Top Track 250
| Rank | Company | Location | Year end | Sales £m | Operating profit £m | Staff | Main shareholders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noble FoodsEgg products manufacturer | Hertfordshire | Sep-04 | 336.8 | 8.2 | 2,493 | Peter Dean (93%) |
| 2 | BrightHouseHousehold goods retailer | Watford | Mar-04 | 335.5 | -16.6 | 2,788 | Terra Firma |
| 3 | KeepmoatHousing regeneration specialist | South Yorkshire | Mar-05 | *334.7 | *32.0 | 1,967 | Terry Bramall (76%), Richard Watson (18%), David Blunt (6%) |
| 4 | Acertec HoldingsIndustrial steel processor | Solihull | Dec-04 | *333.4 | *20.0 | 2,569 | Candover (95%), management (5%) |
| 5 | Henderson GroupFood wholesaler and retailer | County Antrim | Dec-04 | 330.8 | 8.2 | 1,743 | Geoffrey Agnew (37%), Martin Agnew (37%), Ardbarron Trust (24%) |
| 6 | Fairview New HomesHousebuilder | North London | Dec-04 | 329.1 | 71.2 | 758 | Management (100%) |
| 7 | William Grant & SonsSpirits distiller | Banffshire | Dec-03 | 328.7 | 59.7 | 969 | Bath Street Nominees (43%), Peter and Grant Gordon |
| 8 | CP HoldingsConglomerate | Watford | Dec-03 | 325.4 | 15.5 | 8,968 | Schreier family trusts |
| 8 | PA Consulting GroupManagement, IT consultancy | Central London | Dec-04 | 325.4 | 34.8 | 2,435 | Employees (100%) |
| 10 | Caparo GroupMetal engineer | Central London | Dec-03 | 321 | 8 | 2,259 | Lord Paul and family (100%) |
| 11 | Pentland GroupBrand manager and retailer | Central London | Dec-04 | 320.1 | 11.4 | 1,650 | Stephen Rubin and family (100%) |
| 12 | Four Seasons Health CareHealthcare provider | Cheshire | Dec-04 | *312.4 | *27.0 | 21,000 | Allianz Capital Partners (92%), management (8%) |
| 13 | IM GroupCar distributor | West Midlands | Dec-04 | 309 | 14.9 | 305 | Bob Edmiston (100%) |
| 14 | Telegraph Media GroupNews publisher | Central London | Dec-03 | 305.4 | 35.6 | 1,148 | Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay (100%) |
| 15 | Anglian GroupHome products supplier | Norwich | Apr-04 | †305.3 | †19.0 | 4,826 | Alchemy Partners (90%) |
| 16 | WestcoastElectronic products distributor | Reading | Dec-04 | *302.2 | *6.0 | 178 | Joe Hemani (100%) |
| 17 | May GurneyCivil engineering contractor | Norwich | Mar-05 | 301.8 | 9.4 | 3,200 | Management (80%), options pool (10%), previous owners (10%) |
| 18 | Burton’s Biscuit CompanyBiscuit and snack maker | St Albans | Jan-05 | †298.4 | †0.0 | 3,460 | Lion Capital (100%) |
| 19 | James Hall & CoGrocery wholesaler | Preston | Mar-04 | 295.9 | 9 | 1,889 | Hall family (100%) |
| 20 | WarburtonsBaker | Bolton | Sep-04 | 288.9 | 39.8 | 3,503 | Warburton family (100%) |
| 21 | Fresca GroupFresh produce wholesaler | Kent | Apr-04 | 288.6 | 6.7 | 757 | Mack family (55%) |
| 22 | AMP EnterprisesEntertainment goods wholesaler | Newcastle-under-Lyme | May-04 | 287.1 | 9 | 707 | 3i (49%), Denis Ashton (25%), Warren Mason (25%) |
| 23 | 2 Sisters Food GroupFood producer | Birmingham | Jul-03 | 286.3 | 6.3 | 3,101 | Baljinder and Ranjit Boparan (100%) |
| 24 | Waymade HealthcarePharmaceuticals maker | Essex | Dec-03 | 285.3 | 17.2 | 612 | Patel family |
| 25 | Faccenda InvestmentsPoultry producer | Northamptonshire | Apr-04 | 280.1 | 8.5 | 2,906 | Faccenda family and family trusts (100%) |
| 26 | Benfield Motor GroupCar dealer | Newcastle upon Tyne | Dec-03 | 278.9 | 5.7 | 1,098 | John Squires and family (100%) |
| 27 | TravelodgeBudget hotel operator | Oxfordshire | Dec-03 | †277.9 | †31.0 | 9,588 | Permira, management |
| 28 | DysonAppliance manufacturer | Wiltshire | Dec-03 | 277.1 | 43.2 | 1,420 | James Dyson and family (100%) |
| 29 | Agnew GroupCar dealer | Belfast | Dec-04 | *276.0 | *9.0 | 780 | Agnew family (75%), Roadfield motors (23%) |
| 30 | MalthurstPetrol station operator | Essex | Aug-04 | †274.0 | †5.0 | 53 | Graham Peacock (24%), Susan Tobbell (24%), Brian Thompson (21%) |
| 31 | UK Car GroupCar dealer | Rochdale | Sep-04 | 273.1 | 11.9 | 1,538 | Noel and Darren McKee and family (100%) |
