Dozens of businesses attended our most recent networking event, held at the picturesque Seaham Hall Hotel. The event also saw Glenn Martin from Durham County Council give a presentation about the County Durham Economic Strategy, asking people to get involved in the...
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At Your Leisure: By Royal Invitation at the Royal George
The Royal George at Old Shotton has long been a firm favourite among the East Durham food scene so when we were given the chance the visit the popular eatery to sample a two-course lunch, we were more than happy to accept. EDB editor Leanne Fawcett shares her...
A fond farewell
In 2020, John Delanoy and Julie Stout launched Delanoy Funeral Services, which pledged to change the way funerals are conducted, giving people the send over they want and deserve. In that time they have managed dozens of funerals and have recently invested in a new...
Ask The Expert: Roger O’Brien
Roger O’Brien is the Research and Technical Lead for the £10.9 million Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing (SAM) Project. The SAM Project was set up to support the implementation of product and process development and the introduction of technology for SME...
LEC scores double sponsorship deal
Peterlee company and East Durham Business Network founding member LEC has agreed two annual sponsorship deals with grass-roots football teams. Communications and design firm, LEC, which is based at Novus Business Centre in Peterlee, has been confirmed as the new kit...
A twenty-year journey for twin brothers
Stuart and James Parkin started working at engineering firm Hiatco as 17-year-old apprentices in 2001. Two decades on and they’re celebrating as directors. In May 2001, Stuart Parkin started a new apprenticeship at Aluminium Welding & Fabrication company, Hiatco....
Welcome back… spa days
Nearly two years after my last visit to the wonderful Seaham Hall Hotel – a real gem in the North East’s crown - because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was with open arms and ready-to-be-pampered muscles that I returned for a much needed spa day. Anyone who knows me...
New venture is no scary business
EDB designer Alan Sawyers talks about his new ecommerce project and turning leisure into business. People have been turning personal interests into businesses for a long time. It’s nothing new. But for East Durham Business’s resident magazine designer, it’s becoming a...
Physiotherapist Targets Growth
A physiotherapist is going for growth within East Durham’s business community as he looks to make the transition from part to full time self-employment. With over 15 years’ experience within the health and wellbeing sector, Andy Atkinson launched his business,...
Seaham’s Best Start In Life
Finding the right nursery for your child can be one of the most difficult decisions to make as a parent. Seaham House Nursery, located on North Terrace, just a three-minute drive from Spectrum Business Park, offers unrivalled views of the beach and docks, creating a...
What’s Trending Now: Quaysar Rafique
Quaysar Rafique became a regular face at the East Durham Business Networks’ Zoom networking sessions during lockdown. He dropped by Novus Business Centre in Peterlee to chat to editor Leanne Fawcett about his company, The Will Guys. In this issue’s What’s Trending Now...
My Working Day: Hina Joshi
Hina Joshi is an adviser from East Durham Business Service, based at Novus Business Centre on Peterlee Business Park. In this issue’s My Working Day feature, we chat to East Durham Business Service adviser Hina Joshi, who has been with the Peterlee-based organisation...
My Down Time: Keith Gill
Keith Gill is one of the founders of Phileas Fogg, the Consett company that pioneered tortilla chips in the UK. In this issue’s My Down Time feature, we chat to Phileas Fogg snack brand founder and first-time novelist Keith Gill, who currently runs The Old Post Office...
Early Doors for Central Doorset Manufacturing
Earlier this year Central Doorset Manufacturing relocated its fast-growing business into the former Dewhirst building on the North West Industrial Estate in Peterlee. Just seven months on, the company now employs 25 people and has smashed initial targets, putting it...
Peterlee company Auxillis to create 40 new jobs
Peterlee employer Auxillis is creating 40 new jobs after two major business wins during lockdown. The first, a brand new partner and the second, a significant extension of services with an existing insurance partner. This growth means that Auxillis is already looking...
