A self-made success, Reg, of Pockington, built up Bond International to be one of the largest tyre wholesalers in the UK.

Reg remained the chairman up until his death despite battling a brain tumour that had been diagnosed in 2010.

Horses were his other passion and he owned the Yapham Mill Stud where he bred some high-class sprinters including Moving Time, group one winner of Prix de l’Abbeye de Longchamp in 2014.

A family spokesman said: "Reg will be greatly missed by his family."

If you would like to leave a tribute to Reg you can do so via our book of condolence at the end of this article

"In business, Reg was firm but fair. He grew up in tough times and started with nothing, but he always treated people fairly. Those closer to him would say that he was a visionary with a flair for business and numbers and this is borne out by his success throughout the years.

"They would also say that he was forward thinking and embraced technology when others could not see any point in it, let alone consider spending money on technology. He had many friends in many walks of life, but his greatest friend was his father and in business his old mate Bill Hardy who he missed greatly after his death.

Local businessman and horse breeder Reg Bond, who has died aged 77

"He was an outgoing man in business but by contrast a very private man in his family life and liked to keep his family time precious and to himself. He was devoted to Betty and to his children and particularly loved coaching them at football or going racing with them or latterly just watching football, taking great pleasure out of Liverpool winning the Premier League for the first time in 2019/20."

Reg was born on March 21, 1943 at Wheldrake, just outside of York to Reg Snr and Mary Bond. His family moved to Pocklington when he was ten years old where Reg remained for the rest of his life.

Reg went to the National School, New Street, Pocklington until the age of 16 when he left to take up an apprenticeship as a car mechanic with Allisons of Pocklington.

He married Margaret Elizabeth Wilson (known as Betty) at the age of 21. Reg and Betty grew up in the same street and had worked together in their spare time at the Ritz Cinema (formerly the Oak House Cinema) where Reg was the projectionist and Betty worked selling drinks and ice creams.

Aged 22, Reg was blinded in one eye by a splinter of flying metal and received £350 in compensation. With this money he set up his own garage business based in Pocklington, carrying out car repairs. In 1966 he went into business with his father and established R & R C Bond as a motor garage and motor factor, selling car parts to other garages.

Reg soon began to realise that there was more money to be made in selling tyres than in fixing cars and in 1971 set up R & R C Bond (Wholesale) Limited, trading as Bond International. Around 1985 Reg decided to concentrate solely on selling tyres - and never looked back.

Local businessman and horse breeder Reg Bond, who has died aged 77

Reg was involved in the business for over 50 years, although he had handed over the day-to-day running of the business to his sons Greg and Charlie.

Over the years the company has grown from a one-man band to its current size, where it employs more than 450 people and sells more than five million tyres a year.

Reg and Betty had four children: Lindsay, Mike, Greg and Charlie, and five grandchildren: Tom, Demi, Kieran, Chantelle and Daniel.

Reg with Princess Anne

He was a keen footballer, playing for Allison’s Social Club (later to become Pocklington Town FC) and later Melbourne FC and following his retirement from playing became heavily involved with Pocklington Town FC. Outside of local football Reg was also a keen supporter of Liverpool FC, a passion he shared with his son Charlie.

Reg had always been interested in horse-racing, but he was to first realise his dream to own a racehorse in 2002 when he bought Bond Boy and had major success the same year when it won the Steward’s Cup.

In 2004 he gained one of his biggest wins with Monsieur Bond who won the Duke of York Stakes. Monsieur Bond retired from racing to stand at Norton Grove stud as a stallion and went on to breed many high-class racehorses.

Both horses were trained by Brian Smart and this was typical of Reg who has always been a big supporter of racing in the North. He also bred racehorses through his own business, Bond Thoroughbred Corporation, which was his real passion.

His stud was called Yapham Mill Stud. Reg bred some high-class sprinters which included Ladies are Forever, which won the Summer Stakes at York a record three times in record time. Currently, four horses are being trained by Brian Smart and 12 horses with Geoff Oldroyd.

Reg also took care of all his retired horses, either finding them good homes or stabling them at his home, as this was something that he was very committed to.

Reg’s horses will continue to race in the familiar black and yellow colours. 

You can leave a tribute to Reg in our book of condolence...