Big Fish Garage Ltd
Big Fish Garage specialises in vehicle tuning, repairs and advanced diagnostics for everything from everyday road cars to motorsport vehicles and kit cars. However, the biggest news isn’t what’s happening in the workshop – it’s what’s happening behind the scenes.
When we last caught up with Big Fish Garage in 2023, Pip introduced us to the business her brother John had founded 15 years earlier. Fast forward to today and there’s a significant update to share.
This time, I sat down with Chris to find out more.
A New Chapter Begins
After years of helping to run the day-to-day operation, Chris and colleague Guy have officially stepped into leadership roles.
So, how did the opportunity come about?
“The company has been restructured and Guy and myself have recently been appointed company directors,” explained Chris. “Previously under the TSL company umbrella, Big Fish Garage is now a standalone limited company.”
The change follows a gradual transition over several years. Pip has moved on to work alongside her partner, while John remains a major shareholder but is no longer involved in the operational management of the business.
“After moving away from the area a while ago, he handed the day-to-day running to Guy and myself. As calibrators and technicians, we’ve really been at the operational reins for the last two to three years. This next phase is a natural transition for Big Fish Garage as we develop it into a limited company.”
From Employees to Owners
Moving from technician to company director is a major step. Unsurprisingly, Chris admits there’s been plenty to do.
“It’s a big jump!” he laughed. “Running a limited business and everything that goes with it, there’s a lot to learn. Admin, insurance, purchasing and not to mention the additional responsibility of making sure we keep the business running.”
Fortunately, the transition began at the start of the financial year, giving the new directors an opportunity to get familiar with the commercial side.
“We made the transition in April. So we’re now getting to grips with the financial and billing side of things, insurance policies and everything else that comes with it. It’s definitely been a learning curve!”
What’s Staying the Same
While the ownership structure may have changed, customers can expect the same specialist service they’ve come to rely on.
“From our customers’ perspective, it’s business as usual here,” said Chris. “Pretty much everything will stay the same day to day.”
Meanwhile, the team continues to tackle everything from routine repairs to some of the industry’s most challenging diagnostic work.
“We do a lot of diagnostics, improving car performance and remapping on the dyno. That can be anything from simple brake jobs through to advanced emissions faults and complex vehicle issues.”
In fact, Big Fish Garage has built a reputation for solving problems that others can’t.
“The average garage isn’t always equipped with that level of diagnostics. Understanding what the car is doing and what it expects is a specialist skill. We get a lot of work from garages that have struggled to find a fault and pass it on to us.”
The team specialises in vehicle electronics, ECU systems and emissions technology.
“Think of the ECU as the vehicle’s brain,” explained Chris. “We also deal extensively with DPFs and AdBlue systems. These systems are designed to reduce vehicle emissions, but when they go wrong they can be very challenging to diagnose and repair.”
What’s Next?
For now, much of Chris and Guy’s focus remains on settling into their new roles. However, they’re already planning the next development stage of Big Fish Garage.
“At the moment our free time is very limited!” Chris admitted. “But it’s early days and we’ve got big plans for the future.”
Firstly, the company is refreshing its marketing activity, website and branding. Secondly, plans are underway to improve the reception area and create a more comfortable experience for customers and suppliers. Thirdly, the business is looking to expand its tuning file service network.
For those unfamiliar with the term, Master Tuners create the specialist calibration files used to modify vehicle performance. Other tuners then rely on those files to carry out work for their own customers.
“We provide files for other tuners,” explained Chris. “There are not that many true Masters in the UK – probably fewer than 50. The UK ECU tuning market operates on the Master/Slave model and we’re looking to expand that side of the business.”
Building on Strong Foundations
As Big Fish Garage enters this new phase, its values remain unchanged.
“We like to be open and honest,” said Chris. “There’s a perception that the garage trade isn’t always that transparent, but we work hard to ensure customers understand exactly what work needs doing and why.”
This close-knit team have years of experience working together. As a result, strong relationships and teamwork continue to underpin everything they do.
“We’re a strong, friendly team. If we can help you, we will. If we can’t, we’ll always try to point you towards somebody who can.”
Life at Terry Dicken Business Park
Like many businesses on the park, Big Fish Garage values the relationships it has built with neighbouring companies.
“As a specialist motorsport garage our rates reflect that. However, we’ll always pass work over where appropriate. We have close relationships with a few businesses on the park. Martin & Sons help with day-to-day repair and MOTs, while Platinum Motors assists with wheels, tyres and MOTs.”
Meanwhile, support from neighbouring businesses has helped create a genuine sense of community.
“Our neighbours at Nationaal Gallery, Lucy Richardson Podiatry and Stoney Creek have all been supportive and helpful. It’s a nice little community here.”
Chris also took the opportunity to share a light-hearted message with nearby tenants.
“In fact, we should probably take this opportunity to make a public apology to our closest neighbours because the dyno can be very noisy!” he joked. “Imagine a car doing 200 miles per hour and not moving. So thank you to everyone on the park who accommodates us.”
Three Words to Describe the Future
Finally, I asked Chris to describe this new chapter in just three words. His answer?
“Exciting, keen and busy!”
Given everything that’s happening at Big Fish Garage, it’s hard to argue with that.
If you’d like to find out more, Big Fish Garage can be found at: 18B Ellerbeck Way, Stokesley, TS9 5JZ
Call 01642 039111 or visit www.bigfishgarage.co.uk
Want to keep up to date on news and events from the Terry Dicken Business Park? Sign up today using the button below.