| 32 | flybeAirline operator | Exeter | Mar-05 | *267.3 | *15.0 | 1,682 | Walker Trust, staff, management |
| 33 | Helston GaragesCar dealer | Cornwall | Dec-04 | *267.1 | *8.0 | 721 | David and Betty Carr (100%) |
| 34 | FenwickDepartment store operator | Newcastle Upon Tyne | Jan-04 | 264.4 | 31.6 | 2,485 | Fenwick family (100%) |
| 35 | Plexus CottonCotton merchant | Liverpool | Dec-04 | 258.4 | 1 | 55 | Earlam family (>50%), Textil-Imex |
| 36 | Dhamecha FoodsCash and carry wholesaler | Wembley | Mar-04 | 258.1 | 4.5 | 279 | Dhamecha family (100%) |
| 37 | Randall Parker Food GroupMeat distributor | Northamptonshire | Sep-04 | 257.4 | 4 | 851 | Ronald Randall (42%), W&J Parker Ltd (25%), G Shouler (14%) |
| 38 | SHS GroupBrand owner | Belfast | Dec-03 | 255.7 | 18.3 | 338 | Geoff Salters and family (50%), Joe Sloan and family (50%) |
| 39 | EdringtonWhisky and rum distiller | Glasgow | Mar-05 | *254.0 | *67.0 | 842 | The Robertson Trust (76%) |
| 40 | Bibby Line GroupConglomerate | Liverpool | Dec-04 | 253.7 | 17.6 | 3,429 | Michael Bibby and family (84%) |
| 41 | JM GroupCar dealer | Edinburgh | Mar-05 | *252.0 | *4.0 | 1,015 | John Martin and family (100%) |
| 42 | Claverley CompanyPublisher, printer | Wolverhampton | Dec-04 | 251 | 7 | 2,769 | Douglas Graham and family, Roy Nominees (53%) |
| 43 | AccordOutsourced services provider | Hertfordshire | Jun-04 | 249.8 | 5.6 | 3,664 | Stelio H Stefanou (100%) |
| 44 | Murray InternationalConglomerate | Edinburgh | Jan-04 | 248.5 | 8.8 | 2,917 | David Murray (82%), Uberior Investments (11%), Noble Grossart (6%) |
| 45 | Fayrefield FoodsDairy product marketer | Crewe | Dec-04 | *248.3 | *3.0 | 177 | John Kerr (88%), Richard Laird (12%) |
| 46 | The Silentnight GroupBed manufacturer | Lancashire | Jan-04 | 247.2 | -11.9 | 4,397 | Clarke family |
| 47 | RixShipping, oil distributor | Hull | Dec-04 | 246.5 | 2.2 | 568 | John Rix & family (100%) |
| 48 | HalcrowEngineering consultancy | West London | Dec-04 | 244 | 5.1 | 3,865 | Employees (100%) |
| 49 | WYKO (now Eriks Industrial Services)Engineering component distributor | West Midlands | Apr-04 | 243.8 | -3.6 | 2,396 | RBI (56%), management (24%), Parallel Ventures (20%) |
| 50= | Ideal StelradRadiator and boiler maker | Newcastle | Dec-04 | 243.3 | 15.6 | 2,062 | Warburg Pincus |
| 50= | The Mawdsley GroupPharmaceuticals wholesaler | Manchester | Mar-04 | 243.3 | 3.1 | 510 | John Mawdsley (26%), Westall family (74%) |
| 52 | SthreeRecruitment agency | Central London | Nov-04 | 242.4 | 15.8 | 808 | Management and staff (75%), Barclays PE, 3i, Gresham Trust (25%) |
| 53 | Virgin MoneyBank | Edinburgh | Dec-04 | 241.3 | 4.1 | 394 | Virgin Investments (100%) |
| 54= | Williams LeaPrinters | Central London | Sep-04 | *240.9 | *12.0 | 2,200 | 3i (38%), Trustees of J Graham Williams (12%) |
| 54= | Watson PetroleumFuel distributor | Wiltshire | Apr-05 | *240.9 | *3.0 | 342 | Watson family (100%) |
| 56 | Staveley IndustriesBuilding services contractor | Croydon | Dec-03 | 240.1 | 3.9 | 2,800 | Guiness Peat Group |
| 57 | Argent Group EuropeFood supplier | Central London | Dec-04 | 239.2 | 3.5 | 1,003 | Cinven (57%), management (20%) |
| 58 | Dunelm MillSoft furnishings retailer | Leicester | Jun-04 | 238.9 | 31.7 | 4,173 | Adderley family (100%) |
| 59 | Capper & CoGrocery wholesaler, retailer | Glamorgan | Apr-04 | 237.4 | 3.8 | 2,267 | Capper family (100%) |
| 60 | Pertemps Network GroupRecruitment consultancy | Warwickshire | Dec-04 | *236.6 | *6.0 | 680 | Tim Watts and family (51%), staff and management (49%) |
| 61 | Direct WinesWine merchant | Reading | Jun-04 | 235 | 5.6 | 721 | Tony Laithwaite and family (100%) |
| 62 | Eastern Western Motor GroupCar dealer | Edinburgh | Dec-03 | 234.8 | 5.8 | 919 | Douglas Brown (99%) |
| 63 | Halewood Wines and SpiritsAlcoholic drinks maker | Liverpool | Jun-04 | 234.5 | 2.6 | 932 | John Halewood (90%) |
| 64 | Ballyvesey HoldingsTransport services provider | County Antrim | Sep-04 | 234.1 | 5 | 1,813 | Montgomery family |
