A decade of success for Epicurus Events

Mar 5 2008 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette

THE GAZETTE’S Tees Valley Business Awards tomorrow will be a platform for a successful food business celebrating 10 years of trading this month.

Established in 1998, Epicurus Events has grown from a start-up business operating out of domestic premises with just one member of staff, to owning its own premises of 8,500sq ft and employing 30 people.

Started by managing director Chris Reay when he was just 26 years old, he has invested more than £500,000 in his business over the past ten years.

Epicurus Events provides a one-stop shop of event services, including event organisation and management, event equipment hire, and of course the catering.

All its services are managed in-house by Chris’s team and event manager, Katie Willis who has worked for Epicurus for more than six years.

They will be demonstrating a flavour of their expertise when they deliver the Teesside Business Awards for 500 guests at the University of Teesside. To assist the company on the evening, Epicurus Events will be providing casual employment for 80 Teesside students through the university’s job shop.

From this month, Epicurus Events will be the only external catering supplier to Newcastle University, representing a doubling of its current business with the institution.

Chris, now 36, from Tynemouth said: “When I started out I had no idea that it would be this successful.

“I knew there was a demand for a quality and innovative event business in the region but I never dreamt we’d come this far.

“It has been a lot of hard work and celebrating ten years in business has made it all worthwhile. Here’s to another successful ten years”.

This regional business has seen a steady growth. The number of events organised in 1998/9 was a commendable 150, however the marking of a decade in business, will see 2,000 events delivered by Chris and his team this year.

Events range from business awards, catering contracts to tailor-made wedding packages, which are their most popular events.

A keen supporter of the North East England campaign, Chris is passionate about food from this region. One of his priorities is to provide top quality restaurant food to the outside catering market.

Meat is sourced from local farms through Warren Butterworth Catering Butchers. All fish comes from Taylor’s of North Shields. Free range eggs come from Sunnyhill Eggs in Belford. Cream and milk comes from Lanchester Dairies. Cheeses come from the Northumberland Cheese Farm and Doddington Dairy in Wooler. Potatoes come from Carroll’s Heritage in the Borders and strawberries and raspberries come from Tritlington when in season. Herbs are grown in their own staffroom.