How I embraced the singular fabulousness of Derby

After more than 40 years of living and working in Derby, Richard Pettinger, an account manager at PR firm Nielsen McAllister, has retired. Over the years, Richard has been a popular member of the Marketing Derby Bondholder community – and a regular at our programme of events. Here, Richard shares his experiences of the city – and its business community.

I moved to Derby 1981. It was never my intention, more an opportunist move to follow a job opportunity.

I, like most people to whom I had ever spoken, knew nothing of Derby and in truth, most told me there was nothing of note to know.

All the talk was of the throbbing, vibrant and successful metropolis of Nottingham that sat hunched at the other end of the Tarmac Ribbon of Death that is the A52.

“That’s the place to be.” They’re streets ahead of us, there.” Derby’s a bit of an ugly older sister to them.”

The list of self-deprecatory, self-effacing comments went on and on.

I braced myself.

Hey, I was just here to further what I thought was my career, after all; I would cope. Just a place to live, right?

What happened over the ensuing few years was extraordinary and affirming in equal measure.

Of course, I was busy – I acquired a new job, a new wife (hello, you most patient of human beings…), my first house, two extraordinary children (proud? Beyond words…), so I could, perhaps, be forgiven for not noticing something else.

It crept up on me. I never saw it coming. But I’m glad it did.

I found a home.

Derby became my home.

And, as I am sure you will agree, home is so much more than a geographical location.

Yes, I discovered more and more of the joys of the city and its environs (all inestimably better and more rewarding than the naysayers had led me to believe they were).

I firmly embraced the singular fabulousness of Derby. It’s a city that thinks it’s a village; all (or very nearly all) the amenities and resources needed to live well and rewardingly, were right on your doorstep.

And yet, Derby has a cosseted sense of community found usually only in much smaller neighbourhoods.

But however firmly I embraced Derby, I couldn’t match the embrace it returned.

And this warm clutch was never more clearly demonstrated than by its business community.

From the very moment I started my working life in Derby, I knew it would never be a solo journey.

As my career developed (such as it ever has done – I still don’t know what I want to do with my life…) into the world of words, print, marketing, and PR, I was met with nothing but support, guidance, opportunity, and true friendship from the entire local business community.

They immediately took me into their confidences, businesses, trust and even in some cases, their homes, and effortlessly turned the world of work into what it should always be – a deep and abiding relationship.

To this day, I cannot remember an instance when I have ever worked for someone in Derby – it’s always been working with them.

I still remember the moment that I realised that I was ‘home’ – my friends will know that I am a keen armchair sportsman (it’s how I stay so sylph-like and hench…), and as long as I don’t actually have to exert myself, I will take every opportunity to attend sporting events, so that I can deliver wise and sagely advice to players from the safety of the stand.

On one particular occasion maybe a dozen years ago, I was lucky enough to be watching some international rugby at Twickenham, as a guest of a dear friend.

During the half time lull, and after ensuring I stayed sufficiently hydrated (ahem), I started exchanging pleasantries with the gentleman in the seat behind me.

As with most small talk, the conversation revolved around generalities and genial waffle, but included how far we had come to attend the game.

I told him I had come down from Derby.

Well…. I consider myself fairly competent at descriptive prose, but to this day, I cannot put into words the look of abject distaste, sympathy and commiseration that suffused his face.

“Oh, well, this must be a cheery break for you, at least…” he said.

I’m not a man easily moved to anger. Live and let live, I say. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

So, I’m not sure who was more surprised, he or I, at the tirade of indignation and really quite irascible diatribe that I delivered in my response.

For several minutes, my reply was filled with “I’ll have you know that…”, “and another thing…”, “Have you actually been to…?”, as I reeled off factoid after factoid about the history, and heritage of Derby, the contribution it makes to the United Kingdom, the joys of the Peak District, how nice my neighbours were, how utterly inclusive the business community was…

I knew from that moment, that Derby was my home.

There really is very little point in attempting to list the extraordinary number of individuals who have all, in some way or another, been instrumental in enriching my life in Derby over the time I have been here, and the thought of missing someone out fills me with dread.

They know who they are, and I will do all I can to tell them each how important they remain to me.

However, a special mention must go to one particular element of my experience, a force for good so powerful that, in a single bound, it promotes and supports the city, business, astoundingly good networking, fun and true friendship across the region.

Truly, I sometimes wonder why Marketing Derby has not been trademarked as the National Gold Standard for inward investment and business support.

The team at Marketing Derby are exemplars of how to create a thriving, supportive and effective business community, and they will always have my undying gratitude for their graft, intel, understanding and bacon cobs…

This may well be my first and perhaps last foray (please keep the cheering down to a dull roar…) into the august publication that is Marketing Derby’s Big Read.

But, please, don’t let it be the last time we speak or meet. Business is business, but friends are friends. See you around!