Rank Company Location Year end Sales £m % annual growth Profit £m Staff Main shareholders
1 Coral EurobetBetting shop operator Essex Sep 04 5,378 145 6,713 Charterhouse (75%), institutions (9%), management (16%)
2 John Lewis PartnershipFood and general retailer Central London Jan 05 *4,758 *219 63,000 Employees (100%)
3 Palmer and HarveyWholesale distributor East Sussex Apr 04 3,531 23 3,732 Management and employees (75%), previous shareholders (25%)
4 BookerCash and carry operator Northants Apr 05 *3,389 *43 10,000 Consortium inc Baugur, Bank of Scotland Corporate, West Coast Capital
5 StemcorSteel trader Central London Dec 04 *2,778 *44 383 Ralph Oppenheimer and family (81%), management and staff (19%)
6 INEOSChemicals manufacturer UK/Switzerland Dec 04 *2,409 *191 2,439 Staff and management (100%)
7 Caudwell HoldingsMobile phone retailer Stoke-on-Trent Dec 03 2,277 48 7,401 John and Brian Caudwell (95%)
8 SwireConglomerate Central London Dec 03 *2,022 *349 132,000 Swire family (66%)
9 DebenhamsDepartment store operator Central London Aug 04 *1,903 *185 22,228 CVC Capital, Texas Pacific and Merrill Lynch PE
10 Rigby GroupIT infrastructure integrator Stratford-upon-Avon Mar 04 1,884 26 4,569 Sir Peter Rigby and family (100%)
11 Shop DirectInternet and catalogue retailer Liverpool Apr 03 1,845 60 16,433 Sir David Barclay and Sir Frederick Barclay (100%)
12 Grampian Country Food GroupFood producer Livingston May 04 1,714 29 19,367 Alfred Duncan (71%), HBOS (15%), management (14%)
13 RHMFood producer Marlow May 04 1,676 73 18,553 Doughty Hanson, management
14 ArcadiaFashion retailer Central London Aug 04 1,657 280 27,907 Philip and Tina Green and family (88%), Bank of Scotland (8%)
15 Virgin AtlanticAirline and tour operator Crawley Aug 04 *1,630 *61 8,118 Virgin Investments (51%) and Singapore Airlines (49%)
16 Spirit GroupPub operator Burton on Trent Dec 04 *1,616 n/a 45,000 Texas Pacific, Blackstone Group, CVC, Merrill Lynch PE, management
17 Arnold Clark AutomobilesCar dealer Glasgow Dec 04 1,591 64 6,914 Sir Arnold Clark and family (100%)
18 Brakes GroupFood distributor Kent Mar 04 1,555 32 8,946 Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
19 Laing O’RourkeEngineering and construction group Dartford Dec 04 1,510 56 11,903 Raymond O’Rourke (55%), Hugh O’Rourke (29%)
20 TI AutomotiveCar parts maker Oxford/USA Feb 04 *1,507 *48 21,350 Smiths Group (19.99%), management (25%)
21 IcelandFrozen food retailer North Wales Apr 04 †1,472 †-8 13,038 Baugur Group, Talden Holdings, management
22 LINPACPackaging maker West Yorkshire Dec 03 1,234 55 12,064 Montagu Private Equity, Cornish family
23 United BiscuitsBranded snack manufacturer West London Jan 05 *1,224 *44 11,549 Cinven (30%), PAI Partners (30%), Nabisco (25%), MidOcean (15%)
24 Memec GroupElectronics distributor Oxfordshire Dec 04 *1,190 n/a 2,455 Permira and other investors (80%), management (20%)
25 Camden Motor GroupCar dealer Northampton Dec 04 *1,161 *11 1,459 Management (100%)
26 WilkoValue retailer Nottinghamshire Jan 05 *1,116 *51 21,300 Wilkinson family (99.7%)
27 Bestway GroupConglomerate West London Jun 04 1,115 33 2,363 Pervez family (61%), management (39%)
28 Unipart GroupManufacturing, logistics and consultancy Oxford Dec 04 1,065 24 9,300 Employees and management (55%), institutions including 3i (45%)
29 The Vita GroupFoam and plastics maker Central London Dec 04 959 43 7,839 Texas Pacific Group
30 ClarksShoe retailer and wholesaler Somerset Jan 05 *955 *94 12,723 Clark family (81%), employees and institutions (19%)
31 CoatsThread manufacturer West London Dec 04 942 20 30,000 Guinness Peat Group (100%)
