Rank Company Location Year end Sales £m % annual growth Profit £m Staff Main shareholders
1 John Lewis PartnershipFood and general retailer Central London Jan 03 *4,246 *180 60,000 Employees (100%)
2 Palmer and HarveyWholesale distributor East Sussex Apr 02 3,328 12 3,177 Management and employees (75%), previous shareholders (25%)
3 Hogg RobinsonBusiness services provider Hampshire Mar 02 2,061 23 5,757 Permira (65%)
4 ArcadiaFashion retailer Central London Aug 02 †1,981 †122 22,826 Philip Green and family (92%)
5 SwireConglomerate Central London Dec 02 *1,923 *305 135,028 Swire family (66%)
6 Shop DirectInternet and catalogue retailer Liverpool Apr 02 1,907 43 16,608 Barclay brothers (95%), Bank of Scotland (5%)
7 RHMFood producer Marlow Apr 02 1,735 103 20,983 Doughty Hanson, management
8 MG RoverCar maker Birmingham Dec 01 *1,697 *-187 6,695 Management 50%, staff 25%, dealers 25%
9 Focus DIYDIY retailer Crewe Oct 02 *1,585 *56 15,864 Duke Street Capital, Apax Partners, management
10 TI AutomotiveCar parts maker Oxford/USA Dec 02 1,543 70 21,800 Smiths Group (19.99%), management (25%)
11 Unipart GroupManufacturing, logistics and consultancy Oxford Jun 02 †1,459 †13 8,468 Employees and management (55%), institutions (45%)
12 INEOSChemicals manufacturer UK/Switzerland Dec 02 *1,457 *98 2,495 Staff and management (100%)
13 Virgin AtlanticAirline and tour operator Crawley Apr 02 1,416 -81 7,969 Virgin Investments (51%) and Singapore Airlines (49%)
14 Caudwell HoldingsMobile phone retailer Stoke-on-Trent Dec 01 1,404 24 4,370 John and Brian Caudwell (95%)
15 Brakes GroupFood distributor Kent Dec 01 1,389 38 8,752 Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (100%)
16 United BiscuitsBranded snack manufacturer West London Dec 02 *1,308 *58 11,500 Cinven (30%), Paribas (30%), Nabisco (25%)
17 Coral EurobetBetting shop operator Essex Sep 01 †1,279 †17 5,191 Charterhouse Development Capital (85%), management (15%)
18 Grampian Country Food GroupFood producer Livingston May 02 1,206 25 14,911 Alfred Duncan, HBOS and management
19 Arnold Clark AutomobilesCar dealer Glasgow Dec 02 1,186 37 5,368 Arnold Clark and family (100%)
20 StemcorSteel trader Central London Dec 02 1,150 15 296 Ralph Oppenheimer and family (82%)
21 LINPACPackaging maker West Yorkshire Dec 01 1,149 57 11,340 Cornish family
22 First Quench RetailingOff-licence operator Hertfordshire Mar 02 1,055 33 15,133 Terra Firma (100%)
23 Memec GroupElectronics distributor Oxfordshire Dec 02 *994 *30 2,700 Permira and other investors (80%), management (20%)
24 ClarksShoe retailer and wholesaler Somerset Jan 03 933 48 14,578 Clark family (81%)
25 WilkoValue retailer Nottinghamshire Jan 03 *922 *45 17,916 Wilkinson family (99.8%)
26 Premier FoodsFood producer St Albans Dec 02 *883 *61 4,337 Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst (93.6%)
27 BhsDepartment store operator Central London Mar 02 876 128 13,950 Philip Green (94%), Tom Hunter (5%)
28 Specialist Computer HoldingsIT systems integrator Birmingham Mar 02 873 13 2,903 Sir Peter Rigby and family (100%)
29 Yell GroupBusiness directory operator Reading Mar 02 *865 *152 7,600 Apax Partners (44.35%), HMTF (44.35%)
30 JCBConstruction equipment manufacturer Staffordshire Dec 02 *807 *20 4,585 Bamford family (100%)
31 Sir Robert McAlpineConstruction contractor Hertfordshire Oct 02 794 -4 2,573 McAlpine family (100%)
32 Camden Motor GroupCar dealer Northampton Dec 01 768 9 1,383 Candover (64%) and management (36%)
