Docks Academy, one of Lincolnshire’s premier music and events spaces, has appointed Paul Savage as its new MD.
Savage joins the Docks team from ASM Global, the world’s largest venue management company.
He spent the last seven years as head of sales and marketing at Connexin Live in Hull. During his time in Hull, the team won multiple national and international awards, bringing 700,000 people to the 4,000-capacity venue.
Artists such as Bob Dylan, Noel Gallagher, Sean Paul, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Kaiser Chiefs and Blondie have performed there since it opened in 2018.
Previously, Paul spent 10 years as marketing manager at The Baths Hall in Scunthorpe, part of the senior leadership team which attracted the likes of Arcade Fire, Florence and the Machine, Courteeners, Paul Weller and Romesh Ranganathan to the town.
As part of his new role, Paul will also take on managing director duties at Docks Beers, a craft beer brewery based in an impressive converted church in Grimsby, just a stone’s throw from the town’s historic docks.
As Lincolnshire’s highest-rated brewery according to the crowd-sourced beer app Untappd, the Docks team has won multiple Traveller’s Choice Swards from Tripadvisor and garnered many other accolades including Pub/Bar Of the Year in Grimsby Live Awards and a Pandemic Thrive and Survive Award in the North Lincolnshire Business Awards.
Docks Academy is based above the brewery and taproom and has hosted the likes of Russell Kane, Twin Atlantic, Sleeper, Toploader, The Lottery Winners, The Sherlocks and Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan. Later this year the venue will play host to Echobelly and Starsailor and comedians Scott Bennett, Lloyd Griffith and Jason Byrne.
As MD, Paul will oversee all aspects of Docks Beers and Docks Academy, including strategic planning for brewery and events, sales and marketing, product development, further developing commercial partnerships and will focus on strengthening the brand’s position as the best brewery in Lincolnshire.
He will also work with the excellent programming team to attract more events and gigs to the venue.
Savage said: “I am incredibly excited, and feel hugely privileged, to be given the opportunity to work with the Docks team. Docks Beers and Docks Academy have become some of the most iconic brands in the region thanks to the hard work of everyone within the Docks family and I cannot wait to join them in November. Having spent most of my career working in other towns and cities,
I’m very much looking forward to coming ‘home’ to work in Grimsby and to grow Docks even further.”
Will Douglas, Docks Beers director and co-founder, said: “[Paul’s] extensive experience as head of sales and marketing at Connexin Live, and the fact that Grimsby runs through him thick and thin, stands him in excellent stead to take our brands forward. His proven track record of driving growth and innovation in the entertainment industry brings a fresh, strategic vision to our business and we’re excited to see where this will take the brewery and venue as we continue to expand our reach and enhance our offerings to customers and audiences alike.”
