Make your business a Tees advocate – book space in This Is Tees Valley
NEWS
BANG THE DRUM
Investment in projects and infrastructure is breathing new life into Darlington ’ s economy
Thriving – Darlington is home to a diverse range of growing businesses .
Together – Investment in Darlington ’ s events programme means the town now provides a wide range of family-friendly free events throughout the year .
Celebrated artist Mackenzie Thorpe talks to Peter Barron about how his hometown of Middlesbrough continues to shape his success around the world …
Drawing inspiration
from Teesside
A rmed with a £ 10 note and a corned beef sandwich from his mam , Mackenzie Thorpe caught the night bus from Middlesbrough to
London in pursuit of his dream .
He ’ d been made redundant from his job at Smith ’ s Dock shipyard two years earlier , walked into Cleveland College of Art & Design , and declared : “ I want to be an artist .”
But , in a hurry to make his mark at the age of 21 , he decided his best chance of success was to head to London .
Without even knowing where he was going to sleep that night , he turned up at Byam Shaw School of Art at six in the morning , waited for it to open , then used a piece of hardboard he ’ d picked up from a nearby woodyard to paint a man at a steelworks .
It was a scene inspired by his beloved Middlesbrough – it was what came naturally – and Mackenzie has been carrying the spirit of Teesside with him on his travels around the world ever since .
“ I am what I am because of Middlesbrough , and I ’ ll never forget where I ’ m from – never ,” he says .
“ I think about the kids I was at school with , the people I worked with , and their voices go round like a movie in my head ,
DARLINGTON
Teessider – Renowned artist Mackenzie Thorpe has fond memories of Middlesbrough ’ s iconic Transporter Bridge .
gripping me by the heart , pulling me back , anything , and yet everything we needed was and telling me : “ Don ’ t get too big for your there in spades : security , strength , and love . boots !
We were given values that I ’ ve carried with
“ I can ’ t ever step off track because me all my life – be kind , look after people ,
Middlesbrough people won ’ t let me .” don ’ t hurt anyone . Mam and Dad seemed to Mackenzie was born on his grandma ’ s do nothing and yet they did everything .” couch at 66 St Paul ’ s Road , in the Newport At school , Mackenzie was branded “ thick area of Middlesbrough , at 7.30am on and lazy ” because he was dyslexic , but he
Monday , December 17 , 1956 . now describes the condition as a doubleedged sword .
Early memories include playing on an old bomb site , and ‘ oggy raiding ’ for apples , “ I got everything wrong , and they said I pears and plums from the posh houses in was stupid , but the teachers would send me Acklam . to the back of the class and say ‘ just draw ’, “ Sometimes , we ’ d go hungry and cold ,” he so I got to do what I loved most . I can ’ t admits . “ We had lemonade bottles filled with see words , but I can see every angle , every hot water from the kettle to keep us warm . perspective ,” he explains . We wore coats in bed , and there ’ d be a candle Forty-five years on from that fateful bus in the toilet to stop it from freezing . But one ride to London , Mackenzie ’ s perspective on thing we never lacked was love .” life – often featuring faceless working men ,
Mackenzie ’ s dad , Raymond – better the Transporter Bridge , and Boro scarves – is known as Big Mac – was a labourer . He met in demand internationally . And , wherever he his wife , Maureen , during National Service , is in the world , he finds himself talking about at Catterick , and they had seven children . where he ’ s from .
“ We grew up thinking we didn ’ t have “ Whenever I do a show – be it America ,
Proud moment – Mackenzie Thorpe unveiled a bronze sculpture , called With Me Dad , in the shadow of the Transporter Bridge in 2019 .
Passion – One of Mackenzie Thorpe ’ s proudest moments came when he was asked to speak at the inaugural Tees Business Awards in 2023 . up and started a conversation . He asked “ I looked around the room and thought to Mackenzie where he was from and said how myself , these people are still the same – they much he admired his work – especially a still believe in where they ’ re from ,” he says . painting of two working men . The man was Mackenzie Thorpe is an emotional man , Rod Steiger – and the A-list Hollywood and his voice cracks as he goes on to talk actor left with an understanding of where about his pride in “ the ultimate tribute ” Middlesbrough is and what it stands for . being paid by the North East Autism Society .
