25/10/2022
—-20 Year Anniversary —-
20 years ago to this day Michael started a limited company, well known locally as Michael Guthrie Developments Ltd.
His sole employee at the time was his best mate, Gary Anderson aka Spider.
Times were hard at the start, Michael resorted to asking for Spider's first wage back to pay the materials bill instead, to which Spider obliged.
Spider lays claim to a percentage of the company for this kind act, still to this day!
The work started off very small, odd jobs here and there.
However, Michael's hard work and ambition made the company snow ball rapidly.
This allowed for bigger scopes of work in the form of the following (most of which were derelict sites);
• Ness Gate/Ravensdowne Hotel
• A farm conversion at Millfield Hill
• The Old Corn Exchange (swimming pool)
• The old post office on Woolmarket
• Heathery Tops Farm
• Swinton Mill
• Silver Street/Blackburn & Price car showrooms
• Governors Gardens
• St Aidans House (the old school)
• Halidon Hill farm conversion
Plus countless more homes, extensions, renovations.
We would like to thank our workforce, old and current (Nick, Wakey, Gaz, Lewis and Sarah) for their collective years of hard working service to the company - after all without you, it wouldn’t be what it is today!
Many of the old squad have taken the leap and are now self employed or running their own businesses.
We prefer to call these lads friends and often share colourful stories of their time with us whenever paths cross and there’s plenty off them!
To our loyal customers, we’ve too many to name over the years and without you there simply would not be a business!
Whether it's been building a house, extension, repairs or even purchasing a property from us, we have had the pleasure of meeting some great people over the years and hope to continue doing so.
We've also had the pleasure of sponsoring so many great events and sports teams over the years too, long may this continue.
We really hope to kick start next year with our long awaited site at the top of Berwick next to the Barley Rise estate, accommodating 110 homes.
This will include a range of different sized properties (bungalows too) all with large gardens. More details to follow.
On a personal note, Michael's family would like to thank him for being the hard working, respected individual that's rarely defeated, even when the going gets tough!
Under that hard exterior is a loving family man who cares for and has provided for his family for as long as we've each known him. He's enabled us opportunities that would definitely not be available if it wasn’t for his sacrifices and for that we are so grateful.
We all, truly, think the world of him!
Thank you!
Jack (10) pictured with the wheel barrow at the old corn exchange working half his school holidays, very much to his displeasure.
