Or should that be I’m gannin yearm TWL’s going to love this one. After almost a year in The Smoke I’ve decided to return back to my native North East for both professional and personal reasons. I worked my last day with the cool cats at Frank PR on Friday as I’ve accepted a social media role at online press release distribution and monitoring company, webitpr.
As much as I enjoy working in London, I simply can’t afford to stay here at this moment in my life. It’s an expensive city to live and work in and the purse strings have been tight for some time now. It would take me around four years of living on the breadline to even attempt to buy a garden shed around here.
I’d rather be making an attempt to get on the property ladder where I stand a better chance – at home. Not to say I’ll be able to but I’m going to give it a go. The state of the UK property market is a big worry to those that aren’t on it and the London market is completely saturated whereas the North East’s has potential. I guess I should have made an attempt to get on it a few years ago but I chose to put myself through college and university instead. Don’t regret it one bit though.
The decision to move was a tough one but was sweetened by the offer from the guys at webitpr; who I met by chance while I was trying to sell advertising space on my blog (see, told you I was skint.) My new boss and chief exec, Adam, is a fellow North Easterner and Newcastle United fan so, of course, we hit it off straight away. His enthusiasm for online PR is infectious and after a few discussions about the new concepts they’re introducing I decided to accept a position at their Newcastle office. (They also have an office in Lincoln and are in the process of setting up one in London too – so I may be back.)
Webitpr aren’t a new Web 2.0 firm. Far from it. They’ve been in business on the internet since 2000 (the Web 1.0 era) and they certainly know their stuff about the whole online media landscape and not just social media kind. They’re a challenger brand to your PR Newswires etc. I like the idea of challenger brands which, coincidentally, Frank PR specialise in. Maybe a bit of the magic will rub off? 
It’s weird. Looking at my Facebook friends today I noticed about 80% of them are based in London either from Edelman, Frank or the random non-PR people I’ve met since being down here.
Quite daunting to be moving away.
No definite date set yet but sometime in the next couple of weeks. If anyone’s up for a beer give me a shout.
Stephen is a communications consultant based out of the UK. You can connect with him on Twitter or check out his LinkedIn profile. | Email Stephen
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Drew B
No! You’re leaving! Sorry to see you leave Stevo. Was good working with you those few weeks. And sorry I didn’t see more of you. All the best buddy.
david brain
Really sorry to see you go mate, but it sounds like a good move all in all. At least you have picked up some good experience and i do seeme to remember having a pretty good time during my two years working in Newcastle, so expect you’ll cope socially.
Ged
Stephen, sorry to hear about you leaving, it looks like I’ll have to make a visit to the North now and again instead. You’re right the housing market is mad. I managed to get on the ladder by moving out to Luton and then moving back in and using the money that I’d made as a deposit.
The commute wasn’t anything I would wish on all but the worst of my enemies.
Simon Wakeman
Stephen – sorry we didn’t get to meet properly today – defeated by my ever-ringing mobile!
Hope the move works out for you – and will hopefully get to meet properly (I’ll turn the mobile off) at the CIPR Northern Conference in a couple of weeks
sw
Jac
Ahhh … SBW, where will the ladies of London be without you? Good for you on making the big move – hope it works out for you. Clearly, a few miles in betwixt will not be enough for your EIS family to forget you … or your ability to breakdance to Johnny Cash!
And the farewell party will be … ??
Joanna Tidball
Sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into this decision and I really hope it works out well for you. Best of luck with the move and the new job! Will keep in touch through your blog and the old Facebook.
Ben Ayers
Really sorry to hear you are leaving the smoke but don’t blame you at all! Keep in touch and let me know if you fancy a beer or two before you head off…
Cheers,
Ben
PS – are you sure you won’t reconsider…? About the Olympic logo I mean!
Stephen
Drew: Thanks, maybe when you’re next in the north east I’ll buy you that pizza I owe you.
David: Thanks mate. It’s surprising how much I have learnt since being down here in not a long time.
Ged: It is madness! If I can get a place and then move back down (work permitting) I’d happily do that. At least I’d know I had something to come back to. That commute down sound nightmarish!
Simon: Ha! Yeah you did look like the busiest person in the building yesterday. Looking forward to meeting you at the CIPR conference too mate.
Jac: Oh oooh! Why does breakdancing and Johnny Cash together seem very familiar? I think it may involved a night out… And alcohol.
No farewell party arranged but up for one though.
Joanna: Thanks. It did take a lot of thought but like you said, I feel connected with everyone now via the web (expect me to blog like a trooper) … and it’s only a three hour train journey … or a 50 minuted flight. It’s nothing these days. And I’ve got a few places to crash if I ever do come down.
Ben: Definitely up for a beer mate. Will bounce you an email over. And, no reconsiderations either!
Richard Bailey
Congratulations. I think you can guess that I applaud this move (and your reasons for it).
Tim Hoang
Think there’s been enough people wishing you luck and all that. Hope it all works out for you mate. (You do get around though don’t you?)
Simon Collister
Stephen. Sorry to hear you’re off…. we must do a beer or two before you go. Congratulations on the move though.
Stephen
Richard: Cheers. Might see you at the Northern Conference perhaps?
Tim: Thanks mate. You’re right. But when you’ve got student (and other) loans like I have you have to constantly evaluate what’s going to be best in the long run and take advantage (with risk) of anything that comes your way. I’m not the first but I have fairly high visibility so everything I do is … er, um … visible.
Simon: Definitely up for it. Speak soon.
Alex Pullin
Blimey…
sherri
newcastle 1, london 0
good for you, luv – you will no doubt thrive in your natural habitat
we’ll have to give you a proper send-off before you go!
and who knows, maybe n + n will open its doors in the north one day?
Stephen Waddington
I like Webit PR. They sent me a bottle of Champers on Monday after winning the CiB award.
Totally understand the draw of the north east. My wife is a Geordie and her family are all up that way. We spend a lot of time on the Northumbrian coast.
Ignore the flack. If anything its confirmation of your profile. Sure we just heard you on Radio 5. Nice one.
Stephen
Thanks Stephen. They speak well of you too.
Thanks for the 5 Live nod too. I enjoyed it.
Mats
Sad to hear you leaving town mate. Although now I’ve got a great excuse to visit Tyneside. Will you get tickets for the next United v United clash? Def on for a drink or 5 before your departure.
Stephen
Come up any time matey. Will call you in the next couple of days.
Will
Mate, that’s a shame. Sorry to see you go. But I knwo what you mean about housing misery in the smoke. Head back to the toon and get yourself a bacheolar pad in the byker wall.
Beers with GD before you run up there?
Stephen
Definitely mate. Still got yours and GD’s mob number.
Milton Hicks
Sadly it was just once that Righteous and Milton spent a Saturday night clubbing in non-meat space. And now he is gone.
Stephen
Heh! I know who that is. Hope you’re well buddy…
Drew
The memory of Milton and Righteous’ party lives on… it was the talk of the office for a good while
Alex Pullin
“The talk of the office…” not always in complementary ways, although lord knows what happened as Milton speaks of it still.