Company History

Established in 1986, TBR is now operating in its 25th year. We think this is something to shout about, and we'll be celebrating properly on the company's birthday in September!

Below we present a brief history of our company:

1979

David Birch published ground breaking report in the USA ‘The Job Generation Process’.
Colin Gallagher joined Newcastle University, became aware of Birch’s work, and decided to replicate it for the UK
Introduction to Dun and Bradstreet (D&B), arranged a supply of the necessary data

1980

Awarded funding from the Social Science Research Council to mirror Birch’s work in the UK
Recruited Henry Stewart to work with Colin Gallagher on the SSRC project

1981

Colin’s project continues utilising 1981 and 1971 data

1986

ESRC research complete, leading to numerous academic and policy papers
Job Generation work provoked considerable interest, in particular from the DTI, with a desire for more detailed statistical analysis of contribution of different sizes and types of firms to the job creation process
Colin and a fellow colleague, Paul Miller, recognised an opportunity for commercial consultancy work
Trends Business Research Ltd (TBR) registered as a limited company

1987-1989

Database, research and analysis techniques used to improve the accuracy of new work produced for DTI

1989-1992

Research continued and repeated, building an economic profile for the DTI and work is published

1993

Colin Gallagher retires from academia but continues work through TBR
First commercial contract commissioned by the DTI – The components of private sector employment change, 1987-1993
Further contracts were commissioned by the public sector and regional bodies, in particular Scottish Enterprise, in the job generation analysis area
Andrew Graves recruited to work on Training and Enterprise Council research contracts

1994-1996

Work continued to expand investigating issues such as employment change, growth companies and business birth rate
Contract completed for Scottish Enterprise to support the Scottish Business Birth Rate Strategy

1996-97

Recruited Anna Morgan to support on data development and to strengthen analytical capability
TBR develops its first product, a software based tool that provided the user with analytical tools to interrogate a UK business database
TBR moved to new premises at Jesmond Road West, Newcastle upon Tyne

1999-2000

Work continued and TBR began what became long-term relationships withy many of the regional development agencies
TBR also developed work about the significance of industrial clusters

2000

TBR commissioned to lead a consortium to carry out a major cluster study on behalf of the Government
Published as Business Clusters in the UK: a first assessment under the direction of Lord Sainsbury and the DTI (now BIS)
TBR commissioned by BIS to provide an update of the Job Generation in the UK study
Terry Bevan, who had worked with TBR on a consultancy basis in the past, joined as the Marketing Director
Deliver a detailed review of the patterns and causes of business closure across the North East

2002

TBR leads the team to deliver the UK’s most extensive cluster mapping and development study, for emda. Published as East Midlands Clothing Cluster Mapping and Development
This project marked the first in a range of projects with an international element, with case study visits to Italy, Germany and Los Angeles

2003-5

TBR delivers a series of training workshops entitled The Use and Abuse of economic data during the course of which we meet Martin Houghton, now a TBR senior associate
Andrew Graves promoted to Head of Consultancy and Anna Morgan to Head of Data and Statistics. Both appointed to the Board of Directors
TBR begins to build its capability in the creative and cultural industries, delivering a mapping study for GLA Economics
TBR delivers The role of businesses and cluster in local regeneration for ODPM (now CLG)
TBR delivers a new methodology for assessing the economic impact of Tourism for DCMS and ONE North East, delivered in partnership with CogentSI
Fiona Dodd, now Head of Research, joins TBR as Research Consultant

2006

Andrew Graves promoted to Managing Director
Terry Bevan’s role updated to Strategic Development Director
TBR produces firs Creative & Cultural Skills footprint statistics, marking a new approach to assessing the impact of the creative industries

2007

TBR completes the first ever project to map participation in voluntary arts, published as Our Creative Talent

2008

TBR, in partnership with James Rebanks, delivers the ‘paradigm changing’ (UNESCO) research for the Lake District World Heritage Site team, published as World Heritage Status – is there opportunity for economic gain?

2009

TBR moves to present offices at Burgess House
We deliver a study to Somerset County Council to map the renewable energy sector and to assess its business development challenges

2010

Fiona Dodd promoted to Head of Research
TBR engages Martin Houghton on an associated contract
Terry Bevan relocates to Sussex and establishes TBR’s South East team with Martin
Future Space product launched
TBR delivers three important studies for the CASE programme, including atoolkit to map local cultural and heritage assets

2011

TBR celebrating its 25th year in business
Commissioned by BIS to undertake a pilot study to assess the market for environmental goods and services
New website and corporate identity launched
TBR split into two business units – the TBR Observatory and the Research & Consultancy team

Company History

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