Possible meets.... Phil McKenna

This week’s guest has been a friend of ours for some time, has business interests across some very different sectors and is one of the areas most “well kent faces”. In fact, he has such a diverse range of businesses doing well that we didn’t really know how to do it all justice in this opening intro. So rather than attempt it, we thought we’d just let the interview do the talking and what a great little interview it was too.

This week, Possible meets…. Phil Mckenna.

Can you tell us a bit about your business?

I have a few business interests including property, both commercial and residential, the commercial businesses include small hotels, a beauty salon, a fish and chip shop, an old bakery and most recently a former bank. I’m also a Director with local Blairgowrie Company, Graham Fire Protection and Managing Director of Graham Hygiene Services which myself and business partners started 11 years ago. Graham Hygiene Services is now one of the country’s most established kitchen deep cleaning and washroom service companies.

How has the last year, throughout the COVID-19 situation, been for you professionally and personally?

As most businesses have experienced over the last year the work environment has been extremely challenging. Most of our customers are hospitality based which has been absolutely decimated with the effects of Covid. As a result many of the hygiene services we provided weren’t required. We had to adapt our skillset very quickly within the hygiene environment and switched over to carrying out thorough Covid cleans for many of our customers including schools, care homes and offices. The service we provided not only kept our team busy and provided welcome revenue, but also provided our customers with a crucial service which provided staff confidence within the workplace. As a business April 26^th can’t come quick enough. I’m also desperate to sit in a beer garden and enjoy a pint of Peroni.

On a personal level Covid has also affected my lifestyle as I enjoy spending time in Spain at my 2^nd home. My travel plans have been severely curtailed during Covid, but to be honest I consider myself very lucky that myself and my family have stayed healthy during the last year. This is a luxury that hasn’t been afforded to all. No complaints from me at all.

Tell us about the first time you ever moved out of your family home and rented/bought your first property?

I was 17 when I left home and bought my first flat aged 18. Interest rates were 15% at the time and I remember my mortgage being more than half my wage, but getting on the property ladder was very important to me. Nobody in my family had ever owned a property previously, it was always council houses. I really wanted to break the mould. I had no idea what a mortgage was at the time, but did learn very quickly.

Which parts of Perthshire have you lived in and are there any that you liked the most?

I’ve always lived in Perthshire and was brought up in Rattray. I’ve stayed in Blairgowrie, Coupar Angus, Kettins and have been in the same house in Blairgowrie now for the last 14 years. I love it here. I’m very lucky to have all my family staying within a 6 mile radius of me. The house I’m in now is in a great area of Blairgowrie and I have amazing memories of my kids growing up here from teenagers to adults. My current house was one I always wanted when I was a kid delivering papers and milk in Blairgowrie. I remember as a 12 year old coming to the door and imagining it was mine, it was a dream of mine. Fast forward to 2007 and I came and knocked on the door and told the owner I wanted to buy his house, we made the deal that day. That was an interesting conversation when I went home and told my wife Liz. It also helps I’m 5 paces from Blairgowrie Golf Club.

What’s your favourite room in your home and why?

Without doubt the kitchen. It’s a real social space with a cooking island where I like to dabble. Having owned restaurants and chip shops I clearly like food far too much, it’s a tough cross to bear. I have a large table in the kitchen which can seat 10 people and it’s always where we congregate as a family.

In your opinion, what is it that makes a house a home?

You can have as much technology or beautiful décor or nice furniture as you like in a house, but nothing beats having your family around you. This for me makes my house a home. I love nothing better than when the kids and my granddaughter get round for a family gathering and the house is filled with noise and laughter. Unfortunately this hasn’t been the case in the last year, but we do have light at the end of the tunnel.

Why do you think Perthshire is such a popular location for buyers from all over parts of Scotland and the UK?

Perthshire has absolutely everything. From my house in Blairgowrie I’m one hour to Edinburgh airport. The scenery and walks are absolutely stunning, whether it be munro bagging, salmon fishing or golfing we have the best in not only Scotland, but the whole of the UK. The food scene is amazing too. There are countless excellent eateries all around Perthshire with an abundance of local producers. If we compare house prices in Perthshire to many other areas of Scotland we also get a lot for our money here, it’s perfect.

If you could have your dream home, anywhere in the world, where would it be and tell us a bit about what it might have in it and look like?

I love the house I’m in currently and to be honest I have exactly what I want here. We also have a place in Spain so I’m lucky to have the best of both worlds and can bounce between the two. The past year has taught us all to be thankful for what we have and appreciate the simpler things in life we’ve all taken for granted. Health and happiness are precious currencies. The houses we have are bonuses.

You can find out more about Phil and some of his businesses at:

https://www.grahamhygiene.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thechippycouparangus

Bringing over 20 years local estate agency experience, Possible are Perthshire's only company who are solely dedicated to selling properties. We cover the entire Perthshire area and over the years have helped hundreds of clients in locations such as Perth, Scone, Bridge of Earn, Auchterarder, Crieff, Blairgowrie, Luncarty, Bankfoot, Pitlochry and everywhere else in between.