| 65 | Car GiantCar dealer | West London | Dec-03 | 233.9 | 1.9 | 520 | Geoffrey Warren (100%) |
| 66 | Drive Motor RetailCar dealer | Leicester | Dec-04 | 232.9 | 3.5 | 788 | Steve Bessex (50%), Paul Manning (50%) |
| 67 | BurdensBuilding materials distributor | Bristol | Dec-04 | *231.2 | *5.0 | 900 | Management & employees (40%), Burdens charitable foundation (40%) |
| 68 | Lotus GroupTour operator | South London | Oct-04 | 230.4 | 11.7 | 500 | Peter Stephens (75%), Christine Burrows (25%) |
| 69 | Lagan HoldingsConstruction materials supplier | Belfast | Mar-04 | 230.2 | 21.6 | 1,062 | Kevin Lagan (55%), Michael Lagan (45%) |
| 70 | RG CarterBuilding contractor | Norwich | Dec-03 | 228.5 | 9.9 | 2,116 | Robert Carter & family (99%) |
| 71 | GM CommunicationsTravel services provider | Central London | Mar-04 | 228 | 0.5 | 718 | Eumitra Holdings (22%), Shigetada Nakanishi (33%), Noriaki Mito (33%) |
| 72 | Luxfer GroupEnvironmental & healthcare manufacturer | Manchester | Dec-04 | 227.1 | 10 | 2,034 | CVC (25%), Morgan Grenfell (25%), management (40%) |
| 73 | CJ Lang & SonFood wholesaler, retailer | Dundee | Apr-04 | 226 | 3.1 | 1,532 | Joan Scott-Adie (51%), Serena Reynolds (12%) |
| 74 | ERMEnvironmental consultancy | Central London | Mar-05 | *225.0 | *16.0 | 2,441 | 3i (57%), management |
| 75 | Foster YeomanQuarry operator | Somerset | May-04 | 221.4 | 10.5 | 797 | 3i (20%), Yeoman family (60%), employees (13%) |
| 76 | AllportLogistics operator | West London | Dec-04 | 221.1 | 3.5 | 1,197 | John Clayton, William Toye |
| 77 | Williams GroupCar dealer | Bolton | Dec-04 | 220 | 6.4 | 468 | Williams family (100%) |
| 78 | Pets At HomePet products retailer | Cheshire | Mar-04 | 219.5 | 14.4 | 1,928 | Bridgepoint Capital (about 80%), managament (20%) |
| 79 | Chapman FreebornAir charter broker | Gatwick | Dec-04 | 219 | 1.8 | 381 | Christopher Chapman (70%), Carol Norman (25%) |
| 80 | MotorpointCar supermarket | Derby | Mar-04 | 218.7 | 1.6 | 206 | David Shelton (50%), Gary Warren (50%) |
| 81 | EVO Business SuppliesBusiness supplies distributor | Sheffield | Dec-04 | 218.5 | 10.8 | 975 | Legal and General Ventures (75%), management (25%) |
| 82 | RedbridgeFruit and veg wholesaler | Peterborough | Sep-04 | †218.4 | †2.0 | 778 | Denis Punter (46%), Roger Allmond (46%) |
| 83 | LiberataBusiness services outsourcer | Central London | May-04 | 217.5 | 13.9 | 3,335 | General Atlantic Partners (> 50%), Deloitte & Touche, management |
| 84 | Homeform GroupHome improvement installer | Manchester | Dec-04 | *216.8 | *7.0 | 2,240 | UBS nominees (78%), management (22%) |
| 85 | Stewart MilneHousebuilder | Aberdeen | Jun-05 | 216.7 | 20 | 852 | Stewart Milne and family (75%) |
| 86 | Meadow FoodsDairy product producer | Chester | Mar-04 | 215.5 | 2.1 | 298 | Simon Chantler (37%), David Pickering (17%), Norman Oldmeadow (14%) |
| 87 | City Refrigeration HoldingsFacilities maintenance provider | Glasgow | Dec-03 | 214.7 | 4.1 | 7,217 | William and Susan Haughey (98%) |
| 88 | GondolaRestaurant operator | Central London | Jun-04 | 213.9 | 41.6 | 6,801 | Capricorn Ventures, TDR Capital |
| 89 | PentagonCar dealer | Derby | Dec-03 | 212.6 | 2.6 | 394 | Trevor Reeve (90%) |
| 90 | David McLeanBuilding contractor | Flintshire | Jun-04 | 212.3 | 8.3 | 526 | David McLean and family (96%) |
| 91 | Loyalty Management GroupLoyalty card operator | Central London | Sep-04 | 211.1 | 9.3 | 138 | Warburg Pincus, Keith Mills (80%), management |
| 92 | Park’s Motor GroupCar dealer | Lanarkshire | Mar-04 | 210.9 | 5.9 | 1,020 | Douglas Park and family (100%) |
| 93 | The Turner GroupEngineering services provider | Glasgow | Mar-04 | 210.7 | 9.7 | 2,124 | Turner family (75%) |
| 94 | CompAirAir, gas compressor maker | Redditch | Apr-05 | *210.2 | *0.0 | 1,750 | Alchemy Partners (>50%), management, Invensys |
| 95 | Linden HomesHousebuilder | Surrey | Dec-04 | 210 | 15.8 | 424 | Bank of Scotland PE (30%), management (70%) |
