Tees Business | Page 33

Serving the Teesside Business Community | 33 Taste the difference The Brierley at Acklam Hall, where visitors can enjoy beautiful but affordable food. F Pictured with Michael Jones of Acklam Hall, Phil Teasdale and Martin Fletcher of the EMS Group are at home in the Bvsiness Rooms of the stately manor. W hen Phil Teasdale, chief executive officer of the EMS Group, had half an hour to kill while his car was being repaired he took a trip back in time to his old school, now converted to the spectacular Acklam Hall. And, having nipped in for a coffee, he liked it so much he made it his company’s new headquarters – with his former Geography classroom as his new office! Although it retains locations in Stockton, central Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Durham, the group’s HQ, administration and marketing base is now the former ed up of the same old eateries? Need somewhere new that offers food that’s delicious and affordable in equal measures? Acklam Hall could be the place for you! Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner or coffee meeting, increasing numbers of the Tees business community are turning to Acklam Hall. Opened in February 2016, the historic venue is home to both The Brierley and The Salon, two beautiful rooms each providing the perfect setting to indulge and enjoy a varied menu. “We do offer something for everyone,” says MD Michael Jones. “People often think of us as being top end, and we do serve that market, of course. “But we open at 8am for coffee and breakfast, you can come here at half past 12 and enjoy a Greek salad for seven or eight quid, our afternoon teas are incredibly popular, or you can treat yourself to a Chateaubriand steak or venison.” Rave reviews have flooded in since the appointment of new chef Paul Bussey to join Acklam Hall’s talented team. Paul brought with him a CV deserving of such a landmark location, having previously worked at The Ivy and Rivington Grill in Dubai, Gordon Ramsay’s Caprice Group and both the Star Inn at Harome and Rockliffe Hall closer to home. Whilst dinner and the Hall’s Sunday lunch menu are already attracting regular visitors, Michael is also excited about the mouthwatering three-course menu for just £18 from lunchtime up to 7pm. He says: “We opened with a bang, and since then we’ve spent a lot of time investing in what we now feel is an outstanding offering. “We want to be known as the best restaurant in the area – and with a new head chef and new menu now helping us achieve fabulous reviews, I’m confident we’re well on the way to achieving just that.” Back to the classroom as Phil turns back time stately home. Formed eight years ago, the thriving group features Enterprise Made Simple, a training company helping start-ups to grow and sustain their business, Enterprise Revolution, a not-for-profit enterprise agency with several government contracts advising people who’d like to start a business, and digital training company HypeStar. Having secured several new contracts, EMS is increasing its team to 28 with the recruitment of 12 new staff, some of whom will be based in the Bvsiness Rooms at Acklam Hall. What really sold the 17th Century hall to Phil was the access it gave his company