Tim Barrett, chair, Construction Alliance North East is the latest regional professional in the hot seat as the p.ublished group of newspapers gives him just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions.

What does a typical working day for you involve?

Nine times out of ten, it’s an early start getting a few emails looked at before the rest of the household is awake. Generally, meetings are arranged for the morning and they can be either face-to-face or on Teams. The idea is to leave afternoons free so that I can deal with admin that’s generated from the meetings. However, you can guarantee it never works that way and by 9am I’m usually spinning a few plates!

What makes your company special?

Construction Alliance North East (CAN) is unusual as it brings together other organisations and companies and gets to work right across the construction sector. This means every day is different and provides an interesting challenge. It’s never lost on me that I get to meet a lot of great people on both the client and contractor sides of the industry.

Do you have any business rules that you swear by?

Never have a knee-jerk reaction to something as you may regret it later. Always take stock, sit back, look at the situation and then respond. It’s important to hold back and be measured as something that appears to be an immediate issue may not be once you have had time to assimilate all the information.

Do you dress up or down for work?

This is a tricky one! If I’m working from home, I’ll often go for business on the top and opt for a shirt and tie in case of a short notice Teams meeting and I’ll have shorts or jeans on the bottom. If working out and about, I’ll always dress up as it makes you feel good about yourself and more confident.

What piece of advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

Never be disheartened by making mistakes, instead, learn from them. You often get very low when you are young and make a mistake but it’s a learning experience. You can’t succeed without having some failures along the way and you have to embrace them and turn them into fuel to drive you forward.

How do you prefer to travel for business?

I often work in London and love the journey on the train as it’s a great way to have some time to wind down after work on the way home, letting someone else have the stress of getting you there!

What’s your favourite place in the North East to relax?

Without a doubt, it has to be the Northumberland coast as the beaches are amazing. I sometimes get up early in the summer and take the dog and it feels like you could be the only person on the planet. It’s so calming and relaxing, a real hidden gem.

Where is your favourite place to eat in the North East and what dish do you recommend?

I love the French Quarter which is just in the railway arches in Newcastle. It’s always busy, has a great atmosphere and knowledgeable, friendly staff. You can order anything from the food and wine menu and know it will be exceptional. My top tip is to get the Café Gourmand, which is three mini desserts and a coffee (or wine), as it’s an amazing way to end your meal.

What do you miss most about the North East when you’re away?

It has to be the people. They are always so friendly and funny, taking the time to stop and chat with you. It’s something I really miss when I’m not in the North East. As I have said before, when I am working away there is no better feeling than the train crossing the Tyne and pulling into Newcastle Central Station and knowing I am home.

What's your favourite North East venue for an event or team away day?

A few years ago, we had a team building away day at the Calvert Trust at Kielder, a holiday and activity centre for disabled and able-bodied people of all ages. We had a fantastic time rock climbing, canoeing, zip lining and clay pigeon shooting and these were just a selection of what could be done on site. It’s a very worthy organisation that deserves a lot more support.


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