The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Phil Whitaker, partner in AS Whitaker and Sons, with the award, flanked by celebrity Rob Brydon (left) and Steve Maddock, managing director of claims, Direct Line Group.
A Pinchbeck-based firm has won a top award at the 2014 British Bodyshop Awards.
AS Whitaker and Sons was named Large Bodyshop Site of the Year and was awarded the Direct Line Group Award.
Celebrity Rob Brydon hosted this year’s awards, which saw bodyshops and individuals from across the UK being rewarded for their contribution to the industry.
At the Battesea Evolution hotel, in front of more than 900 guests from across the accident repair industry including bodyshops, insurance and accident management companies, vehicle manufacturers plus automotive industry suppliers, the team from Whitaker’s Spalding received its award from Steve Maddock, managing director of claims, Direct Line Group.
Phil Whitaker, a partner in the business, said: “Being presented with the award from one of our largest customers, Direct Line Group, is a genuine honour.
“The team at Whitaker’s Spalding work to extremely high standards and we’re delighted to be recognised for the outstanding effort our whole team makes.
“To be awarded in front of such a large audience also added to the occasion and I’d like to thank ABP Club for putting on such a tremendous industry event.”
Phil is a fourth generation employee of the family firm, which started at Spalding Common in 1920. It moved to Winsover Road in 1926 and then to its current site at Stephenson Avenue in Pinchbeck in 2002.
That is the head office and there are two other sites, in Peterborough and Huntingdon.
The group employs almost 80 staff. The business also runs a specialist coatings company called Creative Coatings.
This supplies coatings to the shop fit/hotel fitting industry.
