This is our third update since the fire at Eccleston. We wanted to let everyone know where we’re at as we get closer to our “new normal” and look toward a really bright future.

Our temporary workshop in a nearby village is almost there now. The location is incredibly tranquil, situated right next to a canal where narrowboats regularly pass by. We even get daily visits from the local swans and ducks, with sheep and lambs grazing just over the water. It has been a wonderfully peaceful backdrop for us during a very hectic time.

Best of all, our brand-new CNC machine was delivered last week and is being set up and tested as we speak. This is a massive milestone for us because it means our manufacturing heart is officially beating again.

We’ve been working closely with our insurers, who have been great, and we’ve finally started the physical cleanup back at Eccleston. I have to admit, it still takes a lot of courage to look into the burnt-out shell that used to be our CNC shop, spray rooms, and final assembly lines. It’s going to take a while before we’re back home at Eccleston permanently, but this new canal-side workshop setup is shaping up to be the perfect stand-in.

Working side-by-side with Dan, Ross, and Jordan, we’ve come up with a completely new workshop layout. The machinery, the new spray booths, and the assembly lines have all been designed to flow together seamlessly. This is the kind of massive planning that would usually take us over a year to map out and build, but we had no choice but to push it through in just a few weeks.

It has been a proper family effort, too. My family—including Lucy, Tom, and Holly—have spent their weekends with paint rollers in hand, painting walls and floors to get the workshop ready. Dan, my co-director, has been absolutely incredible throughout this entire process. As always, Dan is continuing to steer the business into the future, and he and Ross have worked tirelessly day and night to get us back up and running. I will be forever grateful for their help and support, even through the toughest days and despite my own grumpiness when things felt overwhelming. Every day that passes, we’re getting more excited about this new chapter and the opportunities it’s going to bring.

To top it all off and help us tackle the massive workload ahead, we’ve been actively growing the team. We’ve already taken on three new staff members who come with years of experience. They’re ready to hit the ground running and propel us forward into this new future.

I want to say a huge, heartfelt thank you to our incredible clients. Thank you for being so patient through what has easily been the worst time of our lives, and for staying so loyal to us. To our staff, thank you for your support and your loyalty. To Dan and Ross, thank you for working non-stop to get this business back on its feet.

But my biggest praise and deepest thanks go to my wonderful wife, Sue. I know this whole nightmare has hit her harder than she ever lets on, but through it all, she has stood there like an absolute rock. Quite simply, I couldn’t have done a single bit of this without her.

Thank you.