They were the champions - and now they're urging other Hartlepool firms to follow in their footsteps

Gus Robinson Developments’ managing director Steve Bell looked back on winning the Overall Business of the Year at the Hartlepool Business Awards in 2019, and urged firms to put themselves in the running for this year’s competition.

The construction firm has been part of the Hartlepool scene for more than 40 years. One of its recent highlights was the night it was chosen as the best business in town.

Steve and Gus Robinson Developments Finance Director Jeanette Henderson collected the 2019 trophy in front of a Borough Hall audience of more than 300 guests.

At the time, it was only a matter of months since Gus Robinson Developments Limited, which employs about 50 people, had been taken over by Thirteen Homes, part of Thirteen Group.

But judges heard that the construction company (founded in 1976 and owned by Dan Robinson and his mother Judith since the death of his father, Gus, in 2011) had shown exceptional growth which culminated in its sale in 2018 to Thirteen Homes.

Since then, there has been much more good news for the company including construction projects in Hartlepool, Thirsk and Middlesbrough worth millions of pounds.

Steve called them ‘the largest projects we have taken on’ and said Thirteen had recognised the ‘turnaround and position of the business’.

He added:”That is entirely down to the transformation and the progress that we have made in taking Gus Robinson forward.”

He urged business bosses to nominate their companies for this year’s awards and added: “Absolutely they should.”

The awards win for Gus Robinson Developments, he said, was a reflection of the business bringing in new people and new talent.

He added: “We often get nods and pats on the back from within the sector for particular projects which is great news for the people involved in that project, but this was a little bit different.

“It was recognition of the progress and development and turnaround and change of the business as a whole, and the people who contributed to that.

“A lot of the people who work here, live in Hartlepool and they see the value of being part of a Hartlepool business which has been recognised in Hartlepool. That was particularly pertinent.

“They see the award sitting on the desk when you walk in and it gives people confidence.”

Now comes your chance to put your firm in the running for a 2020 award.

Companies should submit their entries by 5pm on Friday, March 27.

How to enter

Follow the simple online entry instructions by visiting the website www.hartlepoolbusinessforum.co.uk.

Entries are restricted to THREE categories only.

The Overall Business of the Year will be chosen from a new category and a separate entry form. Those businesses that do not wish to enter individual categories can enter for Overall Business of the Year separately.

Those businesses who are entering individual categories will need to enter for the Overall Business of the Year in addition to their category entries.