One of the largest catering suppliers in the North East has recruited a chartered accountant with a wealth of hospitality experience to its management team as the firm continues to rapidly expand.
Crosbys, located in Newcastle upon Tyne, has appointed Mark Gubbins as the firm’s new managing director, with responsibility for driving the company’s 46-strong team to new heights.
Prior to joining Crosbys, Mark was the finance director at The Gainford Group, a North East family-owned leisure business which operates in the bar, restaurant and large hotel sectors and whose venues include The Vermont Hotel, The County Hotel, Aveika and Livello.
Mark also spent almost eight years as finance director for The Apartment Group – operator of bars, restaurants and wedding venues across the North East including As You Like It, Newton Hall and Le Petit Chateau.
At Crosbys, Mark has already implemented some new and innovative systems which will lay the platform for the company’s ambitious growth plans over the next few years.
Commenting on his new role, Mark said: “As I have been a client of Crosbys for many years through my previous employers, I have been familiar with the firm’s work for some time, so when the opportunity arose to join the team it felt like a perfect fit.
“Crosbys is well-known in the hospitality industry for being a hardworking, family-run business, placing great emphasis on top quality service to customers. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in to the day-to-day running of the business and working towards the next phase of the company’s success.”
The new appointment is the icing on the cake of a successful financial year for Crosbys, which was crowned the ‘Fastest Growing SME in the North East’ by the Journal newspaper in 2016, after doubling its turnover within 18 months. Now Mark will guide the company into the next phase of financial and operational development.
Roger Crosby, business development director of Crosbys, added: “We are delighted to have a candidate of Mark’s calibre joining our team. His wealth of financial experience, combined with his in-depth knowledge of the hospitality industry and dynamic approach will be hugely valuable to us as we continue to grow. As Mark was a client of ours for almost a decade, he appreciates what the end customer looks for when choosing a supplier, and this insight will be invaluable to the business in the future. His decision to come on board confirms our standing within the leisure sector, whilst his understanding of Crosbys, and the sector generally, should allow us to move forward expediently.”
Crosbys, which was founded in 1990 by Bob Crosby, has traditionally supplied the catering industry with crockery and cutlery. However, as the business evolved, it branched out into paper and janitorial supplies, as well as new kitchens and interiors via its dedicated Projects team. More recently, the firm has been at the forefront of cutting edge waste disposal systems which are both eco-friendly and can deliver substantial cost savings to customers.
Crosbys has more than 2,000 customers in the North including Sir John Fitzgerald’s, Ladhar Group Newcastle, Marriott Hotels and Newcastle University, as well as a series of London restaurants and Michelin establishments across the UK and overseas.
The company has worked with a number of hotels and restaurants this year, including the Michelin-starred Raby Hunt in Darlington, the Best Western Beaumont Hotel in Hexham and the Best Western Derwent Manor Hotel in Allensford, as well as for the Malhotra Group, Hotel Indigo, Colman’s Seafood Temple and the Inn Collection. Work is also soon to start on installing a new Athanor Suite at the Six restaurant within the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead.
Mark, 39, lives in Greenside with his wife and daughter. In his spare time he enjoys keeping fit and is also an NUFC season ticket holder.
Crosbys, Unit 14, Brough Park Way, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 2YF.
www.crosbys.co.uk Tel: 0191 228 4800, Facebook: Crosbys Catering Equipment Twitter: @Crosbys_BCA