Bell Contracting becomes 100% employee-owned, securing its long-term future in Gloucestershire

We are proud to announce an important new chapter in the history of K W Bell Group, as Bell Contracting has become 100% employee-owned through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).

The change took effect on 17th September 2026, with Bell Contracting Trustees Limited now holding 100% of the shares in Bell Contracting Limited on behalf of eligible employees.

For a business that has carried the Bell name for nearly 60 years, this is a significant milestone, and one that has been carefully considered with the long-term future of Bell Contracting at its heart.

Protecting what has been built

Bell Contracting began here in the Forest of Dean and has grown over generations into one of the region’s major civil engineering and groundworks contractors.

Throughout that growth, the business has remained firmly rooted in its local community, creating jobs, apprenticeships and career opportunities while building longstanding relationships with clients, suppliers and partners.

The move to employee ownership has been designed to protect those foundations: Bell Contracting’s name, independence, values and roots in the Forest of Dean, while creating a strong platform for the future.

Pete Bell, Managing Director of Bell Contracting, said:

“Bell Contracting may carry our family name, but its success has never been down to one person or one family alone. It has been built by generations of people who have worked hard, supported our customers and helped establish the reputation we have today.

“When we considered the future of the business, protecting its independence, identity and values was incredibly important to us. Employee ownership gives Bell Contracting the right structure to remain independent and continue providing good jobs and opportunities locally for many years to come.”

The same Bell Contracting

While the ownership structure has changed, the leadership and day-to-day operation of Bell Contracting remain unchanged.

Pete Bell continues as Managing Director, alongside Jason Bell and Stephen Jelf, supported by the existing Board of Directors and management team.

For our clients, suppliers and partners, it remains very much business as usual.

Bell Contracting will continue to focus on delivering safely, reliably and to the highest standards, while investing in its people, plant and future growth.

Pete added:

“Jason, Stephen and I are not stepping away. We remain fully committed to leading Bell Contracting and supporting its continued success. This is about protecting what previous generations have built while creating a strong platform for the next generation.”

Nearly 60 years – and looking ahead

Today, Bell Contracting directly employs 210 people, works with a further 122 directly engaged subcontractors and supports an agency workforce of approximately 200 people.

That scale makes the decision about the future of the company about far more than ownership.

It is about protecting livelihoods, retaining skills in our region, creating opportunities for the next generation and ensuring a successful Gloucestershire business can remain independent for the long term.

Employee ownership recognises the contribution generations of employees have made to Bell Contracting and gives the business a structure designed to protect that legacy for the future.

As Pete said:

“We are incredibly proud of Bell Contracting's history and excited about its future. The ownership has changed, but our leadership, values and commitment to our clients remain.”

What does this mean for the wider K W Bell Group?

The Employee Ownership Trust applies only to Bell Contracting Limited.

The Bell family continues to own and operate the other businesses within the wider K W Bell Group, including Bell Homes, Bell Plant, AccXel Construction School and The Belfry Hotel in Littledean.

For the wider Group, this milestone represents both a celebration of where Bell Contracting has come from and confidence in where it is going next.

Nearly 60 years of history. Generations of people. And now, a new chapter for Bell Contracting.