And odds-on favourite in the popularity stakes last month was founder and managing director of the Cumbernauld-based precision manufacturer Gary Thorn, who treated his team to a day at the races to celebrate the firm’s 10th anniversary.

Eighteen employees and closely-related sub-contractors joined him on the Park’s of Hamilton coach to Chester on May 27 where they stayed overnight before heading to the historic Racecourse the next day.

There they enjoyed a flutter at the popular Roman Day, a fantastic flat race meeting which celebrates the connection between the track and its walled cathedral city and the ancient Romans, while betting on one of the oldest sports of them all.

Gary Thorn said: “We have a front-running team at Cube Glass and I wanted to show my appreciation for the huge contribution they have made to the company over the past 10 exciting and rewarding years.

“Although I established the business in 2004 as a safety net, we didn’t start trading until 2012 and, despite all the interruptions of the Covid years, this year seemed like the appropriate moment to kick back a bit and celebrate.

“I would like to pay tribute to my team, who have shown dedication, commitment and real skill in their diverse roles, and also to the sub-contractors who work with us on a regular basis and respect our standards and commitment to customer satisfaction. They are all winners.”

The company has also recently partnered with high-end French design and engineering specialist Bel’M, as an addition to its prestigious existing supplier relationships with specialists such as Senior Architectural Systems, Metal Technology and Schüco.

The year of success comes on top of the completion of a £600,000 investment in a new factory – double the size of Cube Glass’s old premises – and the imminent opening of a sophisticated new showroom which will highlight the company’s expanded range.