| 96 | ParfettsFood wholesaler | Stockport | Jun-04 | 209.7 | 3.6 | 473 | Parfett family (100%) |
| 97 | isaOffice supplies distributor | Bradford | Sep-04 | 208.7 | 8.3 | 597 | Monera (46%), Daniel Gold (35%), Brett Palos (19%) |
| 98 | Dick Lovett CompaniesCar dealer | Swindon | Dec-04 | 205.9 | 4.1 | 457 | Peter Lovett and family (100%) |
| 99 | Simons GroupBuilding contractor | Lincoln | Mar-05 | *205.5 | *4.0 | 796 | Paul and Philip Hodgkinson and family (96%) |
| 100 | PropencityBuilding services provider | Bradford | Dec-03 | 205.2 | 3.1 | 578 | Philip Brierley (43%), Bernard Clarke (13%), Richard Jones (13%) |
| 101 | XMA InvestmentsComputer product distributor | Nottingham | Aug-04 | 204.2 | 1.9 | 413 | Kevin Mansworth (50.1%), PF Lowe (22.3%), MJ Barton (14.3%) |
| 102 | TJ HughesDepartment store operator | Liverpool | Jan-05 | *203.4 | *7.0 | 3,379 | PPM Capital, management |
| 103 | Sigma PharmaceuticalsPharmaceutical distributor | Watford | Aug-04 | 201.7 | 4.5 | 175 | Bharat Shah and family (66%) |
| 104 | Adams ChildrenswearChildrenswear retailer | Warwickshire | Jul-03 | †201.3 | †4.0 | 4,217 | Bridgepoint (60%), LDC (15%), Michael Hobbs (7%), Dean Murray (5%) |
| 105 | Rubicon Partners IndustriesIndustrial conglomerate | Doncaster | Dec-04 | *200.8 | *3.0 | 1,538 | Cinven funds (90%), Rubicon (6%) |
| 106 | AveciaChemical products maker | Manchester | Dec-04 | *200.1 | *-44.0 | 1,500 | Cinven (50%), Investcorp (50%) |
| 107 | MorsonEngineering recruitment agency | Manchester | Dec-03 | 199.1 | 5.8 | 222 | Barclays Capital (>50%), Ged Mason, management |
| 108 | Freightliner GroupRail haulage operator | Central London | Mar-04 | 199 | 19 | 1,496 | 3i (30%), Electra (30%), management and staff (40%) |
| 109= | Tussauds GroupLeisure attraction operator | Southwest London | Jan-05 | *198.1 | *26.0 | 3,553 | Dubai International Capital, management |
| 109= | NHPCare home property developer | Woking | Sep-04 | 198.1 | 64.2 | 6,057 | Blackstone Capital Partners (>50%), management |
| 111 | dabs.comOnline IT retailer | Lancashire | Mar-04 | 197 | 5.5 | 381 | David Atherton (100%) |
| 112 | OsborneBuilder, engineering contractor | Reigate | Mar-04 | 196.5 | 1.6 | 855 | Osborne family |
| 113 | Haymarket GroupMagazine publisher | West London | Dec-04 | 196 | 15 | 1,551 | Lord Heseltine and family |
| 114 | PoundlandDiscount retailer | West Midlands | Mar-04 | 195.5 | 10.5 | 3,022 | Advent International (78%), David Dodd (12%), Rob Adams (5%) |
| 115 | NorcrosShower and tile maker | Cheshire | Mar-05 | *198.4 | *19.0 | 2,000 | Bridgepoint Capital |
| 116 | McNicholasInfrastructure service provider | Elstree, Herts | Mar-04 | 194.2 | 3 | 1,959 | McNicholas family |
| 117 | Tennants ConsolidatedChemicals supplier | Central London | Dec-04 | 193.5 | 7.2 | 898 | Alexander family |
| 118 | Stan JamesBookmaker | Oxfordshire | Dec-03 | 193.1 | 3.7 | 160 | Fisher family |
| 119 | Fitness FirstFitness club operator | Poole | Oct-03 | †191.5 | †25.0 | 8,179 | BC Partners |
| 120= | RH PattersonCar dealer | Newcastle upon Tyne | Dec-04 | *190.9 | *2.0 | 324 | Cliff Thornton (19%), Ashley Winter (19%), GI Redpath (13%) |
| 120= | Blackwell PublishingAcademic publisher | Oxford | Dec-04 | 190.9 | 29.3 | 935 | Blackwell family, led by Nigel Blackwell |
| 122 | BoothsSupermarket operator | Preston | Mar-04 | 189.5 | 6.9 | 2,541 | Booth family |
| 123 | PeoplesCar dealer | Edinburgh | Jul-04 | 188.9 | 0.7 | 649 | Brian Gilda (83%), Stewart Ramsay (17%) |
| 124 | JeyesCleaning products maker | Cambridge | Mar-04 | 187.8 | 10.5 | 1,697 | Legal and General Ventures, IWP International, management |
| 125 | J&J HaslettFood wholesaler | Belfast | Dec-04 | 187.4 | 2.1 | 389 | Management (100%) |
| 126 | G’sSalad and vegetable grower | Cambridgeshire | Apr-04 | 186.3 | 6.5 | 4,742 | Shropshire family (100%) |
| 127 | Barrett SteelSteel stockholder | Bradford | Sep-04 | 186.2 | 20.9 | 920 | Management |
