Gary says: “It is important that the bricks we build our homes with have texture and character—traits the Birtley bricks have in spades. One of the primary benefits of using bricks such as these is how they age. As the years pass and the bricks are subject to the typically changeable weather we get up here, their appearance undergoes subtle changes, weathering to an elegantly timeless finish.”

Gary adds: “I often say that there is no greener means of building a house than using bricks. Good bricks are made to last, and houses that are built today should be expected to stand for hundreds of years. Using bricks manufactured relatively locally to our developments further enhances the sustainable credentials, meaning we can minimise the miles travelled to get bricks to our sites.

“We also find that there is very little wastage with Birtley bricks, thanks to their quality. Anything that can’t be used, perhaps due to damage, is crushed and turned into aggregate, meaning we can operate totally closed-loop sites for construction materials.

“I’ve been in the building game since I left school, and while I have seen trends come and go, the power and ubiquity of brick in our natural environment has remained constant. That’s thanks in no small part to manufacturers like Ibstock, who continue to produce best-quality products that are built to stand the test of time.

“I always say we measure the success of our business on the smiles of our customers, and it’s no overstatement to say that Ibstock’s Birtley bricks go a long way in delivering the ‘wow factor’ for buyers.”