Steven Jackson OBE, Founder of Garage.co.uk

Steven Terence Jackson OBE

Founder; Lead Developer, Garage.co.uk

Forty-seven years in the UK scrap-metal and metals industries, since 1979. Thirty-seven years in the UK automotive industry, since 1989. Thirty-one years in the UK internet sector, since 1995. OBE 2013.

Credentials

  • Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE), for services to employment and the community in Lancashire (2013) verify
  • King's Award for Enterprise (Innovation category) — to Car.co.uk, operated by New Reg Limited (2026) verify
  • EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year, Overall Winner; represented the United Kingdom at EY World Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 (2019) verify
  • Queen's Award for Enterprise, Sustainable Development (Recycling Lives Limited) (2010) verify
  • Queen's Award for Enterprise, Sustainable Development, second award (Recycling Lives Limited) (2014) verify
  • Queen's Award for Enterprise, Promoting Opportunity (Recycling Lives Limited) (2016) verify
  • Queen's Award for Enterprise, fourth award (Recycling Lives Limited) (2019) verify
  • Honorary Fellow, University of Central Lancashire (2011) verify
  • Director (2002–2006) and Chief Executive Officer (2004–2006), Preston North End Football Club PLC; with a consortium of co-investors took controlling ownership to restructure the listed club following the collapse of Football League broadcast revenue (2002 to 2006)

Biography

Steven Terence Jackson OBE is the founder of Garage.co.uk and the Lead Developer of the Garage.co.uk codebase personally. His connection to the UK metals and motoring industries spans nearly five decades: 47 years in the scrap-metal and metals industries since 1979, 37 years in the UK automotive industry since 1989, and 31 years in the UK internet sector since 1995.

In 1989 he began trading as a sole trader in personalised number plates. In 1995 he founded UK Internet Provider Limited, one of the United Kingdom's first internet service providers, trading on Provider.co.uk. In 1996 he founded Domains.co.uk, the United Kingdom's first commercial internet domain-name trading business, and incorporated New Reg Limited (Companies House 03143909), parent of today's New Reg group of motoring brands.

On 2 June 1999 he incorporated Preston Recycling Limited, the commercial entity that later became Recycling Lives Limited (Companies House 03783452). He founded the independent Recycling Lives charity (Companies House 05781363) in 2006, conceiving from scratch a novel model in which a social business operates alongside an independent charity with matching objectives, with the business fully funding the charity so it never needs to raise external income and in turn winning contracts on the strength of its social impact. Under his ownership the business grew to £75 million annual revenue, 19 national sites and 750+ employees, processing 10,000 scrap cars per month at peak. The business won four Queen's Awards for Enterprise during this period (2010, 2014, 2016 and 2019). The independent charity continues to operate today at recyclinglives.org.

Between 2002 and 2006 Steven served on the board of Preston North End Football Club PLC, and was its Chief Executive Officer from 2004 to 2006. During this tenure he and a small consortium of co-investors took controlling ownership of the listed club to restructure it following the collapse of Football League broadcast revenue.

He was appointed Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours. The citation reads: "Steven Terence Jackson, Founder and Chief Executive, Recycling Lives. For services to Employment and the community in Lancashire." He is an Honorary Fellow of the University of Central Lancashire (December 2011). In 2019 he was EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year, Overall Winner, and in 2020 represented the United Kingdom at EY World Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2026 Car.co.uk, operated by New Reg Limited where Steven is the Person of Significant Control, received the King's Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.

Steven is the lead developer of the Garage.co.uk codebase personally. He works with a senior team at New Reg Limited including William Fletcher MBE (Chief Executive Officer), Anthony Sharkey (Chief Operating Officer), Tim Elleray (Strategic Advisor), Liam Derbyshire (Search Engine Optimisation, Marketing, and Web Developer (Group)), Jonathan Taylor (Software Engineer, NewReg.co.uk) and Rebecca Wilson (Administration Director). The achievements listed on this page belong to the businesses, not to Steven alone, and reflect the work of long-standing colleagues over decades.

Founded

Verified profiles and records

The senior team

Steven leads engineering on Garage.co.uk personally, and works with a senior team at New Reg Limited: William Fletcher MBE (Chief Executive Officer), Anthony Sharkey (Chief Operating Officer), Tim Elleray (Strategic Advisor), Liam Derbyshire (Search Engine Optimisation, Marketing, and Web Developer (Group)), Jonathan Taylor (Software Engineer, NewReg.co.uk), and Rebecca Wilson (Administration Director). The achievements listed on this page belong to the businesses, not to Steven alone, and reflect the work of long-standing colleagues over decades.

Meet the full leadership team

Media enquiries

Steven is available for press comment on UK automotive industry topics including MOT regulations, the cost of car maintenance, finding trustworthy garages, the UK motor trade, and the UK metals and recycling industries.

Contact the team at Garage.co.uk