Brothers who helped transform region honoured with naming of Metro tram
Two brothers whose investments helped transform and breathe new life into derelict sites in West Midlands have been recognised through the naming of a tram.
Business giants Roy and Don Richardson founded their business – which bears their surname – in Oldbury during the 1940s and helped spark a catalyst for change.
They made their names taking former industrial sites few other developers would touch and during the 1980s, they built the well-known Merry Hill Shopping Centre.
And now Roy, who is 92, and Don, who passed away in 2007, have been recognised for their efforts through the naming of a West Midlands Metro tram in the region.
Roy said: “On behalf of my family, and particularly my late brother, I am delighted and honoured to have a West Midlands tram named after us.
“While the family business now invests all over the world, we remain extremely proud of our Black Country roots.
"Whenever we are doing business overseas we always aim to talk up the West Midlands, and are pleased that our activities have supported thousands of jobs for people in the region over the years as well as boosting the Treasury’s coffers – we understand that Merry hill alone has generated over £1 billion in business rates since it opened.
“When we installed the monorail at Merry Hill there was a plan to link that up with the Midland Metro network, as it was known at the time, so we do have some history with transportation in the area.
“It is great to see trams once again running across the region, linking up communities and helping people to move around quickly and safely with a clean form of transport. I hope people enjoy riding on the Roy & Don Richardson tram for many years to come!”
The brothers' other business activity includes the landmark Star City in Birmingham, with their exploits overall creating tens of thousands of jobs in the region over many years. And they have also been praised for their work through the Richardson Brothers Foundation which has supported the region's less fortunate.
They were nominated for the tram honour by West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, who welcomed Roy and his family as guests of honour for the name unveiling in Centenary Square, Birmingham, on Thursday.
Mr Street said: "When I was asked to think about who should be nominated for this wonderfully West Midlands honour, Don and Roy Richardson stood out straight away. The business that Roy and his late twin brother Don built changed our region forever. The fact that the firm they founded remains in the family and is still based here is testament to the strength of their local commitment. It was only right to recognise their outstanding contribution.”
The Richardson business is known the world over as being a leader in real estate and growth capital investment, focusing on opportunities in North America and Australasia as well as in the UK and Western Europe.
The brothers are the latest prominent individuals to have one of the West Midlands Metro trams named after them, following in the footsteps of comedian Jasper Carrott, rock star Ozzy Osborne and footballer Cyrille Regis.
And to mark International Women's Day on March 8, another tram will be named in honour of the late Councillor Theresa Stewart who was the first – and so far only – female leader of Birmingham City Council. An earlier model West Midlands Metro tram which had been named after her was retired from service in 2013.