| 128 | Blackwell’sBookshops, library supplier | Oxford | Jun-04 | 186 | -6.9 | 1,349 | Blackwell family & trusts (86%) |
| 129 | MediaVestAdvertising agency | Manchester | Feb-04 | 185.9 | 2.4 | 137 | Starcom Mediavest (20%), A Jeal (35%), D Lucas (35%) |
| 130 | TJ MorrisDiscount retailer | Liverpool | Jun-04 | 185.8 | 12.6 | 1,879 | Thomas Morris (95%) |
| 131 | ArchantNewspaper, magazine publisher | Norwich | Dec-04 | *185.6 | *33.0 | 2,560 | Majority owned by East Anglian families, staff and former staff |
| 132 | MaceConstruction project manager | Central London | Dec-04 | *182.8 | *5.0 | 1,455 | ZRH Nominees (40%), Bob White (13%), Stephen Pycroft (9%) |
| 133 | CALA GroupBuilder | Edinburgh | Jun-04 | 182.5 | 14.1 | 374 | Management, led by Geoff Ball (70%), HBOS (30%) |
| 134= | Epwin GroupBuilding product supplier | Cheltenham | Dec-04 | 182.4 | 15.8 | 2,258 | Jim Rawson (61%), Regent Trust Co (27%) |
| 134= | Seddon GroupBuilding contractor | Cheshire | Dec-04 | 182.4 | 7.4 | 1,507 | Seddon family (100%) |
| 136 | Portman TravelTravel services provider | Southwest London | Dec-04 | 181.5 | 3.3 | 436 | Various trust funds, Bridgepoint Capital, employees (11%) |
| 137= | ArcoSafety equipment supplier | Hull | Feb-04 | 181.4 | 3.5 | 1,759 | Stephen and Thomas Martin (78%) |
| 137= | Berry Bros & RuddWine and spirit merchant | Central London | Mar-04 | 181.4 | 7 | 321 | John Rudd and family (41%), Ernest Elliot (18%) |
| 139 | HeadcrownBuilding contractor | Central London | Sep-04 | 180.5 | 6.6 | 619 | Carl Brian and family |
| 140= | Scaid InvestmentsMobile home maker | Hull | Apr-04 | 180.3 | 21.5 | 1,506 | Bank of Scotland (30%), management (70%) |
| 140= | Adare GroupPrinting services provider | Dublin | Oct-04 | 180.3 | 9.6 | 1,399 | Allen McGuire & partners, Nelson Loane |
| 142 | Glenvarigill CompanyCar dealer | Edinburgh | Dec-03 | 179.2 | -3.3 | 468 | Tim Bartlett (80%), Uberior Investments (20%) |
| 143 | ChangeGroupBureaux de change operator | Central London | Dec-04 | 178.8 | 1.5 | 188 | M Zackariya-Marikar (48%), 3i (22%), B Zackariya (22%) |
| 144 | Unwins Wine GroupOff-licence operator | Dartford | Feb-04 | 178.6 | 0 | 2,307 | DM Private Equity (100%) |
| 145 | Hendy GroupCar dealer | Southampton | Dec-04 | 177.5 | 3.6 | 905 | Hendy family (79%) |
| 146 | TC HarrisonCar dealer | Derbyshire | Dec-04 | 177 | 5 | 652 | Irelrop Investments (31%), Harrison and Moore families (64%) |
| 147 | Peter’s Food ServiceFood producer, distributor | Caerphilly | May-04 | 176.3 | -5.5 | 1,603 | Griffiths family |
| 148 | Dew PitchmasticConstruction contractor | Sheffield | Oct-04 | 175.9 | 1.9 | 550 | Company trust, Grayson family (>50%) |
| 149 | HarrattsCar dealer | Wakefield | Dec-04 | 175.5 | 2 | 386 | Derek Harratt & family (100%) |
| 150 | British SeafoodSeafood wholesaler | Central London | Dec-03 | 175.4 | 7.4 | 326 | Controlled by the Holyoake family (100%) |
| 151 | Drayton GroupCar dealer | West Midlands | Dec-04 | 174.1 | 4.8 | 396 | Guest family (82%), Ken & Jane Forbes (18%) |
| 152 | Chelsea StoresToy retailer | Central London | May-04 | 174 | 4.4 | 2,665 | Rhone Capital, DC Thomson & Co, Tim Waterstone |
| 153= | Macdonald HotelsHotel operator | West Lothian | Sep-04 | †173.7 | †23.0 | 4,984 | Uberior Investments (50%), management (50%) |
| 153= | The Denholm GroupShipping and oilfield services provider | Glasgow | Dec-03 | 173.7 | 1 | 1,194 | Denholm Brown family |
| 155 | Stirling GroupClothing, accessories supplier | Cheshire | Mar-04 | 172.7 | 6.7 | 1,190 | LDC (70%), management (30%) |
| 156 | DanoptraGaming, leisure operator | Leeds | Sep-04 | 171.2 | 12 | 5,055 | Electra Partners (88%) |
| 157 | Higgins GroupHousebuilder | Essex | Jul-04 | 171 | 9.3 | 507 | Higgins family (86%) |
| 158 | Caledonia Motor GroupCar dealer | Cheshire | Dec-03 | 170.5 | -2.2 | 570 | Paul Batty and Simon Gardner (100%) |
| 159 | McLaren GroupRacing team and sports car maker | Surrey | Oct-03 | 169.8 | 3.7 | 1,110 | Daimler-Chrysler Ag (40%), TAG Group (30%), Ron Dennis (30%) |
