Pictured above: Richard Thorne
A rapidly growing recruitment agency set to expand into
Gloucester has backed plans to transform the city's Railway
Triangle into an Enterprise Zone.
gap personnel - the UK's eight largest industrial labour
provider - believes a successful bid would give the city's economy
a much-needed boost.
Richard Thorne, who has joined gap from rival agency Premiere
People's Gloucester branch, said: "Regeneration of the Railway
Triangle is long overdue, and the area has the potential to become
a business hub for the region.
"We are seeing plenty of signs of economic recovery in the city
but a successful Enterprise Zone bid would be a major catalyst for
further growth.
"We believe it would be a significant factor in attracting new
businesses to the area."
gap personnel is one the UK's fastest growing independent
recruitment agencies. Headquartered in North Wales, it already has
a successful regional operation in the Midlands, with branches in
Birmingham, Stoke, Daventry and Northampton amongst
others.
Nationally it places and payrolls up to 4,000 temporary workers
per week, and covers more than 1.5 million shifts a year. It has a
total brand turnover of more than £60m.
Now the company has identified Gloucestershire and the M5
corridor as its next key growth area.
The company expects to hire 25 staff in the area over the next
12 months. It is currently on the lookout for premises in
Gloucester, and plans to open a further two branches in the coming
months.
Richard will be responsible for growing's gap business in the M5
corridor and competing with the area's established recruitment
companies.
The 35-year-old, who lives in Cheltenham, said: "The chance to
build up a new regional operation from scratch was very attractive,
and I'm looking forward to establishing gap in the M5 corridor
area.
"We're on the lookout for recruitment consultants and
administrative staff who can help us achieve our goals."
gap will be looking to place temporary and permanent workers
with some of the region's biggest employers. Target sectors include
logistics, warehousing, distribution and technical - as well as
commercial.
Managing director Gary Dewhurst said: "Gloucestershire and the
M5 corridor has a strong private sector and is home to lots of
dynamic companies.
"We look forward to building relationships with many of them
based on our core values of responsiveness and
co-operation."
Chancellor George Osborne announced plans for 21 enterprise
zones across England as part of the budget.
The zones will offer tax breaks, reduced planning restrictions,
"super-fast" broadband and financial assistance for plant and
machinery.
There are hopes that securing Enterprise Zone status would
create 1,000 jobs at the Railway Triangle site.
If the bid is successful, city leaders will be able to make bids
for extra Government funding to attract new firms to the site.
New businesses moving in would get tax discounts worth up to
£275,000 over five years. There are already plans to create a
new Morrisons supermarket on the land, creating 400 new jobs.