Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen is calling on local businesses to play a crucial part in the transformation of Teesside International Airport as contracts for three major projects were today (27 January) published.
Firms providing a host of trades, including shopfitting, electricals, joinery, drywalling, flooring as well as decorating are needed to be part of the overhaul to the security area, the extension to Gate 4 to make it ready for Ryanair’s summer holiday flights later this year and the creation of an airside pop-up bar.
The move came just days after Mayor Houchen and Phil Forster, the airport’s Interim Managing Director, spoke to more than 140 business owners in a virtual event to encourage them to get involved in the major redevelopment work at the airport.
The redevelopment is taking place to make it ready for the increased number of passengers expected to come through the airport’s doors, due to the introduction of domestic routes via Loganair and Eastern Airways, expanded summer holiday services with Balkan Holidays and JetsGo Holidays and from securing Ryanair as a low-cost carrier.
Further contracts taking in more aspects of the transformational terminal renovation will continue to be published over the coming days and weeks.
Mayor Houchen said: “Everyone across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool is passionate about our airport and this is a great chance for our brilliant businesses to join one of the most exciting projects taking place in the region right now. Making our airport as up-to-date and passenger friendly as possible is vital if we want people from across the region to have a great experience and keep coming back to use the raft of routes we’ve secured and expanded.
“Ever since buying our airport and saving it from closure, I’ve made it a priority that it supports local firms and local jobs so that the money we invest is kept in the region and, ultimately, ends up in the pockets of local workers.
“This latest round of work shows we’re wasting no time in getting our airport fit for the 21st century. The work gives opportunities for businesses of all types, with plenty more to come as we ramp up our redevelopment during this time of reduced operations. We previously laid out how our firms could get involved, and now I’m calling on them to sign up, bid for work and be part of our airport’s story.”
The redevelopment will see previously mothballed areas of the airport opened up, with new check-in desks and hold baggage scanners installed, alongside a refitted security area with new bag and body scanners making it easier and quicker than ever to get checked in and to the departures gate.
It will also include new food and drink options, with the creation of new bars, two renovated executive lounges, a coffee shop and the return of duty free, as well as refurbishment of key areas of the terminal.
To find out more about these opportunities, email [email protected]
To sign up for future opportunities www.teessideinternational.com/procurement
