About PityArka
PityArka Ltd was formed in 2008 by the Managing Director Chris Reed following the successful buyout of Baum Hart & Partners (BHP) where Chris was an executive partner for over 17 years.
With a proven track record of delivering a suite of software applications to over 300 public sector clients and with a turnover of £2m pa, BHP was a highly accomplished company and its success culminated in a PLC buyout in December 2008.
PityArka Ltd is a new venture, building on experience, knowledge and previous successes and looking to deliver innovative software solutions that address proven logistical, administrative and operational requirements.
Our specialty is in bespoke web based database application design and development. We have successfully deployed the first of our portfolio of software applications on behalf of a multi- national client to a large partnership of public sector organisations.
However we are not limited to software or even simply database applications. We have a wealth of experience in evolving hardware peripherals as part of the solutions provided. This is an exciting period of growth for the business in challenging times. We are involved in a number of projects that involve the latest technologies and reflect the ethos of the company which is to marry the latest in invention with the innovation of application design and provision.
What's in a name?
Straight from the MD's mouth...
"PityArka is derived from the phrase 'Pit Yakka'. A Pit Yakka is a term used to describe the inhabitants of mining villages primarily from Northumberland but also from County Durham, and refers to the dialect and accent of those inhabitants which is particularly strong. I was born and bred in one such village, Ashington in Northumberland and come from a long line of family who worked at the mines which was the principal employer in the area I grew up in. I never got the chance (thankfully!) to pursue a career 'doon the pit'.
I recall doing some consultancy work in Northampton when the topic of conversation got around to where I was from. When I mentioned Ashington I was immediately labelled a 'Pit Yakka' - I was amazed that the phrase had travelled and that someone from outside the North East had actually heard of the term. Hopefully the name and reputation of PityArka Ltd will travel well too!"
Chris goes on...
"At the age of 12 I was lucky enough to be an extra in a made for TV film called 'The World Cup - A Captain's Tale' starring Dennis Waterman, Richard Griffiths, Nigel Hawthorne and Tim Healy which was partly filmed at Woodhorn Colliery in Ashington. This was the pit where my father was a blacksmith and he was one of the men who worked on the enormous mining wheels that punctures the local skyline. The colliery is now a museum (www.experiencewoodhorn.com) to a bygone age but is a great place to visit and a source of local and personal pride. I wanted my company name and logo to reflect in some way the history and background of where I am from - The Pity Arka logo is a reference to those mining wheels and the use of speech marks shows how the term 'Pit Yakka' has been paraphrased to arrive at the PityArka company name".