黑洞社区

The annual ranking of the UK鈥檚 wealthiest 250 people sees Bloor Homes founder John Bloor remain construction鈥檚 richest man 鈥� with his fortune jumping over 拢800m last year.

A former plasterer, Bloor, who has owned Triumph motorcycles since 1983, has an estimated fortune of 拢2.079bn, up 拢804m after Triumph sold 76,400 motorbikes last year, 22,000 more than the year before.

But he is some way behind Sir Anthony Bamford, who is in charge of the JCB construction equipment business, who has an estimated fortune of 拢4.32bn, a drop of 拢275m.

Others to make the Sunday Times Rich List are the Kirkland family behind Bowmer & Kirkland, whose former chairman John Kirkland died aged 83 last November. The family鈥檚 estimated fortune is up 拢29m to 拢803m reflecting an improved performance from the business which in the year to August 2021 saw income up 6% to 拢1.2bn and pre-tax profit up 23% to 拢65m.

Redrow founder Steve Morgan, who left the business in 2019, again makes the list but his fortune slipped 拢92m to 拢789m.

Also on the list is Charles Gallagher who owns a majority stake in private housebuilder Abbey whose fortune is put at 拢669m, up 拢29m. And John McCarthy, who helped co-found McCarthy & Stone before setting up Churchill Retirement Living, and sons Clinton and Spencer are estimated to be worth 拢662m, down 拢19m.

The UK鈥檚 richest men are brothers Siri and Gopi Hinduja, who have made their 拢28.472bn fortune from industry and finance. The figure is the biggest in the Rich List鈥檚 34 years of running.

The pair are behind the transformation of the Old War Office in Whitehall into a 120-bed Raffles hotel which is due to be completed by Ardmore later this year.