Serving the Teesside Business Community | 9
/NEWS
EXCLUSIVE: ‘AIRPORT IS READY FOR TAKE-OFF’
/NEWS
LOVING MY
RESOLUTION ROLE!
I
A
new key player at Durham Tees Valley
Airport insists the region’s airport has
“immense” potential.
Phil Forster has worked at both
Newcastle and Leeds Bradford airports
before he joined the Tees Valley Combined
Authority’s airport management team in
May.
Forster was appointed head of airport
development and will work with David
Soley, chairman of Cameron’s Brewery
in Hartlepool, who has become non-
executive chairman of the airport company
in an unpaid position, alongside operators
Stobart.
Forster spent three years with Newcastle
Airport as media and public affairs manager
and then joined Leeds Bradford Airport as
aviation development and corporate affairs
manager, before becoming head of external
affairs.
“In my opinion, and from speaking to
experts in the aviation industry, there’s no
reason this airport can’t be successful,” he
told Tees Business.
“The excuse that airlines won’t come
here is rubbish. If there’s demand for flights,
they will come.
“The challenge is getting people to use
the airport, to show the airlines there’s
demand, and flights such as Balkan Holidays
operating here – and they have already
committed to 2020 – will certainly help.”
The people of Teesside will demand to
see more choice of holiday flights on offer
at Durham Tees Valley Airport – but Forster
believes that will happen eventually.
“We already have dates in the diary to
speak with airlines,” he said.
“We may see some quick wins – we’ve
already seen the return of the Balkan
Holidays flights to Bulgaria – but it won’t all
happen overnight, so we need to be patient.
“It’s a challenge, but I see it as a
challenge for the whole region. We’re all
in this together, it’s a partnership and we
need the buy-in from everyone to make the
airport a success.
“If we can make it a success, then it
could be an absolute game-changer for
Teesside.
“Durham Tees Valley Airport had to be put
on the map and back on the radar – now
that’s been done it’s up to us to go out and
sell it.”
The combined authority, led by Tees
mayor Ben Houchen, completed the buyout
of the airport in January and Stobart Group,
Durham Tees Valley
Airport’s new head of
airport development
Phil Forster.
which also runs London Southend Airport
and Carlisle Lake District Airport, was
appointed operator in March.
And the first holiday flights to leave
Teesside in more than five years were
celebrated when Balkan Holidays started
running routes to sunny Bulgaria.
Forster added: “A lot of people have
come together here, from the leisure and
business community led by the mayor,
and the combined authority should be
applauded for getting the deal done in the
first place.
“Going forward we think the potential
for this airport is immense. One of the
first things you look for in an airport is its
connectivity. Here at Teesside we have a
train stop at the airport, we’re four miles
from the East Coast main line, we have the
A1, the A19 and the A66 which takes you
direct to Teesport.
“Links to the airport are fantastic and
the airport could actually act as a gateway
to the whole of the North, because of the
quick access.
“The infrastructure is already in place and
we have a forward-thinking strategic partner
in Stobart, who are already working on
route development with some great ideas
not only for the airport but for the region.
“The airport’s onward connectivity means
you can literally access the world from
Tees Valley, via KLM flights to Amsterdam
Schiphol, and that’s a fantastic service
which we need to promote more.
“We also have one of the biggest
runways in the country, which means we
can get any kind of aircraft on it, and there’s
lots of potential in the freight and logistics
side of the business to look into.
“A thriving region needs a thriving airport,
and there’s no reason why the Tees Valley
can’t have one.
“The mayor has a vision for the region
and the airport can play a huge part in the
growth of the area.
“We’re putting Tees Valley on the map.
We’ve seen the Radio 1 Big Weekend come
to the region, the Rugby World Cup is coming
in 2021… we don’t think we’d have been
anywhere near getting those before now.
“That’s testament to all the work that’s
been done so far and shows just what can
be achieved.”
t’s been a whirlwind few months since
I joined Tees Business and Tees Life
publishers, Resolution, at the start of the
year – with an absolute focus on making
Tees Life magazine in particular a roaring
success.
As Resolution’s sales manager, it’s my
remit to attract organisations of all sizes
to advertise their services, products and
events in both publications – with the key
focus on all that’s best in the Tees area.
And anyone with any doubt about the
fantastic things going on in our wonderful
region need only take a glance through the
pages of our summer issue.
I’d love to hear from more local
organisations interested in raising their
profile through either Tees Life or Tees
Business – or indeed via the websites for
either magazine.
Just get in touch and we can meet up
for a cuppa!
Otherwise I’m going to be out and
about talking to people, businesses and
organisations across the region, from Yarm
to Norton, Stokesley to Stockton, and
Middlesbrough to Wynyard. Be sure to say
“Hello!”
And do ask me about our new Tees
Lifestyle Shopping & Services offering in
Tees Life, which allows small businesses
to shout about their products, services
and events for just £75 per issue – this
includes an image plus around 50 words
about your business, including your web
address, in a magazine that’s delivered
to high-end homes and businesses right
across Teesside.
Give me a call on 01642 450255 to ask
for more details, or drop me an email:
[email protected]
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy
reading our recent issues of Tees Life and,
indeed, Tees Business – they’re both very
much #TalkingUpTeesside!
Carole Sanderson
Sales manager
Resolution Media & Publishing
The 4,500-acre South Tees
Development Corporation site - the
single biggest development opportunity
in the UK right now - is six times bigger
than the City of London.
#TalkingUpTeesside