THE owners of a family-run business are looking to put a "terrible" 2018 behind them after they lost thousands of pounds worth of supplies in a fire and suffered multiple burglaries.

Cindy Bennett, who runs glazing and glass cutting business Andy Glass alongside her husband, Gary, were left feeling like "the world was crashing down on them" after an industrial shed which they had been using to store materials went up in flames in July last year.

If that wasn't enough, the couple also lost cash, tools and electrical items, including a £1,000 glass drill which later appeared in a shop for £30, during a number of burglaries last year.

 

But six months on from the blaze on St Barnabas Road in Middlesbrough, the couple are ready to open at a new base at Skippers Lane Industrial Estate today after Mr Bennett spent Christmas getting the new site ready in time.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Mrs Bennett said: "Gary has worked tirelessly over Christmas to get the place ready – he has never stopped from moving glass, big machines to building new benches and glass racks.

"We are hoping that after such a terrible year with the arson attack and multiple burglaries that this will be a fresh start and our customers will follow us because they will still get the same fantastic service that Gary has always given."

 

After they were alerted to the fire, which took seven hours to put out, the couple raced across to see the damage, and as they did, they could see thick black smoke filling the Middlesbrough skyline as they got closer to the site.

The business has been in operation for almost 30 years and has been run by its current owners for the last four years.

Mrs Bennett added: "Basically after the fire, the insurance company wouldn’t pay out so we have just had to tighten our belts and Gary has worked his socks off to start building it back up.

"It’s been quite a hard time, emotionally and financially but hopefully we are now on the way up."

Almost 100 residents of St Barnabas Road were left without power for hours after the large fire last summer.

Andy Glass has also changed its contact details to coincide with the move. Anyone wishing to contact them should call 01642 462020 or visit www.andyglass-middlesbrough.co.uk.