Welcome to the latest edition of Portfolio North and the first of 2023. Portfolio North is here to celebrate the outstanding businesses which are making huge changes to the region. That is why we chose our latest cover shot which showcases the progress at the Sheepfolds project in Sunderland, which has been brought to fruition by Building Design Northern.
The new £2m transformation of the dilapidated Victorian building which was once home to the North Eastern Railway Co stables is at the heart if Sunderland’s £500m Riverside project. Sheepfolds will be home to a range of food, drink, and hospitality venues, with many independent local businesses already announcing plans to open at the site.
Hairy Biker’s Si King announced plans to open his first standalone venture, as well as Speyside Distillers, an artisan distillery in Scotland’s Cairngorm Mountains, will open the city’s first Whisky Snug and cigar lounge, RESINN will be offering homeware, gardenware and gifts, as well as freshly brewed tea and coffee with an on-site state-of-the-art roastery while Zinc, from the team behind Michelin Guide restaurant Route in Newcastle, will open a restaurant serving seasonal food.
It’s a very exciting time for projects and developments across the North East, and we have certainly noticed the enthusiasm and drive that many businesses have started the year with. We have welcomed a raft of new partners and clients from a variety of industries. It’s great to be supporting a range of businesses with their marketing strategies, as well as continuing with many businesses which we’ve been working with for a long time.
I am delighted to welcome our new partners, SDDE Smith Group to Portfolio North. The firm, which includes businesses Host & Stay, WOODsmith Construction Group, Grey-Smith Legal, Styled, Manhatten Property and CoStays, has seen impressive growth in the last year. The firm recently celebrated a significant growth in revenue from just under £6m in 2021 to £15m in 2022, and employment almost doubling from 159 people to 314 group employees. The group has also supported communities across the North of England through volunteering and giving back efforts with over £135,000 donated to local causes.
We’ve also welcomed Kirtley Co. on board for 2023 and I am looking forward to supporting a commercial property owner which puts their tenants first, and is passionate about supporting North East born and bred SME’s. The company has recently transformed the iconic Mackie’s Corner in Sunderland from an unused and neglected building to become a hub for independent businesses and is now opening its upper floors as high quality office space for businesses of all sizes. We’ve also welcomed many new businesses to this edition and future editions this year including; Dame Allans School, Newcastle Building Society, Sunderland BID, MHW PR and Oltco. Sunderland City Council has signed up to its third year with us, while Mincoffs Solicitors, Berry’s Jewellers, Bradley Hall, Creo Comms, MMC Marketing & Research, Smart Outdoor, Glass & Mirror Solutions, Ramside Hall, Inn Collection Group, Doree Bonner, Karpet Mills, Callerton Kitchens, The Lord Crewe and more are all set to continue with us this year. It’s a jam-packed edition with great content.
In this edition, we have some fantastic thought leadership from Tom Shanks on Newcastle’s Clean Air Zone while Neil Hart discusses the threat of the next pandemic. Two people who are not shy of speaking
their mind and sharing their concerns for real issues which will and are impacting our region.
In our lifestyle section, we have shared how to achieve the best wine pairing, everything you need to know about living in Ponteland, a review of the Audi Q8 E-Tron, we share our tips on timeless crafting for Mothers Day, mortgage advice, an amazing recipe from one of the region’s top chefs, some of the best prestigious properties on the market, a review of the amazing Geisha in Jesmond, and more.
My priority is to ensure that the businesses which we work with on Portfolio North gain great coverage directly to a targeted audience of key decision makers, business owners and high-net-worth individuals, that our magazines are in the right places at the right time, that our digital coverage including website, social media and e-newsletters ensures that we’re also reaching a wide target audience digitally, that our out-of-home advertising raises our brand so our clients benefit from it, and that our events are carefully curated and provide valuable introductions and contacts.
Having good relationships in business is paramount. The North East is a fantastic place for business as there is so much support and collaboration, most businesspeople just want to see others do well. It all feeds into the North East economy cycle, if one business is doing well, then so will others. It’s very important to growth and professional development to be able to gain other’s perspectives and learn from each other’s experience. I am incredibly grateful for the network and friends made along the way and I do my upmost to support other people and organisations.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the rest of the magazine.
