Name: Henry Mitchell
Company Position: Founder & Managing Director of Clark Drainage
Industry Experience: 25+ years in drainage and wastewater management
Specialisations: CCTV drain surveys, drain mapping, emergency drainage services, commercial drainage systems
About Henry Mitchell
Henry Mitchell is the founder and managing director of Clark Drainage, one of the UK’s most trusted names in drainage services. With over two decades of hands-on experience in the drainage industry, Henry has built a reputation for technical excellence, honest pricing, and an unwavering commitment to customer service that has made Clark Drainage the first choice for thousands of homeowners and businesses across Britain.
From Apprentice to Industry Leader
Born in Glasgow on 17th December 1980, Henry grew up in a family where practical skills were valued and hard work was a way of life. His father, a civil engineer who worked on Scotland’s water infrastructure projects throughout the 1970s and 80s, would often take young Henry to construction sites during school holidays, sparking an early fascination with underground systems and the hidden networks that keep modern life running smoothly.
Henry attended Port Glasgow High School (1998) before going on to study at the University of Strathclyde (2003) before entering the drainage trade as an apprentice with a local Glasgow firm. It was a decision that would shape his entire career. Working alongside experienced drainage engineers, he learned the fundamentals of the trade from the ground up (quite literally!). From clearing blocked drains in tenement buildings to assisting on major commercial installations, Henry absorbed every aspect of the profession.
“Those early years taught me everything,” Henry reflects. “You can’t learn drainage from a textbook. You need to understand how water behaves, how different pipe materials age, how soil conditions affect drainage systems. That knowledge only comes from being in the trenches, sometimes literally standing in them at 2 AM on a freezing January night, solving an emergency for a worried homeowner.”
Founding Clark Drainage
After a decade working for established drainage companies across Scotland, Henry identified a gap in the market. Too often, he witnessed customers being overcharged, misled about necessary work, or left waiting days for emergency callouts. In 2008, at the age of 27, he took the leap and founded Clark Drainage with a simple mission: to provide honest, reliable drainage services at fair prices, available when customers needed them most.
The timing was challenging, launching a business during the financial crisis required courage and careful management, but Henry’s reputation for quality work and straight dealing quickly attracted a loyal customer base. Starting with a single van operating out of Glasgow, Clark Drainage grew steadily through word-of-mouth recommendations and repeat business.
“I never wanted to be the biggest,” Henry explains. “I wanted to be the best. When someone has sewage backing up into their kitchen at midnight, they’re not looking for the cheapest quote, they want someone they can trust to fix the problem properly, first time, without any nasty surprises on the invoice.”
Building a Nationwide Operation
Under Henry’s leadership, Clark Drainage has expanded from that single Glasgow van to a nationwide operation with 29 strategically located branches across England, Scotland, and Wales. Each location maintains the same standards Henry established from day one: 24/7 availability, no call-out charges, fixed-price quotations, and a team of fully trained, background-checked engineers.
The company now serves thousands of residential and commercial customers annually, from individual homeowners dealing with blocked drains to property management companies, local authorities, housing associations, and major commercial clients requiring ongoing drainage maintenance programmes. Despite this growth, Henry remains actively involved in operations, personally overseeing complex projects and maintaining the hands-on approach that built the company’s reputation.
“Every engineer who joins Clark Drainage trains alongside me or one of our senior team members before they attend a job independently,” Henry states. “Our reputation is only as good as our last job, and I won’t compromise on standards. When a Clark Drainage van arrives at your property, you’re getting the same quality of service whether you’re in central London or rural Wales.”
Technical Expertise & Specialisations
Henry’s technical expertise spans the full spectrum of drainage services. He has personally conducted thousands of CCTV drain surveys, developing an expert eye for identifying defects, root ingress, structural damage, and other issues that less experienced surveyors might miss.
This diagnostic skill is particularly valuable for complex commercial drainage systems and pre-purchase property surveys where accurate assessment can save clients significant expense.
His specialisation in drain mapping has made him a sought-after consultant for property developers, architects, and local planning authorities requiring accurate documentation of underground drainage networks. Clark Drainage’s GPS-referenced drain mapping service, developed under Henry’s direction, provides the precise drainage plans essential for construction projects, planning applications, and infrastructure management.
Henry has also pioneered the adoption of trenchless repair technology in the UK market. Techniques such as CIPP (Cured-In-Place Pipe) lining allow damaged drains to be repaired without excavation, preserving driveways, gardens, and flooring while reducing both cost and disruption for customers. “Why dig up someone’s garden when you don’t have to?” Henry asks. “Modern technology means we can solve most drainage problems with minimal invasion. That’s better for the customer and better for the environment.”
Industry Recognition & Contributions
Henry is particularly passionate about raising standards across the drainage sector, advocating for better consumer protection and more rigorous training requirements for drainage operatives.
“There are too many cowboys in this industry,” Henry says. “Homeowners deserve better. They deserve engineers who know what they’re doing, who won’t invent problems to inflate bills, and who stand behind their work. That’s what we deliver at Clark Drainage, and that’s what I want to see become the norm across the industry.”
Philosophy & Values
At the core of Henry’s business philosophy is a simple principle: treat every customer’s problem as if it were your own. This ethos permeates Clark Drainage’s operations, from the initial phone call to the final invoice. Engineers are trained to explain issues clearly, present options honestly, and never pressure customers into unnecessary work.
“Drainage emergencies are stressful,” Henry acknowledges. “Nobody wants to deal with a blocked drain or a collapsed sewer pipe. Our job is to solve the problem efficiently and fairly, not to add to the stress. If a drain can be cleared with a simple jet wash, that’s what we do, we don’t manufacture reasons to sell expensive repairs.”
This commitment to integrity has earned Clark Drainage outstanding customer reviews and an exceptional rate of repeat business. For Henry, these testimonials represent the ultimate validation of his approach: “Every five-star review, every customer who calls us back years later because they remember the good experience, that’s what success looks like to me. Not the number of vans in the fleet, but the number of people who trust us with their homes.”
Beyond the Business
When not solving drainage emergencies, Henry remains connected to his Glasgow roots. He is an active supporter of local youth apprenticeship programmes, believing strongly that the trades offer excellent career opportunities for young people. Clark Drainage regularly takes on apprentices, continuing the tradition through which Henry himself entered the industry.
Henry also contributes to community emergency response efforts, with Clark Drainage providing rapid-response services during flooding events and other drainage emergencies affecting vulnerable residents. “We have the equipment and the expertise to help when disaster strikes,” Henry explains. “It’s about being a good neighbour on a larger scale.”
Connect with Henry
For media enquiries, speaking engagements, or to discuss complex drainage projects, Henry can be reached through Clark Drainage’s head office.
Email: henry@clarkdrainage.com
Phone: 0808 164 0776
Website: clarkdrainage.com
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/henrymitchellclarkdrainage