| 160 | Brunner MondChemical maker | Cheshire | Dec-03 | 169.6 | 9.9 | 1,094 | Wayland Investment Fund (44%), Barclays (19%), West LB (10%) |
| 161= | Attends Healthcare GroupIncontinence products maker | Newcastle | Nov-04 | 169.4 | 7.2 | 1,036 | Mayflower LP (43%), 3i (23%) |
| 161= | Vue Entertainment InternationalCinema operator | West London | Jun-04 | 169.4 | 9 | 2,300 | LGV (31%), Boston Ventures (36%), Clarity Partners (20%), LDC (9%) |
| 163 | Manchester UnitedFootball club operator | Manchester | Jul-04 | 169.1 | 29.9 | 504 | Malcolm Glazer (98%) |
| 164 | Odeon & UCI Cinemas GroupCinema operator | Central London | Dec-04 | 168.4 | 26 | 3,139 | Terra Firma (>50%) |
| 165= | TCGMetal components maker | Oxford | Dec-04 | 168.3 | 11.8 | 2,424 | Vision Capital (50%), Tobias Seige (9%) |
| 165= | Dean & DyballBuilding, engineering contractor | Hampshire | Dec-04 | 168.3 | 2 | 1,020 | Dyball family (68%), management |
| 165= | EsportaHealth club operator | Berkshire | Sep-04 | 168.3 | 8.4 | 4,213 | Duke Street Capital (>50%), Electra Investment Trust |
| 168 | The Watches of Switzerland GroupJewellery retailer | Leicester | Jan-05 | 168 | 12.4 | 1,600 | Baugur group (35%), Jurek Piasecki (15%), management (50%) |
| 169 | The Entertainment GroupFilm distributor | Central London | Mar-04 | 167.4 | 48.4 | 28 | Nigel Green (50%), Trevor Green (50%) |
| 170 | The John Clark Motor GroupCar dealer | Aberdeen | Dec-04 | *167.1 | *2.0 | 511 | John & Deidre Clark (75%), 3i (25%) |
| 171 | BiwaterWater services provider | Surrey | Mar-05 | 165.3 | 4.8 | 1,271 | Adrian White and family (70%), Leslie Jones and family (30%) |
| 172 | Snax 24Fuel forecourt operator | Hertfordshire | Sep-04 | 164.1 | 2.2 | 240 | Ronson family trust (100%) |
| 173 | Brooklyn MotorsCar dealer | Worcestershire | Dec-04 | 163.6 | 1 | 493 | Hill family (100%) |
| 174 | Elite MobileMobile phone wholesaler | North London | Dec-03 | 162.5 | 0 | 87 | Gokani and Dhamecha families |
| 175 | DC ThomsonNewspaper, comic publisher | Dundee | Mar-04 | 162.4 | 17.7 | 1,938 | Thomson family |
| 176 | AssetCoEquipment manager | Reading | Mar-04 | 162.1 | 10.4 | 297 | Michael Olive (65%), Paul Reilly (15%), J Eddy (10%), P Lewin (10%) |
| 177 | Leisure Link GroupGaming machine supplier | Staffordshire | Sep-04 | 161.7 | 2.7 | 2,380 | Henderson Global Investors, Duke Street Capital |
| 178 | Albion Chemicals GroupChemical distributor | Leeds | Dec-04 | 161.5 | 7.1 | 842 | N Batchelor (27%), W Cortazzi (27%), S Holland (17%), P Savage (17%) |
| 179 | Gartland Whalley & BarkerBusiness developer | West Yorkshire | Oct-04 | 159.9 | 13.3 | 1,724 | Ty Gartland (59%), CVC (13%), J Barker (11%), J Whalley (8%) |
| 180 | Daniel ThwaitesBrewer | Lancashire | Mar-05 | *159.6 | *20.0 | 2,479 | Ann Yerburgh (30%), Albany Trustees (18%), Britannic Assurance (9%) |
| 181 | CraegmoorCare home operator | Worcester | Dec-03 | 158.6 | 15.7 | 7,614 | Legal & General Ventures, LDC |
| 182 | EnconInsulation distributor | West Yorkshire | Aug-04 | 158.5 | 6.9 | 756 | 3i, Douglas McKerracher, Philip Kirk, other management |
| 183 | Towers ThompsonFood distributor | Hertfordshire | Dec-04 | 158.3 | 1.7 | 213 | Alan Thompson (28%), Terry Goddard (20%), Dennis Clark (15%) |
| 184 | Southern Cross HealthcareResidential care provider | Darlington | Mar-04 | 157.8 | 9.1 | 6,601 | Blackstone Capital Partners (>50%) |
| 185 | Arsenal HoldingsFootball club operator | North London | May-04 | 156.9 | 10.3 | 271 | D Fiszman (25.1%), D Dein (14.6%), Nina Bracewell-Smith (15.6%) |
| 186 | Radius Payment SolutionsFuel card manager | Crewe | Mar-04 | 156.8 | 1 | 85 | John Dunning (34%), Nommac Ltd (34%), William Holmes (32%) |
| 187 | MK AirlinesFreight aircraft operator | East Sussex | Dec-04 | †156.1 | †6.0 | 173 | Northcote private equity (100%) |
| 188 | FilshillFood wholesaler | Glasgow | Jan-05 | 155.6 | 2 | 275 | Ronald Hannah (64%), Fraser Harrison |
