2020 – a year we won’t forget…
2020 will always be a year we’ll never forget. Despite being dominated by the pandemic, we’ve also seen business successes, lots of award wins and amazing community spirit – listed below is a selection of those things – we hope you enjoy reading our review of the year.
JANUARY
- Plans for the new Regent Cinema unveiled
- Seabreeze Fish & Chip shop goes vegan!
- Teessider Amanda Rich takes ‘Redcar Town Clock ‘around the world!
- Sirius Minerals agrees deal with Anglo-American to secure the company’s future
- Heritage funding secured for Guisborough Town Hall development project
FEBRUARY
- GUY: A new musical comes to Saltburn Community Theatre
- Kirkleatham Museum opens ‘Nordic by Nature’ exhibition
- Award winning Scream Factory host ‘My Bloody Valentine’ at Kirkleatham
- Guisborough Soprano Charlotte Potter appears on ITV’s Endeavour
- Net Zero project launched in Teesside
MARCH
- 5th Annual Redcar & Cleveland ‘Inspiring Women’ Awards take place at Wilton Centre
- Jingye Group complete the purchase of British Steel in Redcar and Scunthorpe
- Saltburn Cliff Tramway awarded prestigious ‘Welcome accolade’ by Visit England
- ‘Briefs’ sitcom starts filming in Redcar
APRIL
- We launched ‘Our Positive Response’ to the covid crisis, providing news and guidance for the area
- Redcar Athletic FC receive a grant to build new clubhouse
- Houses across Redcar and Cleveland display rainbows and public buildings were lit blue in support for NHS and key workers
MAY
- The Lockdown Late Show starts airing on Zetland FM, before spreading across the UK!
- Redcar based Absolute Antibody provide antibodies for COVID vaccine research
- VE Day goes virtual!
JUNE
- Teesside Expo virtual event takes place
- Sugar Noms – a tasty new business opens in Redcar – sweet!
- Plans were unveiled for a £10M Loftus Future High Streets project
- Redcar based ‘The Lipsticks’ do an online concert
- Cygnet Law launch ‘Amazon Challenge’ raising over £1000 for the Alzheimer’s Society
JULY
- Sharon Lane, MD of Tees Components and Frans Calje, CEO of PD Ports included in the 30 most inspiring Tees business leaders
- Nellie’s Pancake House opens in Guisborough
- Eston Arts Centre deliver over 100 art activity packs for children in the borough to keep them entertained during lockdown
- We host our first virtual Ambassador event – ‘Getting back in business‘
- Marske beach named as one of the best beaches in the north of Britain by The Times
AUGUST
- ‘Eat out to Help Out’ scheme implemented by Redcar and Cleveland hospitality businesses
- PD Ports open £9.2m Teesport Bulk Terminal
- We introduce our first ever ‘Ambassa-cat’ – Hendrix the Coastal Cat!
- Saltburn wins Keep Britain Tidy’s Blue Flag status for the second year running
SEPTEMBER
- Lynne Young opens Redcar’s first traditional milliner’s shop in 70 years
- Festival of Thrift goes online with #ThriftFestUpcycled
- Massive pod of dolphins spotted in the sea off Saltburn
- The Book Corner, Saltburn launches online shop
OCTOBER
- Teesworks reveal new plans for former SSI site
- New businesses open in Saltburn – Goondocks bar, That Pantry & Audrey Alice Boutique
- Redcar based Duco Digital win SME News 2020 UK enterprise award
- Redcar Town Deal proposals unveiled
- And, we sadly say goodbye to beloved local legend, Julie Donaldson
NOVEMBER
- PD Ports announce two projects by Wentworth Clean Power, totalling £650M investment
- Teesworks announce plans for new £90M quay at South Bank
- ‘Drew’s Wonderwalls’ paints a special mural for Remembrance Day 2020
- Sharon Lane is appointed to Government Green task force
- Youngest director of Guisborough Town Hall project CIC appointed, Holly Tilling
- Richinda Taylor of Eva’s Women’s Aid wins director of the year in third sector category
DECEMBER
- The Great Doorstep Light Switch on sees Redcar and Cleveland lit up ready for Christmas!
- Redcar | Cleveland Advent calendar’s windows open – with giveaways galore!
- ‘Briefs’ sitcom have their online premiere
- Initial designs of new Redcar hotel revealed
And, on the Ambassador programme, we held two online events, with a fantastic selection of speakers – ‘Getting back in business’ in July and ‘Made in Redcar and Cleveland’ in November . We ended the year by approaching 450 Ambassadors – that’s a fantastic number of people – thank you to every one of you, your support is very much appreciated. Do you want to join us? – you can sign up here.
