The Customs House welcomes new chairman ahead of 25-year milestone

A leading light in the North East business sector has been appointed as new chairman of the Board of Trustees at The Customs House.
Margaret FayMargaret Fay
Margaret Fay

Margaret Fay replaces outgoing chairman Grahame Wright, who retired from the role in September this year after serving as a board member for 10 years.

The Customs House, in South Shields, is a registered charity and the Board of Trustees are responsible for overseeing the running of the organisation and ensuring that it meets the needs of the community it serves.

Margaret FayMargaret Fay
Margaret Fay
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Margaret’s appointment comes as The Customs House prepares to celebrate quarter of a century as the borough’s leading arts venue.

She said: “I was delighted to be invited to take on the Chair of the Board of Trustees at The Customs House.

“Having recently stood down after eight years as Deputy Chair of Sage Gateshead, I felt that I could bring that significant experience in support of my home town theatre.”

Margaret was managing director of Tyne Tees Television until 2003, when she became chairman of One North East, a position she held until 2010.

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She is deputy chairman at the University of Sunderland, chairman of South Tyneside Council’s Economic Regeneration Board, patron of Tees Valley Community Foundation and a Deputy Lieutenant for Tyne and Wear.

Ray Spencer MBE, executive director of The Customs House, said: “As we launch our 25th anniversary year, I am absolutely delighted to have such a well-respected regional business figure become Chair of The Customs House Trust.

“I look forward to working with Margaret as we build firm foundations to drive The Customs House forward and secure our future for the next 25 years.”