Great year for investment
Dec 9 2009 By The Journal
THE decision by Tesco Bank to locate its new state-of-the-art contact centre on Tyneside crowns a good year for inward investment in Tyne and Wear.
Tesco Bank, the UK’s biggest supermarket lender, will create upwards of 1,000 jobs at its new headquarters on Quorum Business Park in North Tyneside as it opens its new insurance customer service centre.
With the first 500 jobs created by the end of 2010, the Tesco project is the largest of several major inward investment schemes Tyne and Wear has been able to attract over the past year – underlining the region’s ongoing appeal to investors.
This includes the Civil Service with two Government departments – the Marine Management Organisation and the Care Quality Commission – also choosing to take advantage of Tyneside’s location.
The Care Quality Commission, which regulates health and adult social care services in England, is now in residence in Newcastle, while the Marine Management Organisation, a new agency set up to manage the sea and coastline around the UK, will create a further 100 skilled jobs in Newcastle when it opens next year. This will also enhance the area’s reputation as an international centre of expertise for the marine sector.
Paul Buie, manager of Tyne and Wear Development Company, the area’s inward investment agency, said: “The fact that the biggest commercial brands and key Government departments want to locate in Tyne and Wear says much about the opportunities that exist here.”
Having worked closely with investors for more than 20 years, Tyne and Wear Development Company played a key role in the Tesco, Marine Management Organisation and Care Quality Commission projects, working with partners around the region to attract jobs to Tyneside.
Paul added: “It’s a major coup that we’ve been able to secure investments and jobs of this calibre, particularly in the current climate. In each instance Tyneside was chosen ahead of other locations around the UK, largely for the skills, business support and facilities we have to offer here.”
Businesses looking to relocate or expand in Tyne and Wear can tap into support from Tyne and Wear Development Company. The agency works on behalf of Tyne and Wear’s five local councils and provides free and confidential support on all investment-related matters. It can offer assistance with everything from finding a new property, to advising on a project’s eligibility for grants and finance assistance.
:: For more information about investment opportunities in Tyne and Wear and a range of business support, please visit www.tyne-wear.co.uk or call 0191 516 9099.
