For our latest OL Spotlight we're delighted to feature Nick McLaren (1991), Director at Field & Lawn. Amongst many other exciting projects, Nick and his company are responsible for installing Oxford Street's iconic Christmas lights.

Q1. What does your job involve?

“I manage our festive lighting and placemaking division. This involves looking after our team of sales people, designers, riggers and operators across the UK. My role varies throughout the year and I add my support where it’s needed. Latterly, I am more involved in business and product development. We are responsible for all aspects of the festive lighting contracts we provide. This includes coming up with designs, manufacturing displays and then the ongoing project management for their delivery. During the months of October and November, we have over 100 people a night working on displays across the UK.”

Q2. What's the biggest project you've been involved with?

“Having set this division up around fourteen years ago, I now manage some of the largest festive lighting projects in the UK. These include the likes of Oxford Street, Bond Street and Covent Garden in London, and we are even responsible for providing and decorating the Christmas tree on the Mound in Edinburgh. We are yet to win the Musselburgh Christmas lighting contract… Outside of Christmas, we provide much of the city dressing around London when large events come to town.”

Q3. What do you consider to be your biggest success so far?

“Field & Lawn was founded in 1986 by fellow OL Cameron Stewart (1983), and we’re still well known as a marquee provider. However, we now generate more turnover in festive lights and placemaking than we do in tents, and it took a large leap of faith - and a lot of hard word - for us to try this. Then over the covid period, with all our event business cancelled, we found ourselves having to rapidly adapt. We ended up providing hand sanitisers across London, social distancing signage and a range of other solutions, which allowed the business to survive, and even thrive. This entrepreneurial nature and our ability look at opportunities as they present themselves led, in part, to the business being sold to a global events company in 2022.”

Q4. What's next for you?

“As the business continues to grow I am looking at new markets to develop, as well as pushing on the use of more sustainable products. I also enjoy seeing the team growing and developing which, in turn, frees me up to do more creative thinking (mostly from the golf course).”

Q5. What advice would you give to current Lorettonians?

“It’s difficult to know how your career will pan out or where you will end up. From my experience, the more you put in. the more you are likely to get out. Don’t be afraid to try new things and have fun doing so. I had no idea what I wanted to do when I left school (and still don’t), so make the most of the opportunities you are presented with.”

Q6. What’s your favourite memory from your time at Loretto?

“My memories of being at Loretto are positive and I remain proud to be a Lorettonian. I recently met the new Head and regaled him with stories of my time at school. The main strands of these were the strong sense of camaraderie and the enduring friendships I made. I regularly meet up with London-based OLs of the 1991 vintage and, whilst we are all now old and balding, it doesn’t feel at all like it has been thirty years since we left.”

Future OL Spotlights

To be featured yourself or to nominate someone else, please get in touch at society@loretto.com.