John Savage, the entrepreneur behind Flame Heating Spares, has chosen his hometown of South Shields as the site of his third heating trade counter.

Mr Savage opened his first Flame Heating Spares outlet for the trade in Team Valley, Gateshead in 2011 and has built it to a £1.4m turnover business in three years. He added a second site in Durham’s Dragonsville last year.

Now, the third heating trade counter will open on the Rekendyke Industrial Estate, South Shields, creating three new jobs to take the firm’s employment across the region to 10.

“Building my own company has been brilliant and it gives me a real buzz to be expanding into my hometown of South Shields and creating jobs there,” said Mr Savage. “I was well supported as a teenager by the local job centre and they helped me to get my foot on the ladder and start my career, so to come back to the town and open Flame Heating Spares here is something I have hoped to do for a long time.”

Having started out as a warehouse assistant with a chain of plumbing and heating spares trade counters at the age of 17, Mr Savage built his career up to management level before deciding to establish his own business at the age of 31.

Sales director Gary Riseborough said: “Having worked with John for many years, it is a bit of a role reversal with John now being the boss, and I am delighted to be a part of the business. It is an exciting time at Flame with this latest development, and we’re hoping for it to continue as we expand into more lucrative markets.”