Peterlee social club and scout group recipients of manufacturing company’s community fund
Forty community groups across the North East – including Acre Rigg Social Club and 2nd Peterlee Scouts Group in Peterlee – have won a share of an £11,500 prize pot from the Venator Community Fund. The Venator Community Fund has now awarded over £50,000 to...
My Down Time: Paul Wellstead
Paul Wellstead is the commercial property developer behind Seaham’s Spectrum Business Park. In this issue’s My Down Time, we chat to the man behind Spectrum Business Park in Seaham, Paul Wellstead, to learn about how he unwinds away from work, who would play him in...
My Working Day: Alistair Cummins Macleod
Alistair Cummins-MacLeod is the Marketing Director at East Durham College, which has two sites in Peterlee and Houghall on the outskirts of Durham. In this issue’s My Working Day, Alistair tells us more about his diverse marketing and communications role, including...
Seaham firm engineers a positive future during pandemic
At the start of 2020, Nala Engineers was looking ahead to a positive 12 months, continuing to grow its client portfolio of regional and national clients, and strengthening its workforce to support ambitious plans for expansion. But then the ‘C’ word happened, and...
At Your Leisure: A Treat During Lockdown
Gateshead-based family business Beckleberry’s has diversified its business in response to the challenges it faced during lockdown. Prior to the pandemic, Beckleberry’s was quite literally a high-flying ice cream, sorbet, flan, tart, and patisserie provider - an...
At Your Leisure: Things We’ve Missed
As life begins to return to normal, it means at long last we’re finally able to see our friends and families, dine out at our favourite pubs and restaurants and have a haircut (if we have hair to cut). Usually, this feature is dedicated to places we’ve been since the...
Ask The Expert: Duncan Davies
Duncan Davies is CEO of Notify - the Health & Safety platform revolutionising workplace safety, health and wellbeing. In every issue of East Durham Business, we focus on a particular company or individual to learn more about their area of expertise – the feature...
What’s Trending Now? Mullen Stoker
Chartered accountancy and IT firm Mullen Stoker was launched in 2010 and now services clients across the country, supported by a team of 15 employees. In every issue of East Durham Business we look at issues that are topical, issues that are affecting businesses on a...
Bye bye coronavirus hello business growth
Editor Leanne Fawcett shares her experiences of keeping LEC going during the toughest health crisis the world has faced for decades… Anyone who has ever run a business knows how tough it is. The highs and lows, the blood, sweat and tears that come with trying to make...
HR expert highlights importance of reporting signs of domestic abuse
Alison Schreiber of The HR Dept, Durham, is the Peterlee and Seaham Business Park Groups’ and East Durham Business magazine’s resident HR expert. Before the pandemic, an estimated 2.4 million adults had experienced domestic abuse in the previous 12 months. This crisis...
Peterlee firm LEC announces partnership with junior football team
Communications and design consultancy LEC has been confirmed as the new kit sponsor of the Norton and Stockton Ancients Girls’ Under 10s football team. The firm, which was founded by managing director Leanne Fawcett in 2012, has agreed an annual package which has...
ZF Peterlee celebrates International Women in Engineering Day
Global technology leader ZF is marking International Women in Engineering Day (Wednesday, June 23) with the appointment of another female engineering apprentice. Beth Parodi started earlier this year as a Level-3 SQA apprentice. Having completed her probationary...
Peterlee student shares mental health effects of living with multiple sclerosis
When it comes to Multiple Sclerosis, I think a lot of people forget about the mental health effects of the disease. I for one have had my mental health affected a great deal in the past and it still affects me now. I believe that I developed anxiety at a young age,...
At Your Leisure: Codrophenia is music to our ears
East Durham Business editor Leanne Fawcett visited Dalton Park’s only independent food outlet, Codrophenia, to see whether the fish and chip shop was worthy of a five-star review – or more Rotten Tomato. Fish and chips are about as quintessentially English as things...