33 Bristol Street GroupCar dealer Worcestershire Dec 01 765 7 2,366 Past and current senior mgt (80%), other mgt (20%)
34 bmiAirline operator Derby Dec 01 757 -30 5,840 Bishop (50%), Wolfe (25%), Balmforth (25%)
35 Bestway HoldingsCash & carry wholesaler West London Jun 02 724 26 1,668 Pervez family (61%), management (39%)
36 EnergisTelecoms and internet provider Central London Mar 02 694 -438 3,387 Consortium of 16 financial institutions
37 Martin McCollConvenience store operator Essex Nov 02 *692 *18 10,536 Institutions including Electra, HSBC, L&G Ventures
38 Specialist Computers InternationalIT systems integrator Birmingham Mar 02 673 16 1,578 Sir Peter Rigby and family (100%)
39 Baxi GroupHeating systems manufacturer Derby Dec 02 657 54 5,754 Kidde (25%), Candover (19%), Electra (19%)
40 L BatleyFood wholesaler Huddersfield Apr 02 649 9 2,311 Batley family (100%)
41 General Healthcare GroupPrivate healthcare provider Central London Dec 02 *620 *104 10,474 BC Partners (90%), management (10%)
42 CPL IndustriesSolid fuels supplier Chesterfield Mar 02 605 12 2,008 Legal & General Ventures
43 The Miller GroupHousebuilder & construction services Edinburgh Dec 02 *602 *33 1,354 Miller family (94%), employees (6%)
44 European Metal RecyclingMetal recycler Warrington Dec 02 *599 *34 1,328 Sheppard family (96%)
45 Laing O’RourkeEngineering and construction group Dartford Mar 02 597 44 6,197 Raymond O'Rourke (55%), Hugh O'Rourke (29%)
46 Bourne LeisureCaravan park operator Hertfordshire Dec 01 596 67 11,404 Harris, Legal & General and Candover
47 Lucite InternationalPlastics maker Southampton Dec 02 582 27 1,993 Charterhouse Development Capital (78%)
48 Laurel PubsManaged pub operator Luton Mar 02 †576 †123 3,440 Morgan Grenfell (82%)
48 AveciaChemical products maker Manchester Dec 02 576 -17 7,978 Cinven and Investcorp
50 Shepherd GroupBuilder, manufacturer and developer York Jun 02 557 2 4,046 Shepherd family (100%)
51 Bartle Bogle HegartyAdvertising agent Central London Dec 02 *553 *13 510 Publicis (49%), employees (51%)
52 Food Brokers
52 Welcome BreakMotorway services operator Milton Keynes Sep 02 548 3 4,802 Investcorp (100%)
52 EWS RailwayRail freight operator Central London Mar 02 548 59 6,174 Canadian National (42%), Goldman Sachs
55 ASCOOil and gas services provider Aberdeen Dec 01 532 16 2,000 3i (62%), Wood Group (31%) and management (7%)
56 Harrods GroupDepartment store operator Central London Feb 02 †531 †22 4,795 Mohamed al-Fayed (100%)
57 HalfordsCar parts retailer Worcestershire Mar 02 529 51 2,682 CVC Capital Partners and management (100%)
57 MansellConstruction and property developer Croydon Dec 02 529 7 9,795 Mansell family (38%), 3i (14%)
59 Virgin Rail GroupTrain operator Central London Mar 02 520 34 3,869 Virgin Investments (51%) and Stagecoach (49%)
60 WatesConstruction contractor Surrey Dec 02 *505 *9 4,457 Wates family (100%)
60 AF Blakemore & SonFood distributor West Midlands Apr 02 505 7 1,494 Peter Blakemore and family (70%)
62 Bowmer & KirklandConstruction contractor Derbyshire Aug 02 498 16 1,367 Kirkland family and family trusts (100%)
63 LondisConvenience store franchisor Middlesex Jan 02 491 3 675 Each member has a single share
64 Marshall GroupConglomerate Cambridge Dec 02 *490 *0 1,026 Michael Marshall and family trusts (51%)
64 TrailfindersTravel organiser West London Feb 03 *490 *9 3,352 Mike Gooley and family (100%)
66 PolestarContract printer Dunstable Sep 02 484 27 5,771 Investcorp (95%), institutions (5%)
