WORK on a £2.8m head office for TV entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne’s company has been completed.

Spearheaded by the Dragon’s Den star, the Bannatyne Group is one of the UK’s leading leisure organisations and employs about 3,500 people.

Its Darlington headquarters neighbours the town’s Bannatyne health club, one of 61 across the country.

The group also has four hotels and 34 well-being spas, most of which are located within the health clubs.

The completion of the new head office, which is located adjacent to its previous base in Haughton Road, Darlington and is home to 80 staff, will enhance the group’s nationwide operations.

Last week, Mr Bannatyne confirmed on Twitter that his divorce from ex-wife Joanne McCue had been finalised.

Speaking about the Haughton Road development, he said: “The completion of the new head office demonstrates the confidence I have in the group’s future.

“We have established a respectable share of the leisure and wellbeing market and we will continue to enhance our position through the delivery of high quality products, excellent service and professional expertise.”

Chief executive Nigel Armstrong said: “We are very proud of our new head office, which demonstrates our confidence in the future and further signals our commitment to Darlington.

“Operating out of the North-East has been very successful for the group and we look forward to growing our operations in the town in the years to come.”