32 Vetco InternationalOilfield services provider Central London Dec 03 *919 *84 7,900 Candover, 3i, JP Morgan Partners, NIB Capital, Management
33 JCBConstruction equipment manufacturer Staffordshire Dec 03 902 20 5,000 Bamford family (100%)
34 Sir Robert McAlpineConstruction contractor Hertfordshire Oct 03 900 7 2,467 McAlpine family (100%)
35 BhsDepartment store operator Central London Mar 04 890 138 13,642 Philip Green (94%), Tom Hunter (5%)
36 bmiAirline operator Derby Dec 04 *830 *2 4,613 Bishop, Balmforth & Wolfe (50%), Lufthansa (30%), SAS (20%)
37 European Metal RecyclingMetal recycler Warrington Dec 03 829 53 1,364 Sheppard family (96%)
38 Focus DIYDIY retailer Crewe Oct 04 †812 †34 8,700 Duke Street Capital (42%), Apax Partners (29%), management
39 First Quench RetailingOff-licence operator Hertfordshire Mar 04 802 -11 12,188 Terra Firma (100%)
40 The AAMotor services provider Basingstoke Dec 03 *797 *93 11,400 CVC Capital Partners, Permira
41 The Miller GroupHousebuilder & construction services Edinburgh Dec 04 *752 *70 1,424 Miller family (91%), employees (9%)
42 Kwik-FitCar repair centre operator Edinburgh Dec 04 *747 *55 9,185 CVC Capital Partners (81%), Ford (19%)
43 EnergisTelecoms and internet provider Central London Mar 04 745 10 1,734 Consortium of 16 financial institutions, management
44 Baxi GroupHeating systems manufacturer Derby Dec 04 *721 *95 5,435 BC Partners (82%), Electra (10%), management (8%)
45 Lucite InternationalPlastics maker Southampton Dec 04 *707 *67 2,000 Charterhouse Development Capital (78%), Ineos Group (11%)
46 General Healthcare GroupPrivate healthcare provider Central London Dec 04 *699 *109 10,663 BC Partners (90%), management (10%)
47 New LookFashion retailer Central London Mar 04 696 87 12,166 Permira, Apax Partners, Tom Singh, management, Quillian Investments
48 Bourne LeisureCaravan park operator Hertfordshire Dec 03 677 84 10,547 Peter Harris, John Cook, David Allen
49 Martin McCollConvenience store operator Essex Dec 04 *642 *20 10,568 Institutions including Electra, HSBC, L&G Ventures
50 WatesConstruction contractor Surrey Apr 04 *631 *1 1,700 Wates family (100%)
51 Sports World InternationalSports goods retailer Bedfordshire Jun 04 626 52 9,860 Mike Ashley (100%)
52 Shepherd GroupBuilder, manufacturer and developer York Nov 04 603 27 3,530 Shepherd family (100%)
53 Welcome BreakMotorway services operator Milton Keynes Sep 04 591 3 4,658 Investcorp (100%)
54 AF Blakemore & SonFood distributor West Midlands Apr 04 582 8 4,146 Peter Blakemore and family (70%)
55 Virgin Rail GroupTrain operator Central London Mar 04 580 60 4,714 Virgin Investments (51%) and Stagecoach (49%)
56 BetfredBookmaker Warrington Mar 04 568 12 2,450 Fred and Peter Done and family (100%)
57 Bristol Street GroupCar dealer Worcestershire Dec 04 *554 *7 1,706 Directors (84%), other management (16%)
58 Gala GroupBingo and casino operator Nottingham Sep 04 544 116 9,708 Candover (41%), Cinven (41%), management (15%)
59 Marshall GroupConglomerate Cambridge Dec 03 536 13 3,527 Michael Marshall and family trusts (51%)
60 DFSUpholstered furniture retailer South Yorkshire Aug 04 529 50 2,357 Lord Kirkham and family (100%)
61 Bowmer & KirklandConstruction contractor Derbyshire Aug 04 525 28 1,453 Kirkland family and family trusts (100%)
62 Guardian Media GroupMultimedia publisher Central London Mar 04 518 41 5,081 Scott Trust (100%)
63 EWS RailwayRail freight operator Central London Mar 04 516 46 6,027 Canadian National (42%), Goldman Sachs, Fay Richwhite, Berkshire
64 River IslandFashion retailer West London Dec 03 515 75 9,834 Bernard Lewis and family (100%)