67 Dalgety GroupAgricultural product supplier Gloucestershire Jun 02 †476 †-2 658 Current or former senior managers (76%), Dalgety trust (14%)
68 TravelexForeign exchange operator Central London Dec 02 463 36 4,986 Lloyd Dorfmann (63%), 3i (32.6%)
69 Dunlop Standard Aerospace GroupAerospace equipment maker Coventry Dec 02 452 65 3,964 Doughty Hanson (90%)
70 NG BaileyMechanical, electrical contractor West Yorkshire Mar 02 449 3 4,558 Bailey family (100%)
71 Pentland GroupBrand manager and retailer Central London Dec 01 436 4 2,097 Stephen Rubin and family (100%)
72 Fairview New HomesHousebuilder North London Dec 02 435 90 917 Management (100%)
73 Gala GroupBingo and casino operator Nottingham Sep 02 433 98 9,626 Candover (41%), Cinven (41%), management (15%)
74 Southern WaterWater services provider West Sussex Mar 02 430 203 2,033 Royal Bank of Scotland and other institutions
75 OCS GroupFacilities services provider Gatwick Mar 02 428 11 43,804 Goodliffe family (100%)
76 River IslandFashion retailer West London Dec 01 425 19 4,350 Bernard Lewis and family
77 Formula OneMotor racing administrator Central London Dec 01 412 185 448 Ecclestone family trust (25%), institutions (75%)
78 Bloor InvestmentsBuilder and motorcycle maker Derbyshire Jun 02 409 33 1,455 John Bloor (100%)
79 City Electrical FactorsElectrical parts wholesaler Warwickshire Apr 02 407 19 3,792 Mackie family trusts
80 BOCM PAULS (Agricola Group)Animal feed manufacturer Ipswich Dec 02 *405 *8 1,143 Management and staff (89%), Electra (8%)
81 Seton House GroupSpecialist engineer Surrey Dec 02 *403 *-2 3,978 Royal Bank Equity Finance (85%), management (15%)
81 ArupDesign and engineering consultancy Central London Mar 02 403 12 6,132 Employee trusts
83 Mott MacDonaldManagement and engineering consultancy Croydon Dec 02 401 11 7,000 Trust (50%), employees (45%), Mott Connell (5%)
84 Bernard Matthews FarmsFood producer Norwich Dec 01 †400 †48 6,385 Bernard Matthews and family (100%)
85 Christie-TylerFurniture maker Wales Dec 02 *399 *21 6,578 Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst (100%)
86 DoncastersEngineering components maker Burton upon Trent Dec 02 *391 *-5 4,294 Royal Bank Private Equity
87 DewhirstClothing manufacturer East Yorkshire Jan 02 377 29 16,815 Dewhirst family and management
88 Perkins FoodsFood producer Dartford Dec 02 375 14 3,553 Investors led by ABN Amro (77.5%)
89 Greenhous GroupCar dealer Shrewsbury Dec 02 371 6 575 Management
90 TravelodgeBudget hotel operator Oxfordshire Sep 02 *368 *105 7,823 Permira
91 Flagship FoodsFood producer Cornwall Dec 01 366 12 3,095 Graham Roach (75%)
92 CostcutterConvenience store operator York Apr 02 360 3 1,023 Colin Graves and family (100%)
93 PA Consulting GroupManagement, IT consultancy Central London Dec 02 358 12 3,195 Employees (100%)
94 WeetabixBreakfast cereal maker Northamptonshire Aug 02 †355 †39 2,813 George family
95 BrightHouseHousehold goods retailer Watford Mar 02 352 -10 2,901 Terra Firma
96 Kwik-Fit GBGarage services provider Edinburgh Dec 01 350 2 4,427 CVC Capital Partners (81%), Ford (19%)
97 Northern & Shell Media GroupPublisher & broadcaster Central London Dec 02 *348 *7 1,050 Richard Desmond (100%)
98 AcromasConsumer services provider Kent Jan 02 344 38 2,545 De Haan family (100%)
99 Pertemps Network GroupRecruitment consultancy Warwickshire Dec 02 *341 *3 1,423 Tim Watts and family (76%), management (24%)
100 JCT600Car dealer Bradford Dec 02 340 9 1,093 Tordoff family and family trusts (100%)

* supplied by company   † annualised figure