Japan or Australia – I talk up Teesside .
Back home , one of Mackenzie ’ s proudest As a boy , he was branded “ thick and People hear how I talk or ask why I paint the moments came in 2019 when , in front of an stupid ” by teachers . As an adult , a school working man , and the conversation starts excited Middlesbrough crowd , he unveiled a for autistic children was named after him at from there . bronze sculpture , called With Me Dad , in the South Bank . “ And it ’ s amazing how many Teesside shadow of the Transporter Bridge .
“ I wake up in the night , wondering how it people we meet . While opening a show in “ I wanted there to be a permanent happened – and it blows my mind because Florida , I met a couple from Billingham . memorial to the working man , so the next this is where my heart is ,” he says , hardly able Then , at a show in Perth , Australia , I met a generation know about the town ’ s heritage ,” to get the words out . man who ’ d lived a few doors down from my he says .
To mark its opening , Mackenzie presented grandma . I couldn ’ t believe it .”
“ The Transporter Bridge is the mother . It ’ s the school with a new painting . Depicting Once , a man walked into a gallery in the mam you see when you ’ re coming home children playing with hearts in front of the New York , heard Mackenzie ’ s accent , and from school . You see the Transporter Bridge , Transporter Bridge , he named it after the old asked : “ Hey , are you from Middlesburg ?” It and you know you ’ re home .”
Jim Reeves song , Welcome To My World . transpired that the man ’ s job was delivering Other proud moments include being
It might easily be Mackenzie Thorpe ’ s tons of steel every month to Teesport . asked to speak at the inaugural Tees Business theme tune because his world is Teesside –
Again in New York , while Mackenzie was Awards in 2023 , when his passion for the and he takes it with him no matter where standing with his wife , Susan , a man came area earned a standing ovation . he goes . 37
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A BUZZING TOWN
Darlington Borough Council chief executive Ian Williams outlines an ambitious vision for the town
D
arlington is thriving .
In the last few years , as we ’ ve seen unprecedented levels of investment in our town and as our regeneration projects continue to develop , Darlington continues to grow . abandoned rail sidings , now transformed into a 30-hectare science park that ’ s key to our economic development .
A mix of housing , education and commercial developments , it ’ s home to exciting developments such as the National Biologics Manufacturing Centre , which is a world-leader in next generation life sciences and vaccine development , and Teesside University ’ s National Horizon Centre .
Ready-to-build plots within Central Park are currently available but not for long , as interest in the site is rife .
Elsewhere in the town , Ingenium Parc is an upcoming development site complementing the array of sites for industrial development in the borough .
The site – which is ideally placed to support manufacturing , engineering , logistics and distribution companies – will provide up to 100,000 sq m of employment space and support more than 2,000 jobs by 2036 .
New industrial units at Barrington Way and Faverdale , which both benefit from
Darlington Borough Council chief executive Ian Williams .
Growth – new development sites will provide up to 100,000 sq m of employment space and support more than 2,000 jobs by 2036 .
The future – Darlington is home to Teesside University ’ s state-of-the-art National Horizons Centre .
Crown Street library , which sits adjacent and has recently undergone significant refurbishment to protect its stunning architecture , but also to modernise the building adding a new digital skills area .
With plans developing behind the library for a new high-quality commercial building , this part of the town centre is soon set to become an educational and employment quarter for everyone . as part of its multimillionpound makeover , which has already seen the popular food hall and performance space open .
The town centre also boasts a vibrant night life and we have been awarded the Purple
We ’ re investing £ 25m from the Towns Fund into bringing tired parts of the town back
Make your business a Tees advocate – book space in This Is Tees Valley
Our new Rail Heritage Quarter and regenerated Head of Steam Museum , due to open in 2024 , are both taking shape , along
Alongside our two business incubator hubs – Business Central and Innovation Central – Central Park has become a excellent transport links , provide further opportunities on the edge of town for a wide variety of businesses .
The unique mix of independent and wellknown shops in Darlington make it a vibrant place for visitors and residents alike .
Flag , recognising the safe and thriving nighttime economy .
Investment in our events programme to life and creating more commercial office space ." with the £ 140m railway project to transform Bank Top station .
