John Hall (businessman)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Hall is a property developer in North East England
. He is also life president and former chairman of Newcastle United
.
, Northumberland
, he worked in the mining industry as a surveyor before going into business on his own account.
In the 1980s his company, Cameron Hall Developments masterminded the construction of the MetroCentre shopping mall in Dunston, Gateshead. The development was not without its critics locally; reputedly, the script of the BBC
drama Our Friends in the North
was changed to remove a character resembling Sir John who took advantage of tax breaks to build a shopping centre.
In April 2010, Hall announced that he is suffering from inoperable prostate cancer
and was about to embark on a course of intensive chemotheraphy. As of February 2011, the cancer is being kept under control by medication and Sir John is concentrating on his final project, a £2.5 million rose garden at his Wynyard Park
estate.
On 10 February 2011, at a ceremony at the Shipley Art Gallery
, Sir John and his wife, Lady Hall, were given the freedom of Gateshead for their services to leisure, retail, business and sport.
club in a bitter battle for control and appointing Kevin Keegan
as manager in February 1992. Keegan turned the club's fortunes around, taking the team from the brink of relegation into the Third Division
, to competing with Manchester United
for the Premier League
in 1996.
He issued bonds worth £500 to fans and issued coupons to fans of 19–22% APR.
After taking over Newcastle United, he also bought the Newcastle Falcons
and the Newcastle Eagles
. He purchased the Durham Wasps
in 1995, causing Durham ice skating rink to close down, who began to play at Sunderland's Crowtree Leisure Centre. They were renamed the Newcastle Cobras
when they moved to Newcastle Arena
the following season.
He attempted to build a new stadium on Leazes Park
for a rugby, football and ice skating but a petition from local residents with 38,000 signatures put an end to that plan.
Sir John began to rebuild the stadium, and the Leazes End of St James' Park
is named the Sir John Hall Stand. Despite being an immensely popular figure amongst fans some authors have questioned whether Sir John's involvement with Newcastle United was anything more than profitable opportunism. Combined with a health scare, in 1997 Hall handed over the Chairmanship to Freddy Shepherd
, and his family interests in the club to his son Douglas Hall.
On 23 May 2007, Hall sold his entire 41.6% shareholding in Newcastle United to sports retail magnate, Mike Ashley
, for £55 million in a deal that valued the club at £133.1 million.
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
. He is also life president and former chairman of Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
.
Biography
Born and brought up in North Seaton, AshingtonAshington
Ashington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England with a population of around 27,000 people; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some north of Newcastle upon Tyne off the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, he worked in the mining industry as a surveyor before going into business on his own account.
In the 1980s his company, Cameron Hall Developments masterminded the construction of the MetroCentre shopping mall in Dunston, Gateshead. The development was not without its critics locally; reputedly, the script of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
drama Our Friends in the North
Our Friends in the North
Our Friends in the North is a British television drama serial, produced by the BBC and originally broadcast in nine episodes on BBC Two in early 1996...
was changed to remove a character resembling Sir John who took advantage of tax breaks to build a shopping centre.
In April 2010, Hall announced that he is suffering from inoperable prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
and was about to embark on a course of intensive chemotheraphy. As of February 2011, the cancer is being kept under control by medication and Sir John is concentrating on his final project, a £2.5 million rose garden at his Wynyard Park
Wynyard Park, County Durham
Wynyard Park, sometimes known as Wynyard Hall is a large country house in County Durham, England. The house used to be the family seat of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry, an Anglo-Irish aristocratic dynasty, but it was sold in the 1980s.-The house:Designed by Philip Wyatt...
estate.
On 10 February 2011, at a ceremony at the Shipley Art Gallery
Shipley Art Gallery
The Shipley Art Gallery is an art gallery situated in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. It is at the south end of Prince Consort Road, near to Shipcote.-Origins:The Shipley Art Gallery first opened to the public in 1917...
, Sir John and his wife, Lady Hall, were given the freedom of Gateshead for their services to leisure, retail, business and sport.
Newcastle United Football Club
He began by taking over the Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
club in a bitter battle for control and appointing Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
as manager in February 1992. Keegan turned the club's fortunes around, taking the team from the brink of relegation into the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
, to competing with Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
for the Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
in 1996.
He issued bonds worth £500 to fans and issued coupons to fans of 19–22% APR.
After taking over Newcastle United, he also bought the Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
and the Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
. He purchased the Durham Wasps
Durham Wasps
The Durham Wasps was an ice hockey team located in Durham and was one of England's most well-known names in ice hockey. The team was bought by Sir John Hall and moved to the neighbouring city of Newcastle Upon Tyne in August 1996...
in 1995, causing Durham ice skating rink to close down, who began to play at Sunderland's Crowtree Leisure Centre. They were renamed the Newcastle Cobras
Newcastle Vipers
The Newcastle Vipers were an ice hockey club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Former members of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the club previously held membership in the British National League.- History :...
when they moved to Newcastle Arena
Metro Radio Arena Newcastle
Metro Radio Arena is a sports and entertainment arena in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England, United Kingdom. Owned and operated by the SMG Europe and sponsored by Metro Radio, it hosts music, entertainment, sports & business events...
the following season.
He attempted to build a new stadium on Leazes Park
Leazes Park
Leazes Park is a park in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It lies to the west of the city centre. It is the city's oldest park, opened in 1873. It contains a lake above the course of the Lort Burn...
for a rugby, football and ice skating but a petition from local residents with 38,000 signatures put an end to that plan.
Sir John began to rebuild the stadium, and the Leazes End of St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
is named the Sir John Hall Stand. Despite being an immensely popular figure amongst fans some authors have questioned whether Sir John's involvement with Newcastle United was anything more than profitable opportunism. Combined with a health scare, in 1997 Hall handed over the Chairmanship to Freddy Shepherd
Freddy Shepherd
Freddy Shepherd , is an English businessman and the former chairman of Newcastle United football club.During his time at Newcastle, both as an active assistant to and later replacement of Sir John Hall as chairman for ten years, Shepherd proved an often outspoken and controversial figure, at times...
, and his family interests in the club to his son Douglas Hall.
On 23 May 2007, Hall sold his entire 41.6% shareholding in Newcastle United to sports retail magnate, Mike Ashley
Mike Ashley (businessman)
Michael James Wallace "Mike" Ashley is an English millionaire retail entrepreneur in the sporting goods market...
, for £55 million in a deal that valued the club at £133.1 million.