26 | Aycliffe Today Business
Words: Adam Steel Pictures: Martin Walker
The Work Place business manager Angela Wilkinson( left) with centre administrators Julie Turnbull and Tracy Henderson.
The place to be speed
Business hub celebrates 10th anniversary
One of Aycliffe Business Park’ s most iconic buildings with outstanding facilities to match its charitable owner’ s incredible backstory is toasting its 10th anniversary.
Hidden behind preservation orderprotected trees on Heighington Lane, The Work Place, a purpose-built business and conference centre, is one of the business park’ s hidden gems.
A first-class venue, it sees up to 15,000 people pass through its sliding doors each year for meetings, training courses, conferences, interviews and office accommodation.
For conferencing, the modern two-floor venue boasts a lecture theatre which can accommodate up to 150 delegates and nine meeting pods of various sizes, along with social and break-out areas and free high
WiFi throughout.
“ We are immensely proud of the facilities we have to offer and the training courses we provide for clients and receive fabulous feedback from everyone who visits,” says the centre’ s business manager Angela Wilkinson.
The centre also offers quality managed office accommodation and this summer sees the arrival of two new tenants, Baltic Recruitment and a team from the Pioneering Care Centre.
They join existing tenants, Durham County Council and Durham Schools Centred Initial Teacher Training Team.
“ We are thrilled to welcome Baltic Recruitment and The Pioneering Care Centre, both local business to The Work Place,” adds Angela.
The Work Place is the brainchild of Miss Jane Ritchie, who spent her own working life as a careers adviser and was awarded an MBE for her services to Durham County Council’ s Education Business Partnership, which she managed.
Wensleydale-based Miss Ritchie was