Gary’s taking a taxi straight to the top

Scarborough-born businessman Gary Ledden is a man of many talents.

Taxi boss, landlord, property developer, hotel builder, there is not much this man has not done.

It is for this reason he has been nominated for the Lifetime Achievement award at The Scarborough News Business Awards 2014.

His nominator said of him: “I am not aware of any other person who has started from scratch in recent years and has achieved so much, both for his family’s benefit but also for the community.

“Scarborough and its facilities would be diminished without Gary Ledden.”

Along with running successful taxi firm Nippy’s, Gary was also behind the first purpose-built hotel in Scarborough in more than 70 years when the Ledden/Thompson Developments oversaw the building of the Premier Inn and Brewers Fayre pub in Falconers Road

The £6.5 million, 74-bedroom hotel scheme was completed in March 2011.

He also oversaw the multi-million pound redevelopment of t he s e mi- derel i c t properties in Pavilion Square in 2008. The square was built in the late 19th century when plush homes overlooked tennis courts and a bowling green surrounded by trees but had fallen into ruin.