Member Article

New Premises for Hexham Businesses

A Northumberland commercial property developer who identified massive potential for an abandoned Tynedale Business Park is investing in Hexham by expanding the site to meet demand from local businesses.

Mark Tully and his business partner took over the Beaufront Business Park in Hexham in 2014 after the property was purchased out of liquidation. They saw the potential in the site and invested their time and effort into developing the business park.

Now, four years later and with more than £1.5m invested, the site sits in an ideal position alongside the A69 and being full to capacity was a factor that influenced the decision to reinvest in the business park.

In total, a further eight new spaces have been created and the last three are now available with associated car parking. Each unit is constructed to be very versatile depending on the needs of the tenant. The spaces can be adapted to use as an office, workshop or storage space or a combination of all three as the units can easily be combined for businesses that need more space. Each unit has been well designed with the needs of modern businesses in mind with disabled male and female accessible toilets as standard, communal kitchen / rest room areas and additional car parking facilities.

Mark said. “I pride myself in giving the businesses that use our facilities what they need and not what they are told they can have. The future is very much about small to medium sized businesses and we can accommodate their needs here at Beaufront. We’ve everything here – good road and rail links, free parking and flexible units customised to the individual business.”

One of the businesses that has benefited from the move to the park is Fixings Electrical Plumbing (FEP) who relocated from a high-street site to the business park in April 2015. Managing Director Gavin Waugh is delighted with the way his trade has increased since the move.

“We moved because our previous landlord sold the building and Beaufront Park had the most impressive facilities. We’ve now got a custom-made showroom with free parking and it’s a better location for our trade customers as it’s easier for them to get to. Business has improved significantly since the move.”

One of the reasons for the park’s success is the hands-on approach Mark takes with each of his customers – big or small.

“Every week I pop my head through the door and ask if everything is ok, if it’s not, I fix the problem then and there. Because the space we have is so versatile, I can make units or offices into any shape or configuration to suit any individual business. Anyone talking the new units has a blank sheet to work with. It’s an ideal opportunity for them to move into space custom designed for their individual needs,” said Mark.

A prime example of this is a purpose-built art studio and gallery made for renowned Chilean artist Enrique Azocar.

Enrique gained an MA Fine Art degree at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle and graduated with distinction. Since then he has exhibited his work all over the world and has set up his studio in Beaufront Park.

“I have a great gallery studio with plenty of wall space to exhibit my work. This was designed by Mark when I told him what I needed to make the space a success. It was custom built to my specification. Moving to Hexham has been great as it is close to the A69 and the railway station too for visiting customers.”

Mark also manages space, amongst others for soft drinks firm Fentimans, Global International Forwarding, Tynedale Hospice at Home, Talking Matters Northumberland, Meadowcroft Homes, Northumbria Botanicals and The Ordnance Survey.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Keith Newman .