Former advertising executive Peter Bell is putting business duties to one side for his year as County Durham’s High Sheriff. Bruce Unwin reports

DURHAM County’s new High Sheriff, former rugby full-back Peter Stuart Bell, is expected to make his mark during his year in the historic role.

The sporting reference was made by Judge Christopher Prince, the Honorary Judicial Recorder of Durham, as he welcomed the local businessman into the post as Durham’s 289th High Sheriff, succeeding the Honorable Harry Vane, heir to Lord Barnard.

The Durham-born all-round sporting enthusiast lives only a good touch kick distance from the city’s crown court, where the swearing-in ceremony took place.

Dressed in the traditional garb for the oldest secular office under the Crown, 54-year-old Mr Bell made the short walk from home flanked by his supportive family, wife Pippa, sons Fergus, 22, and Ruari, 17, and daughter Flora, 20, accompanied by an entourage of other relatives, friends and well-wishers.

Having sworn the declaration to uphold the interests of the realm in the county, he was formally greeted into the post by Judge Prince.

Although once able to raise arms in support of the monarch, the High Sheriff’s role is more limited in the modern era, and is now largely ceremonial, mostly involved in greeting and providing hospitality for visiting High Court judges to the county.

Addressing the incoming High Sheriff, a double blue in cricket and rugby at St Andrews University, who went on to earn Scottish Universities honours in both sports, Judge Prince said: “You are a local man, indeed you were a local boy from Durham School, who, to take the rugby analogy, has made his mark on the national stage.”

As a rugby full-back, the younger Mr Bell would often have been required to make a mark, which involves catching a dropping ball in the defensive sector, with both feet planted on the ground, often in dangerous positions while facing an on rush of opposition players.

Judge Prince told Mr Bell: “As you know, making your mark is not easy. It can be a risky business and if you get it wrong you can be trampled by the pack.

“But, if you get it right you can be something of a hero, and you have got it right. You have made great contributions to Durham and the life of the city as a school governor, working with Student Community Action and other roles, and that has led to your appointment to this ancient and honourable post.

“We are blessed by having successive high sheriffs who have contributed so much to the community and we look forward to you making your mark in County Durham in the coming year and give strength to your arm in doing so.”

The Northern Echo:
HIGH PRAISE: High Sheriff Mr Bell with Judge Christopher Prince, Recorder of Durham

Mr Bell is one of twins. He and brother David were born at the city’s former Dryburn Hospital on Christmas Eve, 1958.

He is the son of a teacher and oil industry executive, from Pittington, near Durham, but descended from mining stock, and was brought up in nearby Chester-le-Street and then Sherburn Village.

Educated at Durham School, after St Andrews and, as a post-graduate at Loughborough, he started his working life in the advertising industry in London.

Mr Bell worked with Saatchi and Saatchi, which famously helped the Conservatives rise to power under then leader Margaret Thatcher, with their iconic billboard slogan: Labour’s Not Working.

His clients included British Airways, the Sports Aid Foundation, the Post Office and Mail Newspapers and, after moving to Howard- Spink Advertising, he helped to promote brewers Whitbread, Vauxhall Motors and Lloyds bank.

He went on to set up and run his own marketing and management consultancy in London before returning to the North-East in 1993, in Durham, where he is now involved in property investment and insurance.

As his shrieval duties will take precedence during the coming year, Mr Bell said he would be happy to delegate on the business front for 12 months.

LISTING his personal interests as political history, theatre, travel, rugby, golf, football and skiing, his sporting passion has obviously rubbed off on elder son Fergus, who plays football in Belgium at lower league level and is now in the throes of a transfer to a side in the Belgian equivalent of the Championship.

The new High Sheriff, a keen Sunderland football fan, is also looking forward to helping to contribute to his chosen charity for the coming year, Durham Agency Against Crime, and its work with young people in the county.

“It’s a tremendous and privilege and I expect it to be a very busy year,” he said.

One pledge made after being sworn into office which he is unlikely to fulfil was his playful quip, made within earshot of his Devonian wife: “Right, first we’ll invade Devon.”

That may be one mark beyond his capabilities.