Bringing Aycliffe Business Park Together | 3
WELCOME
FOREWORD By editor Martin Walker
Welcome to the seventh (yes, that’s
right, the seventh!) issue of Aycliffe
Today Business.
It doesn’t seem a year since we embarked on
this adventure for Aycliffe Business Park (ABP)
12 months ago, but judging by the first year
it’s fair to say this new publication is being well
received – not just by residents and employees,
but by people outside the area, too.
In this edition, I interview Business Durham’s
new managing director, Dr Simon Goon. We
had a lengthy chinwag about all things good
about Aycliffe, and Simon’s enthusiasm for our
park to continue its success story is reassuring
and exciting. He also told me about how ABP is
getting a lot of attention across the region, not
just locally.
Our main feature is with Craig Peterson, director
of Carlton & Co which runs The HUB Workspace
offices on Welbury Way. I talk to Craig about an
exciting collaboration between HUB businesses
offering a fantastic business prize in a Dragons
Den style competition.
We also bring you coverage of Business
Secretary Vince Cable’s recent visit to the park,
and also some interesting revelations about
Durham County Council’s new County Plan, and
what it means to ABP
.
We talk to renewable energy firm D&J Franks
about setting up base in Aycliffe and there’s also
some exciting news about Finley Structures
appointing new operations manager Jim Graham,
formerly operations director at UK market-leading
steel fabricating group Severfield Rowen – a
major coup for Finley, to say the least.
Included in the NovemberDecember issue of Aycliffe
Today Business…
/03 WELCOME
Aycliffe Today Business editor Martin
Walker pens a special anniversary
foreword for this issue…
/04 NEWS
Au Fait Marketing reveals a new addition, with
Multimedia Journalist and Teesside University
graduate Sarah Burns joining the ranks.
Sarah has also written a feature for this issue
(hopefully the first of many) about new business
masterclasses on offer at Teesside Uni.
Hitachi Special: Business Secretary Vince
Cable visits Aycliffe Business Park
SW Durham’s new business development
manager, Kate Chapman, talks passionately
about SWDT’s drive to get more females
into apprenticeships, while Planet Leisure’s
refurbished Tex-Mex restaurant, ‘The Smokin’
Burritos’, is all set for take-off, as our reporter
Rachel Wright finds out.
Plus, an exclusive column from Big
Energy director Gordon Angus
Rachel has also penned interesting features
with ATAG Cable Solutions, Aycliffe’s newest
residents, as well as Aycliffe Physiotherapy,
which has been resolving back and neck
problems on ABP for 11 years!
So, as you can see, this edition celebrating
our first birthday is jam-packed with editorial
features about a diverse range of companies
and subjects which we’re confident makes for
our best issue yet.
/05 NEWS
Big plans outlined in Durham County plan
Record turnout for Oktoberfest
/06 NEWS
Renewable energy firm sets
up Aycliffe base
Apprenticeship Awareness Programme
kicks off at Woodham Academy
Plus, an interesting guest column from
Aycliffe-based emotional intelligence
expert Simon Williamson
/07 NEWS
Driver Hire firm on the right track
Plus, our Business Diary
/08 NEWS
We pride ourselves on good quality reading and
pictures, but we always welcome new ideas
and constructive criticism. We enjoy feedback in
all shapes and sizes, so don’t be shy.
Finley Structures appoint new
operations manager
I hope you enjoy this issue, and I’d like to
wish everyone on ABP a very Merry Happy
Christmas and Happy New Year – we’ll be back
in 2014 with our January-February edition.
/09 NEWS
Martin Walker
Editor, Aycliffe Today Business
AYCLIFFE TODAY BUSINESS
Aycliffe Today Business is Newton Aycliffe’s only specific Business-toBusiness magazine, distributed across Aycliffe Business Park.
We provide companies with a unique platform to tell everyone about their
services in what is a classy, business-like magazine as well as a handy
reference and marketing tool.
Multimedia Journalist joins
Aycliffe marketing firm
Aycliffe is County’s “jewel” says
Business Durham managing director
Simon Goon
SW Durham Training sets new female
targets
/12 GOAL-DEN
DREAMS
Property boss Craig Peterson tells
Martin Walker about an exciting Dragons
Den-style competition that has been
created on Aycliffe Business Park…
/15 NEWS
We produce 3,000 copies every issue – with an estimated