On 1 February 2015, after collecting the big bunch of keys, I sat with my wife on two dusty and wobbly seats, in what would become the main office of the Great North Business Centre (GNBC). There were also a lidless toilet pedestal, a bicycle frame, piles of cables, overfilled bin bags, empty boxes, lots of loose papers, and a freshly opened cold bottle of prosecco.
The story had begun long before that day, in the search for a home for my small but growing residential lettings business. Little did we know the scale of adventure that GNBC would become, or that we would get to see its 10th anniversary. Of course there is a sense of achievement, but the overwhelming feeling I have is of gratitude.
I am grateful to all GNBC team members, past and present, who have brought all kinds of inspiration, energy, passion and dedication. The tradesmen and women who have built, decorated, fixed, installed, mowed and unblocked things around our charming listed buildings, have all left their marks (which our cleaners have cheerfully cleared away again!).
Thank you to all of our clients, past and present, who made GNBC their home, some for most of our 10 years. Others outgrew our spaces but continue using our services. A few start-ups faced business failure and, sadly, had to retreat, hopefully to reinvent and fight another day.
Without the support of our landlords at Hatfield House, we might have failed too, when the Covid lockdowns drastically increased our costs while cutting our income (as it did theirs). We are grateful to them for taking us on for another five years, after telling us: ”The GNBC adventure isn’t over yet!”
Mostly I am grateful to my loving family and supportive friends, who graciously allow for my absences (sometimes at short notice, often weekends) to fix or upgrade something at GNBC. Thank you so much!
Thank you all, and “Cheers! Here’s to another 10 years!”
Richard Peeters
Director, GNBC
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