Add to that the arrival of the Darlington Economic Campus – seven government departments with more than 1,400 roles , the vast majority being filled by local people – and you ’ ll soon see that exciting things are happening .
Physically , Darlington ’ s landscape is changing , too . Take Central Park , once
66 thriving area full of high-quality businesses and jobs .
Development – Darlington ’ s Central Park has been redeveloped from industrial wasteland to a 30-hectare science park .
These developments add to the viability and vibrancy of our town centre , one of our key priorities as a council .
We ’ re investing £ 25m from the Towns Fund into bringing tired parts of the town back to life and creating more commercial office space .
We ’ re thinking outside the box and replacing unused spaces with new exciting projects , such as a new adult skills centre in the historic Northern Echo building .
This innovative project complements
Is your business a standard-bearer for our region ? If so , make sure to book your space in our annual publication , This Is Tees Valley 2024-25 , as we once again bang the drum for the Tees region so the rest of the UK knows what we stand for .
In partnership with Tees Valley Combined Authority , This Is Tees Valley is a national publication produced by the team behind Tees Business .
Targeted and distributed to the rest of the UK , This Is Tees Valley is a high-quality annual publication celebrating all that ’ s outstanding about our wonderful region .
With so many exciting projects happening around the Tees region , from the inward investment from around the globe on Teesworks to government departments relocating to the area , the 2024-25 edition of This Is Tees Valley promises to be the most positive and impactful yet .
Tees Business director Dave Allan said : “ Our region has so much to offer as a place to live , work and invest – so it ’ s in all our interests to get the word out across the wider North-East and UK about the huge positives we have here .
From traditional bakers to awardwinning , unique fashion houses and jewellery designers , we are passionate about supporting and promoting our independent shops .
The redevelopment of the Victorian market hall is continuing , with plans to develop designer boutiques and artisan stalls
means we now provide a wide range of family-friendly free events throughout the year , which draw crowds of all ages to the Market Square .
We have good quality nursery , primary and secondary schools , as well as a vibrant further and higher education offer , including a Teesside University campus which majors in health and life sciences .
Our high-quality housing stock and good standard of living , at below national average costs , and our proximity to the stunning North-East coastline and two national parks , make Darlington an excellent choice for anyone looking to relocate .
As you can see , Darlington really is thriving .
Maybe Darlington is the right place for you ? Find out more about the exciting business and development opportunities in Darlington at investindarlington . co . uk or to see how you could be part of Darlington ’ s future , contact the Business Investment Team on + 44 ( 0 ) 1325 406305 or email the team : business . support @ darlington . gov . uk
“ This Is Tees Valley is an important tool in helping us bang the drum for our region in a way that makes the rest of the country sit up and take notice .
“ That ’ s why this publication has always been supported by local authorities , leading education organisations and a Who ’ s Who of the region ’ s businesses .”
Packed with positive features on what makes our region a brilliant place to live , work and invest , alongside highlighting some of the area ’ s key businesses , 10,000 copies of This Is Tees Valley 2024-25 will be circulated to the UK ’ s most influential businesses and business leaders , investors , politicians , business influencers and decision-makers .
It will also be circulated at national exhibitions and conferences .
Above all , it ’ s the perfect opportunity for the region ’ s leading organisations to put themselves at the heart of a campaign designed to market the Tees Valley as the go-to place for investment , business and skills .
Get involved and help us shout loud to the rest of the UK about the Tees Valley region !
Bookings are now being taken for space in the 2024-25 issue of This Is Tees Valley , due to be circulated from July this year .
The booking deadline is 5pm on Friday June 21 . To enquire , call the sales team on 01642 450255 or email info @ teesbusiness . co . uk .
Download the This Is Tees Valley media pack from the Tees Business page – under publications .
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3,000 copies will be mailed directly to property investors , investment fund managers , politicians and influencers across the UK .
3,000 copies will be circulated across the North-East region .
1,000 will go to local businesses for their business travel , marketing and events .
1,000 copies will be collected by passengers coming in and out of Teesside International Airport .
1,000 copies will be circulated to the Tees Valley Combined Authority ’ s national database .
1,000 copies will go to national events and conferences .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 21