65 TrailfindersTravel organiser West London Feb 05 *503 *21 1,050 Mike Gooley and family (100%)
66 Ryland GroupCar dealer West Midlands Dec 04 *501 *10 1,196 Peter Whale and family (60%), ITC (40%)
67 CPL IndustriesSolid fuels supplier Chesterfield Dec 04 *494 *25 5,553 Apax, Lloyd Dorfman (30%), management, Standard Chartered (6%)
67 TravelexForeign exchange operator Central London Mar 04 494 11 1,391 Legal & General Ventures, management
69 OCS GroupFacilities services provider Gatwick Mar 04 487 11 54,301 Goodliffe family (100%)
70 Mott MacDonaldManagement and engineering consultancy Croydon Dec 04 *485 *11 7,029 Employees (49%), trust (47%), Connell Wagner (4%)
71 Greenhous GroupCar dealer Shrewsbury Dec 04 *483 *6 641 Management
72 Bloor InvestmentsBuilder and motorcycle maker Derbyshire Jun 04 471 70 1,699 John Bloor (100%)
73 ASCOOil and gas services provider Aberdeen Dec 03 467 -20 1,601 3i (62%), Wood Group (31%) and management (7%)
74 Findus GroupFood producer Central London Dec 04 *466 *22 4,500 Capvest and management
75 Southern WaterWater services provider West Sussex Mar 04 455 175 2,095 Royal Bank of Scotland, Veolia and other institutions
76 JCT600Car dealer Bradford Dec 04 *453 *13 1,007 Tordoff family and family trusts (100%)
77 Vestey GroupFood distributor, farmer Central London Dec 04 452 7 1,021 Vestey family
78 Bernard Matthews FarmsFood producer Norwich Dec 03 436 42 7,045 Bernard Matthews and family
79 City Electrical FactorsElectrical parts wholesaler Warwickshire Apr 03 435 24 3,941 Mackie family trusts (100%)
80 Harrods GroupDepartment store operator Central London Feb 04 434 34 4,548 Mohamed al-Fayed (100%)
81 Seton House GroupSpecialist engineer Surrey Dec 04 *426 *14 3,908 Royal Bank Equity Finance (81%), management (15%)
82 PolestarContract printer Dunstable Sep 04 421 13 4,790 Investcorp (95%), institutions (5%)
83 Northern & Shell Media GroupPublisher & broadcaster Central London Dec 04 *419 n/a 1,214 Richard Desmond (100%)
84 CostcutterConvenience store operator York Apr 04 418 6 686 Colin Graves and family (100%)
85 ArupDesign and engineering consultancy Central London Mar 04 409 9 6,399 Arup employees through three employee trusts
86 Le Meridien Hotels & ResortsHotel operator Central London Jun 04 401 15 7,483 Terra Firma
87 DewhirstClothing manufacturer East Yorkshire Dec 04 *386 *12 1,691 Management (100%)
87 Ineos ChlorChlorine chemicals maker Cheshire Jan 04 386 31 17,574 Management (100%)
89 AcromasConsumer services provider Kent Jan 04 383 47 2,536 Lion Capital (100%)
89 WeetabixBreakfast cereal maker Northamptonshire Aug 03 383 68 2,843 Charterhouse Development Capital, management and staff
91 Perkins FoodsFood producer Dartford Feb 04 382 -4 3,995 Investors led by ABN Amro (82%)
91 NG BaileyMechanical, electrical contractor West Yorkshire Dec 03 382 7 2,978 Bailey family (100%)
93 Samworth BrothersFood producer Leicestershire Dec 03 370 26 4,872 Samworth family trusts (100%)
94 Whitehouse GroupCar dealer Kent Mar 04 368 8 1,082 Brian Whitehouse and family (100%)
95 BOCM PAULS (Agricola Group)Animal feed manufacturer Ipswich Dec 03 364 2 979 Management and staff (89%), Electra (8%)
96 PerrysCar dealer Northampton Dec 04 360 8 1,366 Denise Millard (68%), Ken Savage (20%)
96 ListersCar dealer Stratford-upon-Avon Mar 04 360 8 990 Terry Lister (33%), Keith Bradshaw (25%)
98 Laurel PubsManaged pub operator Luton Mar 04 357 41 9,100 Robert Tchenguiz
99 ZavviEntertainment retailer West London Feb 03 353 -3 3,104 Virgin Group (100%)
100 GladedaleHousebuilder Dunfermline Dec 04 341 54 639 Remo Dipre and family (100%)

* supplied by company   † annualised figure