Kettering business centre marks Queen’s visit with 25-year anniversary celebration
The 25th anniversary of the official opening of Kettering’s Business Exchange has been marked at a celebration event.
Directors, staff, clients and supoorters gathered in the function room at the office space in Rockingham Road to toast the success of the venture.
Beneath the plaque he had invited Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to unveil, Duncan Mills, chairman of the board of The Business Exchange, welcomed guests.
He said: “We felt we couldn’t let a quarter of a century pass without marking the occasion. It was a momentous day for all of us who can remember it.”
The building began as Kettering Rockingham Road Senior Girls School, became part of Tresham College for a short while before being bought by Sainsbury’s as part of the development of the land.
Renovation of the Grade II-listed school was carried out as part of a wider programme of developments in the town funded by the Single Regeneration Budget.
Sold to Ketteing Town Borough Council for £1, the building was handed over to the Board of the Business Exchange.
On June 28, 2001, Queen Elizabeth II was welcomed by VIPs from Kettering and business manager since the start Cathy Armstrong.
Cathy remembers the Royal visit as ‘quite an experience’ with the Queen being ‘totally genuine’ as well as being ‘interested and very clued up’ about all the businesses in the complex.
Since welcoming Queen Elizabeth II in 2001, Cathy has welcomed more than 300 enterprises to the centre – many have moved into their own premises as they grew.
The Business Exchange holds 48 business offices of various sizes, funded by a trust whose objective is to support local businesses with affordable office space.
Units come with essential utilities and security, but without long-term commitment.
The board works on three guiding principles – ‘preserving the building for the town, providing a good service to the tenants and the community and maintaining a viable and sustainable business’.
After thanking those involved in the Business Exchange down the years, Mr Mills paid special tribute to Cathy.
Leading a round of applause to show his appreciation, he said: “Cathy has been here since the start and has always guided and led all of us.”
Cathy added: “We have always strived to provide safe, secure accommodation. It’s a very good starting place with flexible agreements for start up and growing businesses. We have had some amazing tenants and I get to see it all. Success to us is providing short and long term office space rentals.”