Moorland looking to further growth

A FAMILY business in Oldham town centre has undergone a major change in its management team.

Sara Benstead (41), from Suffolk, has taken over the day-to-day duties from her brother Mark who has left Moorland Security Ltd after 20 years with his father to pursue other business interests.

Mrs Benstead, who lives in Delph during the working week, has been been appointed operations manager by her father Brian Lawrence, the managing director, who founded the company in 1984.

A former policeman, Mr Lawrence, who also lives in Delph, has seen the business undergo a number of changes in the past 26 years was also involved in owning and later helping to run the former greyhound racing track at Watersheddings until 1997.

He relocated the business to its current headquarters in Brown Street, Mumps, in 2003 having previously been in Copsterhill Road.

His daughter will look at building from the solid base which the firm has established by moving with the times as the security industry has evolved and changed.

In the early days Mr Lawrence and his long-time colleague Nigel Gates were involved in detective work for solicitors and private clients.

This area of business still accounts for 20 per cent of turnover with Mr Gates, from Shaw, at its head.

The majority of the firm’s 30 full-time employees are external security operators.

In the early days of Moorland Security the firm worked with two major breweries with a patch east of the Pennines running from the Scottish borders to Cambridgeshire. “We would monitor stock losses, staff theft and follow dray wagons,” explained Mr Moorland adding this lucrative business was lost when legislation changes saw the major breweries forced to sell their tied houses.

Moorland moved into the betting and gaming arena, working for major bookmaking chains and casinos in the licensing arena before moving seamlessly into mobile patrols and, increasingly, working in hostels, safeguarding residents and staff.

Mr Lawrence said: “Mark has left the business because he wanted another challenge and I wish him all the best.

“It’s something he has always wanted to do and we all wish him well.

“I am delighted that Sara has joined us and we are looking forward for further growth.”