| 189= | Priory GroupSpecialist healthcare provider | Surrey | Mar-04 | *155.4 | *29.0 | 4,168 | ABN Amro (80%), management (20%) |
| 189= | Ferndale FoodsReady-meals producer | Somerset | Dec-04 | 155.4 | 6.8 | 2,028 | John Bigwood (88%), P A Bigwood (12%) |
| 191 | Heath LambertInsurance broker | Central London | Dec-04 | *154.7 | *7.0 | 1,972 | RBS, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, Cargill, staff and management |
| 192 | The Edinburgh Woollen MillClothing retailer | Dumfriesshire | Feb-04 | 153.6 | 12 | 3,390 | Philip Day (54%), Uberior Investments (26%) |
| 193 | Toomey GroupCar dealer | Essex | Dec-04 | 152.9 | 5.2 | 467 | Michael Toomey (100%) |
| 194 | Jarvis HotelsHotel operator | High Wycombe | Mar-05 | 152.6 | 12 | 4,534 | Kayterm Equity Partners |
| 195 | Ethel AustinClothing retailer | Liverpool | Aug-04 | 152.5 | 13 | 1,614 | ABN Amro (56%), Lloyds Development Capital, management |
| 196 | BarrBuilder, civil engineer | Paisley | Mar-04 | 152.4 | 4.9 | 879 | Barr family, West Register Investments, Anthony Rush |
| 197 | Chelsea Football ClubFootball club | Southwest London | Jun-04 | 152.1 | -81.9 | 644 | Roman Abramovich (100%) |
| 198= | OfficeTeamOffice supplies distributor | Croydon | Dec-04 | *151.0 | *15.0 | 1,120 | Hermes Private Equity (>50%) |
| 198= | Sterling InsuranceInsurance underwriter | Southwest London | Aug-05 | 151 | 8 | 256 | Nicholas Cooper (90%) |
| 200 | CPP GroupConsumer protection insurer | York | Dec-04 | 150.7 | 3.4 | 1,472 | Hamish Ogston (99.9%) |
| 201 | Donnelly GroupCar dealer | County Tyrone | Mar-05 | *149.9 | *3.0 | 305 | Terence Donnelly |
| 202 | Midas GroupBuilder | Bristol | Apr-04 | 148.8 | 4.7 | 434 | Stephen Hindley (45%), Leonard Lewis (33%), Michael Hocking (22%) |
| 203 | Morris GroupHousebuilder | Cheshire | Mar-05 | *148.3 | *35.0 | 327 | Mike Gaskell (38%), Quayle Munro (25%), RBS (14%), B Norman (11%) |
| 204 | Hit EntertainmentChildren's entertainment producer | Central London | Jul-04 | 148.1 | 18.5 | 412 | Apax Partners |
| 205 | Jump GroupProperty retailer | Leeds | Apr-04 | 146.7 | 0.7 | 150 | Jason Butler (77.5%), B P Marsh & Partners (22.5%) |
| 206 | PDM GroupMeat processor / energy | Doncaster | Mar-04 | 146.1 | -4.1 | 1,050 | Anthony de Mulder and family (100%) |
| 207 | Alexander Mann SolutionsRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Sep-04 | 146 | 2.1 | 145 | Advent International, management and staff |
| 208= | Styles & WoodRetail property manager | Cheshire | Dec-03 | 145.2 | 4.9 | 235 | Aberdeen Murray Johnstone Private Equity (40%), management (60%) |
| 208= | Brett GroupBuilding materials supplier | Canterbury | Dec-04 | 145.2 | 6.3 | 926 | Brett family |
| 210 | The Emerson GroupBuilder, property developer | Cheshire | Apr-05 | *145.0 | *65.0 | 813 | Audrey & Peter Jones (51%), family trusts (49%) |
| 211 | M&CoClothing and homeware retailer | Inchinnan, near Glasgow | Feb-05 | *144.7 | *15.0 | 2,769 | McGeoch family (90%) |
| 212 | CastlemoreConstruction contractor | Midlands | Sep-04 | 144.1 | 21.3 | 38 | Grahame Whateley and family (100%) |
| 213 | Whyte & MacKayWhisky distiller, distributor | Glasgow | Sep-04 | 142.9 | 8.7 | 632 | Vivian Imerman, Robert Tchenguiz & families (100%) |
| 214 | MidwichAudio-visual equipment supplier | Norfolk | Dec-04 | 142.8 | 2.6 | 131 | Nicholas Culley (60%), John Pye (10%) |
| 215 | Mabey HoldingsBridges, steel, plant hirer | Reading | Sep-04 | 142.7 | 26.2 | 1,131 | Mabey family (99%) |
| 216 | BridiscoElectrical appliance distributor | North London | Mar-04 | 142.4 | 3.4 | 834 | Joseph Sopher (54%), Susan Moses (31%) |
| 217 | Simclar GroupElectronic component maker | Dunfermline | Dec-03 | 141.8 | 7 | 1,863 | Samuel Russell (90%), Christina Russell (10%) |
| 218 | LDVCommercial vehicle maker | Birmingham | Dec-03 | 141.1 | -12.5 | 932 | 3i, Baring English Growth Fund, European Acquisition Capital |
| 219= | NES Global TalentEngineering recruitment consultancy | Altrincham | Oct-04 | *140.9 | *5.0 | 195 | Bridgepoint Capital (>50%), Geoff Lloyd, Bryan Sullivan |
