Issue 22 | Page 40

NEW PREMISES FOR FAST- GROWING SECURITY FIRM Up close and personal Close Protection Security (CPS) continues to expand despite the setbacks of Covid-19 WORDS: JULIE BURNISTON. PICS: TOM BANKS C PS has quickly become one of the region’s go-to security firms, with a number of high-profile clients, a staff of 60 and exciting plans for expansion. Managing director Glenn Bartlett learned his trade from the age of just 18 at Yarm’s Tall Trees nightclub and is now reaping the rewards of his hard work and determination. However, he’s also aware that success can be lost as easily as it is gained without a loyal workforce. “Our team strive to be the best and I lead by example,” says Glenn. “I’m very handson. I think nothing of getting out of bed at 3am if there’s an issue at one of our sites. It’s not a ‘them and us’ situation, we’re a family.” With newly opened premises on Middlesbrough’s Riverside Park, which Glenn has had fitted out with a state-ofthe-art gym for his team, CPS are now in the ideal location to respond to their local Managing director Glenn Bartlett, operations director James Willcock operations manager Ben Appleby and head dog handler Trevor Mills clients such as AV Dawson, Scott Bros and Middlesbrough FC. “We’ll be there in one-to-three minutes, less time than it would take the police,” he says with pride. “In an ideal world we will eventually look after the security of all local firms.” Certainly their current clients are full of praise for the team. AV Dawson MD Gary Dawson says Close Protection have transformed the security function at the firm’s 100-acre Middlesbrough Port facilities at Riverside Park, commenting: “They offer an unrivalled combination of professionalism and a personal ‘hands-on’ approach. “Glenn and the team have adapted readily to our changing needs and have assisted greatly with additional measures during the Covid-19 crisis. The relocation to TeesAMP, which is only a few hundred metres from our terminal, is also very reassuring.” 40 | Tees Business