A lawyer who launched his own legal firm over 30 years ago is leading the attempts to secure millions of pounds in funding for Southport.
Rob Fletcher, the owner and founder of Fletcher’s solicitors, has been appointed Chair of the Southport Town Deal Board.
The board has the task of putting together funding applications for up to £25million which will be submitted to the government under its Town Deal Fund.
Local people will be asked for their views, with funding designed to boost growth through innovative regeneration plans.
Rob Fletcher began working as a lawyer in 1979, working in Southport and Liverpool, before he formed Fletchers Solicitors eight years later.
How should £25m Town Deal cash be spent to improve Southport
His new legal firm specialised in litigation and, in particular, personal injury litigation working to protect the rights of injured accident victims In November 1987, Fletchers Solicitors was created with nine members of staff.
Combined with Rob’s passion for motorcycling and his championing of the victims of motorbike accidents, the company quickly earned a reputation as the go-to firm for any form of serious injury in a very short period of time.
Fletchers built up an enviable reputation for being one of the best, most caring companies within the personal injury field.
Fletchers Solicitors today employs more than 430 people, based across two sites, its headquarters on Hoghton Street in Southport and ‘The 15th Floor’ in Manchester. They focus on serious injury, motorbikes accidents and medical negligence.
Fletchers Solicitors in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Media
Fletchers was the only UK law firm listed in both The Sunday Times Top 100 Places to Work and the Guardian Great Places to Work in 2017.
Rob Fletcher’s commercial and entrepreneurial awareness has been key to Fletchers’ growth and diversification over the past 30 years. Under his stewardship and direction the company has grown from a local solicitors to the national heavyweight it is now.
Rob is a member of the Pan-European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers (PEOPIL).
He sat as a district judge in the county court for nearly 20 years.
A keen cyclist, he enjoys an occasional round of golf and is fluent in Italian. Still very much involved in the company, Rob sits as Chairman of the Board.
Rob brings a passion for the town and its bid for Town Deal funding, having been born and raised in Southport.
He said: “This will be a two-way conversation, with people of all ages, backgrounds and perspectives. We are particularly keen to get ideas and feedback from young people and will be working with the schools and colleges to have this conversation.
“The Town Deal Board will bring together a cohesive vision for the future of Southport and ensure everyone in Southport has the chance to engage in respect of the town, its future, and their role in it.
“This is an exciting time for Southport. As well as the Town Deal opportunity, the Council has secured Townscape Heritage funding to deliver improvements to the roads linking Lord Street and the Promenade; we have a number of private sector partners progressing and delivering new and exciting projects across the town and, as part of Sefton, Southport is part of the Liverpool City Region’s Borough of Culture, which will bring a range of new events and installations to the town in 2020.”