| 219= | McNicholas plcUtility infrastructure contractor | Northwest London | Dec-04 | 140.9 | 0.2 | 1,468 | Bernard McNicholas and management (100%) |
| 221= | HSS Hire GroupTool and equipment hirer | Heathrow | Jul-03 | *140.7 | *3.0 | 2,266 | 3i (>50%), management |
| 221= | Sunseeker InternationalYacht builder | Poole | Dec-04 | 140.7 | 5 | 1,258 | John and Robert Braithwaite (80%) |
| 223 | Stead & SimpsonShoe retailer | Leicester | Jan-05 | 140.3 | 9.8 | 3,544 | Development Securities (39%), J Shannon (30%), D Lockyer (17%) |
| 224 | Gordon Lamb GroupCar dealer | Chesterfield | Dec-04 | 139.5 | 1.6 | 374 | Lamb family (>90%) |
| 225 | YoungsGrocery wholesaler | Leeds | Dec-04 | *138.7 | *1.0 | 248 | Furness family (50%), Lynn Bell (50%) |
| 226 | Furniture VillageFurniture retailer | Slough | Mar-05 | 138.5 | 6.1 | 566 | David Imrie (30%), Peter Harrison (30%), Uberior Investments (26%) |
| 227 | Lamex Food GroupFood importer and exporter | Hertfordshire | Mar-04 | 138.4 | 1.7 | 98 | Guernsey Nominees (31%), P & M Wallace (32%), C Dicker (17%) |
| 228= | Sinclair GroupCar dealer | Port Talbot | Jan-04 | 137.4 | 4 | 463 | Gerald Sinclair & family (100%) |
| 228= | DoyleConstruction contractor | Hertfordshire | Dec-04 | 137.4 | 4.3 | 371 | Stefanos Stefanou (100%) |
| 228= | Whittan Storage SystemsStorage equipment manufacturer | Telford | Mar-05 | 137.4 | 9.9 | 1,061 | Permira (84%), management (16%) |
| 231 | Greenvale APPotato grower | Cambridgeshire | Jun-05 | 135.8 | 5 | 750 | Management (100%) |
| 232 | Tullis RussellPaper maker | Fife | Mar-04 | 135.7 | 3.9 | 840 | Employees (100%) |
| 233 | The Little GroupBook, film and music wholesaler | Eastbourne | Feb-05 | *135.2 | *7.0 | 931 | Yvette Stafford (30%), Jonathan Little (30%), Andrew Little (30%) |
| 234= | The Accessory PeopleIT, telecom accessory provider | Surrey | Sep-04 | 134.5 | -1.1 | 23 | Nasir Khan (71%) |
| 234= | Rotary GroupMechanical, electrical engineer | County Antrim | Jan-04 | 134.5 | 6.1 | 1,539 | Jennings family (100%) |
| 236= | GK GroupCar dealer | Chesterfield | Dec-04 | 134.3 | 1.9 | 517 | David & George Kenning & family (>75%) |
| 236= | James WalkerTimber merchant | West Lothian | Mar-04 | 134.3 | 7.2 | 800 | Walker family |
| 238 | Grahams ToiletriesToiletries wholesaler | Lancashire | Dec-04 | 134.1 | 2.6 | 1,599 | Graham Blackledge (50%), Margaret Blackledge (50%) |
| 239 | Interfloor GroupFlooring product maker | Lancashire | May-04 | 134 | 4.4 | 895 | Rutland fund (82%) |
| 240 | Stoneacre Motor GroupCar dealer | Doncaster | Apr-04 | 133.5 | 6.8 | 523 | Richard and Christine Teatum (100%) |
| 241 | Wogen GroupMetals trader | Central London | Sep-04 | 133 | 10.1 | 48 | Colin Williams (56%), Allan Kerr (13%), Peter Watkins (13%) |
| 242 | JenningsCar dealer | Tyne and Wear | Dec-03 | 132.3 | 1.9 | 605 | Alan Bentley (75%), management |
| 243 | Pentagon Mercedes-BenzCar dealer | Hampshire | Dec-04 | 132.2 | 2.7 | 353 | Michael Tebbutt (45%), Michael Wilson (45%), Paul Tolley (7%) |
| 244 | Clancy DocwraContractor and developer | Uxbridge | Mar-04 | 131.8 | 2.3 | 1,489 | Clancy family (100%) |
| 245 | Independent Clinical ServicesHealthcare recruiter | Central London | Dec-04 | *131.7 | *9.0 | 358 | Bridgepoint Capital, Hg Capital, Fidelity, management |
| 246 | Ogilvie GroupVehicle lessor | Stirling | Jun-04 | 130.9 | 2 | 425 | Ogilvie family (100%) |
| 247 | Target ExpressExpress courier | Cheshire | Apr-04 | 130.4 | 10.9 | 1,781 | 3i (70%), management (30%) |
| 248 | Snows Motor GroupCar dealer | Southampton | Dec-04 | 130 | 1.2 | 393 | Geoffrey Snow (50%), Stephen Snow (28%) |
| 249 | TullochConstruction contractor | Inverness | Dec-04 | 129 | 8.9 | 906 | Inverness Holdings (51%), David Sutherland and family (49%) |
| 250 | QS GroupClothing retailer | Brighton | Jan-04 | †128.9 | †3.0 | 2,556 | Consortium of private investors including Serge Khela |
* supplied by Company † annualised figure ‡ profit = ebitda
Sponsors
