History man : Neil Whittingham has driven the restoration of Middlesbrough ’ s only Grade 1 Listed building .
Serving the Teesside Business Community | 35 FRONT COVER FEATURE
Words : Dave Allan . Pictures : Martin Walker .
HEALTH AND
HISTORY
As he walks between its oak-panelled rooms , Neil Whittingham can feel rightly proud of his achievement in restoring Acklam Hall to its grandeur and glory of old .
As owner of Acklam Hall Ltd , the Teesside businessman has turned back the clock for Middlesbrough ’ s only Grade I Listed building , creating an elegant restaurant and wedding venue inside a 17th Century hall that was home to several generations of the landowning Hustler family .
In normal circumstances the story of a local lad made good returning such a landmark building back to its previous splendour would surely be met only by glowing recognition , but controversies have dogged the project since Whittingham first purchased the property eight years ago .
And yet the true story behind his
Tees Business meets Neil Whittingham to discover the motivation behind his high-profile restoration of Acklam Hall
motivation for purchasing and restoring the hall has never been fully told , leaving the tale shrouded in an element of mystery and misunderstanding .
It was never Whittingham ’ s plan to restore the hall , nor – given its huge ongoing costs - does he believe he can make it greatly profitable . In fact , his interest has always been in finding a suitable spot for the health village and private hospital his firm is building behind Acklam Hall .
But more of that later . First , a little about the background of a Teesside success story with a surprisingly low profile .
The eldest of four children , the young Neil spent the first five years of his life in Thornaby before his housebuilder father bought the Dog and Gun in Potto , and for a decade the family lived in the flat above what became one of the go-to destinations in 1970s ’ Teesside .
Whittingham Snr sent his eldest son to Mill Hill School in Middlesbrough , at the time one of the town ’ s only private schools . Ironically , its playing field looked onto the back of King ’ s Manor Secondary School , better known now as Acklam Hall .
He recalls : “ Dad worked seven days and