025, their flagpoles had been sitting dormant for the best part of a decade. The poles at the Recreation Ground had fallen into disuse and, after years of neglect, required a full professional service and restoration before they could fly again. It was a straightforward brief on paper. Getting to the poles safely was anything but.

The Challenge

The flagpoles at the Rec are mounted on the stadium roof, which immediately ruled out the most obvious access solution. Bringing a standard access platform to bear on a rooftop installation of this kind was not a practical option, and for most contractors the combination of height and location would have been the end of the conversation.

For Hampshire Flag Company, it was simply a matter of using the right access method for the job.

Bath Ruby Club Poles before HFC servicing

Our Approach

Our steeplejack-trained operatives accessed the flagpoles by laddering directly up the poles themselves, carrying out the full service from height without any need for additional access infrastructure. Working this way, we were able to inspect every component, replace worn parts and restore the poles to full working order efficiently and safely.

The service covered a full structural inspection of each pole and its fittings, halyard examination and replacement where required, pulley and truck servicing, corrosion treatment and a complete operational test of each flag-flying mechanism. After years out of service, each pole needed careful attention to bring it back to the standard expected at a ground of Bath Rugby’s standing.

Bath Ruby club’s re-threaded flagpole

The Outcome

The flagpoles at the Recreation Ground were restored to full working order in August 2025, flying once again for the first time in almost a decade. The pitch was left completely undisturbed throughout the process and the work was completed in a single visit.

Hampshire Flag Company provides flagpole servicing for sports grounds, stadia and leisure venues across the UK. Whether your poles are rooftop, at height or in any other difficult location, our combination of IPAF-trained operatives and specialist access capability means we can reach them safely and get them flying again.

Bath rugby club’s newly installed cleat and halyard

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