In 1998 I decided to leave Southwark Council, although I had been successful and achieved a national reputation for Parks Management, I was incresingly frustrated by the inertia, and the political environment. My immediate line manager was a ‘ruff and tuff’ sort of bloke who I liked and respected but we were not much of a team together and we had different agendas. I saw opportunities outside of the council and in springtime 1998 i offerred my resignation with 3months salary payment inliue of notice. i was accepted and with no notice left
I still can remember the feeling of walking on air as I left the building, walking away from the security of the public sector. Ready to go my own way, creating my own businesses, earning my own salary, and working for myself. . At 47 years old I entered the private sector and have spent the rest of my life supporting myself through my own businesses. In the next 10 years or so I started a dozen or more limited companies, developing business skills, managing people, gaining accounting knowledge and most of all proving my entreprunerial and creative abilities. But at that moment, leaving Southwark Council, I felt that i was at the beginning of a new life
1998 established HHH Consulting Ltd. An umbrella company for range of activities inc;
- Winewinewine.co.uk launched as the first online wine business in UK
- Francedirect.co.uk launched as an online French Villas holiday business
- Opened Francedirect stall at Borough Market 1999 (originally every third Saturday of the month) selling fine food from SW France
- 1999. Opened 2 Bedale Street French Food Specialist shop at Borough Market
- Secured contract with Borough Market to design and host their website.
- Launched Francedirect Magazine
- IT visitor experience for Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
- Website for Pool of London Authority
2000 onwards
Agreed transfer of lease from 2 Bedale St to 5 Bedale street. The beginning of Bedales Ltd. A wine bar chain with premises at Spitalfields, and Leadenhall Market
Secured Market Stall lease for what is now Le Marche du Quartier Ltd
Created LSC Publishing and Media Ltd and The Cut Ltd Publishing companies focused on the Southbank. The Cut Ltd was dissolved in 2001, but LSC Publishing became a successful publishing company with a wide portfolio of magazines inc prestigious Marylebone Journal, Covent Garden, finally dissolved in 2023 after impact of Covid
The Market Company Ltd 2004 created the first food market at Spitalfields
ARC Ltd 2004- 2007 Arts, Regeneration and Community . A company that aimed to raise funds for community benefit through securing locations for advertising companies.
Ola Paella – wine and food premises at Greenwich, Camden Lock, Covent Garden
Belgravia – fine wine and food deli 2010
Creake Abbey Café and Food Hall Ltd 2012
Huntingfield Enterprises Ltd – trading as Drove Orchards Farmshop 2015 to date
Stephen Peter Arthur Frean Harrison 