From a garage in Southsea to new office space celebrated by the Lord Mayor - how one Portsmouth company continues to find success

But now award-winning recruitment firm Carrington West has further extended its office space as it continues to find success, employing more than 100 people at its home in Lakeside North Harbour. And to mark the occasion it invited Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Hugh Mason to perform the official opening and to meet the team.

The expansion marks the latest milestone for Carrington West, which was founded in 2011 and first moved to Lakeside eleven years ago.

In a short congratulatory speech, Coun Mason joked that he was pleased that he did not have to actually cut a ribbon to officially declare the new space open as these ceremonies often took two or three snips of the scissors. But he did speak in glowing terms about the contribution Carrington West has made to the local economy by creating jobs and giving back through an extensive corporate responsibility programme, as well as the support it gives job seekers across the country. Coun Mason also specifically mentioned Carrington West’s Investors in People Platinum accreditation as a shining example of how companies that focus on creating a thriving working environment build sustainable businesses for the benefit of all.

James Fernandes, Carrington West Managing Director, said: “We were honoured to host the Lord Mayor and very much enjoyed showing him the new office space. Our people are our number one priority and we felt it was important to take a moment to celebrate this next milestone in our journey together. The new space will enable our continued growth and ambition to create the best possible working environment for our colleagues. The Lord Mayor has seen a lot of change in Portsmouth and the surrounding area over the past years, we are proud to be part of the city’s growth and evolution, and there is a lot more to come.”

The opening ceremony included select guests from Avison Young, Lakeside North Harbour’s management company, building contractors Portsdown Office Ltd and representatives from Portsmouth City Council.

Carrington West provides talent to the UK highways, traffic and planning, town planning, water and environmental, utilities and power, building and rail industries.