The 80 year-old site manager of a Newcastle based self-storage business has decided to retire and hand over the role to a younger successor, aged 64. Peter Robson from Jarrow has worked for the Parsons Containers Group’s U Hold The Key business since 2002, based at Benfield Business Park. Since turning 80, Robson has been mentoring Arthur Jennings, who has now taken hold of the keys for the site.
After making the difficult decision to retire from U Hold The Key, Peter Robson was keen to ensure that the Newcastle self-storage site was in safe hands. Once he had given his nod of approval to the company’s decision to hire Arthur Jennings, Robson helped his relatively young successor to settle in, before formally handing over the reins.
As site manager for U Hold The Key, Arthur Jennings now handles the day to day running of the company’s Benfield Business Park site in Newcastle, delivering a wide range of self-storage solutions for businesses and individuals. Jennings has extensive experience of managing oil and gas operations worldwide and has returned to his native North East for his latest role.
Founded in 2001, U Hold The Key is part of the County Durham based Parsons Containers Group of companies, one of the UK’s leading shipping container businesses. The company offers 24/7 access to its 10 secure sites in the North East and Lincolnshire and is a market leader in container self-storage. The Benfield Business Park site provides secure self-storage in shipping containers of three sizes – 8ft, 10ft and 20ft. Customers are able to access the site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Peter Robson comments:
“I have been involved in U Hold The Key since 2002, just after the company was formed and I have seen it grow into a successful and progressive operation. The Newcastle site is now twice its original size and holds over 300 units of varying sizes and it has been a pleasure to play a part in that growth. I have had the privilege to meet some most interesting customers, and staff, and have made friendships which I am sure will last. My time at U Hold The Key has been a happy and enjoyable experience.
“Arthur is the new man at the helm and I am sure he will do a good job as he is keen and enthusiastic about the business. His vast experience in management in the oil and gas industry around the world stands him in good stead to deal with customers and manage the site. I wish him well.”
Parsons Group managing director Ean Parsons comments:
“We are very sad to see Peter leave us for his well-earned retirement. After a career in the rail industry, he brought his excellent organisational skills to our storage business and I think everyone who knows him will agree, he has kept a well-run operation. His young successor Arthur also brings a wealth of operational and commercial experience to the role and I am sure that he will do a great job. We aren’t letting Peter escape completely, as he’s going to mentor a member of our head office team in Sedgefield for a while.”
Commenting on his new role, Arthur Jennings said:
“Peter has made everything seem so easy – I am looking forward to the task ahead and feeling well prepared. After many years working offshore and onshore overseas, I wanted a new challenge. I heard about the site manager role at the Newcastle U Hold The Key site which I used myself when I was moving house and took the opportunity to apply.”
Jennings joins U Hold The Key at a time of significant expansion. Responding to increasing demand, the company has opened three new sites in the North East over the last six months, in a move that is seeing its number of stores increase by 50%. U Hold The Key’s new locations are in Southwick, Sunderland, on the A66 approach to Darlington and at Mainsforth (near Ferryhill, just off the A1 in County Durham). The new sites give the company a capacity of 1,500 stores, up from around 1,000.
For more information about the company, visit www.uholdthekey.co.uk, email enquiries@uholdthekey.co.uk, call 0800 389 4319, follow @UHoldTheKey_UK on Twitter or like www.facebook.com/UHoldTheKey.