BEST NEW BUSINESS
SPONSORED BY ADDITIONAL LENGTHS
FINALISTS
BLONDIE BAKERY
Blondie Bakery is an artisan bakery created by Amy Dalby , who appeared on Gordon Ramsey ’ s Future Food Stars , finishing the BBC show as a finalist .
Thanks to its unique blondie-based products , Blondie Bakery has been able to expand with three locations across the region , as well as delivering goods to the wider UK area . The firm now plans to continue its expansion , making its treats a staple within the community .
GB Bank co-founder and CEO Stephen Lancaster with category sponsor Additional Lengths ’ co-founder and owner Victoria Lynch .
WINNER
GB BANK
The co-founder of property specialist GB Bank has been explaining why Middlesbrough was chosen as its HQ .
GB Bank co-founder and CEO Stephen Lancaster explained the bank ’ s roots began in the aftermath of the 2012 credit crunch .
He said : “ We found that the banks pulled back into the south , so developers who had some amazing projects here couldn ’ t get the finance to develop them .
“ It created a vacuum that was filled by peer-to-peer lending but , come a few years later , that didn ’ t meet the demand that was here in this region .”
Having decided to create a bank to meet that demand , Middlesbrough was chosen as its base – but why ?
He explained : “ Very simple – again it comes back to the North-East being one of those underserved regions where there ’ s such a lack of finance .
“ We found in the Teesside Pension Fund an investor who shared the same ambition we had and that was all around regional regeneration .
“ If you look at what ’ s going on in Middlesbrough and the Tees Valley at the moment , it ’ s an incredible place to be – why wouldn ’ t you want to be here with so many fabulous new energies and industries ? You want to be here , so we ’ re absolutely thrilled and delighted to be the first bank based in Middlesbrough .”
SPONSOR MESSAGE
Victoria Lynch , Additional Lengths ’ founder and owner , said : “ We were thrilled to support the outstanding achievements of Teesside ’ s best new businesses , each a testament to innovation , dedication , and excellence .
“ These award winners have not only surpassed expectations but have redefined success , showcasing a remarkable blend of vision , resilience and the relentless pursuit of growing excellence in the Teesside area .”
PASSIVE FIRE CONTAINMENT
As former firefighters at Cleveland Fire Brigade , Jonathan Hoole and Joe Wattis had the knowledge and passion for fire safety necessary to thrive in the industry , leading to the creation of Passive Fire Containment .
In the first year of trading , it has secured impressive national contracts and has teams working on sites around the country . It now aims to build on this success and establish itself as a leading fire containment company in the UK .
SOUTHERN ASSET MANAGEMENT
A pioneering force in the lighting testing and inspection sector , Southern Asset Management ( SAM ) is driven by a dedication to growth and a “ people before profit ” ethos . Commitment to innovation and service excellence has led to substantial expansion in Teesside and a turnover of £ 500,000 within its first year of operation .
As it continues to grow , SAM remains committed to prioritising the welfare and development of its people , ensuring its continued success .
THROUGHFILM
A video production community interest company ( CIC ), ThroughFilm works with a variety of industries and uses each commission as a force for good . This is achieved by working with corporate businesses that resonate with ThroughFilm ’ s core values of social responsibility and using its profit for purpose . With creative and industry experience , it amplifies the level of video quality charities can access , raising profiles and getting valuable initiatives out there and seen .
62 | Tees Business