NBSL continues to support Durham businesses
A Newton Aycliffe publisher is among the County Durham businesses to have received support from a £2.26 million funding pot managed by NBSL. Well established Durham publishing house, Riney Publishing Ltd, plans to explore new markets thanks to funding support from the...
Office lettings showcase Spectrum’s agile ability to adapt to COVID climate
Businesses across the region are adapting to a new way of operating with many saying flexible working is here to stay. It is fair to say 2020 has been a challenging year for businesses in all corners of the globe. But while many have struggled to adapt to the COVID-19...
Funeral services but not as we know it
John Delanoy and Julie Stout are passionate about the funeral industry and giving people the send-off they want – their best final farewell. Editor Leanne Fawcett finds out more. Two things are immediately evident when I down with John Delanoy and Julie Stout to talk...
Ask The Expert: Alison Schreiber
HR expert Alison Schreiber talks to EDB about the challenges employers face in moving forward during the COVID-19 crisis. In every issue of East Durham Business, we focus on a particular company or individual to learn more about their area of expertise – the feature...
My Working Day: Gordon MacPherson
Gordon MacPherson is a director at Seaham-based tech company Moralbox, which specialises in training development software. In this issue’s ‘My Working Day’ feature Gordon shares with EDB why he loves running his own business and what the future holds as the country...
The new gem that’s set to change the property landscape of East Durham
Jade Business Park is a 55-acre employment site set to change the industrial playing field of the area in a big way. The first phase of the site, at what was to become Jade Business Park, was officially completed in August providing 155,000 sq ft of brand-new...
What’s Trending Now? Business Energy Efficiency Programme (BEEP)
The Business Energy Efficiency Programme (BEEP) launched in 2016 to help SMEs across County Durham to save money on their energy overheads. Now, four years on, and into its second project, the scheme is evolving and adapting to the unprecedented climate, ensuring...
How a near-death experience helped Jim re-focus his business
15 months ago engineer Jim Box was running two successful companies. But a near-fatal hit and run threatened everything he had worked so hard for. Here he chats to editor Leanne Fawcett about the experience, the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had and why he is...
My Down Time: Lindsay Burnham
Lindsay Burnham is a marketing professional who runs her own consultancy business, Label Marketing. Everyone needs a decent work-life balance, so in each issue we’ll be finding out what relieves that executive stress and helps business owners and managers find that...
At Your Leisure: Luciano Peterlee
The Oaklands was once the ‘go to’ pub in Peterlee. In fact, it wasn’t unusual for people to queue up to get in, such was its popularity. Unfortunately, like many such venues, the pub sadly declined and from its status as a real hub of the community, it quickly became...
My Working Day: Guy Bashford
Guy Bashford is part of the Durham Business Opportunities Programme, helping companies in East Durham to access support to help them grow. In this issue’s ‘My Working Day’ feature we sit down with Guy Bashford from Business Durham to find out more about his role...
What’s Trending Now? Alison Schreiber
Alison Schreiber is director of the Durham franchise of national outsourced human resources network, The HR Dept, and a long-time supporter of the Peterlee and Seaham business parks group. East Durham Business chatted to Alison about important upcoming employment law...
Ask The Expert: Paula Snowdon
Paula Snowdon is industrial placement co-ordinator at East Durham College. In every issue of East Durham Business, we focus on a particular company or individual to learn more about their area of expertise – the feature is called Ask the Expert. This time around we...
Meet the Peterlee entrepreneur putting customer wealth at the heart of his business
When businessman Chris Breward decided to launch his own wealth management company back in 2012, it was with a very clear objective – to change the face of the financial services industry. Eight years on and his company Wealth of Advice is now managing a portfolio of...
Chris Hind: the ‘next’ big thing on the East Durham property market
Businessman Chris Hind has seen his independent estate agency go from strength to strength since he decided to take the plunge and go it alone in 2015. Here he tells us more about the growth of his business, Next2Move, and his plans for the future. Five years ago,...