CONTENTS 18 The Big Interview


Matthew Riley was in buoyant mood when Lancashire Business View caught up with him and it was little wonder. Daisy, the telecoms group he founded in the east of the county almost a quarter of a century ago, had just announced a major headline- making merger deal with Virgin Media O2. The result is the creation of a “British business connectivity powerhouse”.


ISSUE 123 JULY/AUGUST 2025


Regulars


The Lancashire Business View


In View


Barometer Dealmakers LBV Hub


Appointments


Interviews The Big Interview:


Matthew Riley Lancashire Leaders:


Stephen Atkinson and Nigel Farage


Special Features


Aerospace and Defence 37 Family Business Hot 100


Net Zero Carbon


Conference Sub36


In Depth Hotspots:


Burnley Property


The Guide to... Managing Wealth


Debate Red Rose Awards


Wellness


45 55 72


88


04 06 16 32 90 92


06


In View Striking new images have given a glimpse of what visitors to Eden Project Morecambe will experience when the major visitor attraction opens in late 2028. They show how the design of the £100m project has evolved to maximise it as a world-class destination and a key cultural venue.


21


Hotspots Burnley is the latest stop on our hotspots tour of the county. We brought business, academic and local authority leaders to the University of Lancashire’s Victoria Mill building to talk about initiatives to keep talent in the town and the importance of manufacturing and engineering.


30


Lancashire Leaders A political earthquake has hit Lancashire. We sat down to talk to the new Reform UK county council leader Stephen Atkinson and his party’s national leader Nigel Farage during his triumphant visit to County Hall as we looked to determine what the change means for Lancashire businesses.


18 30 32


Dealmakers Private Equity is on the march in the county with a raft of acquisition and investment deals. The activity comes as a new report reveals that the North West’s equity market is finally on the rebound, with growth in both deal numbers and value after years of decline.


37


Aerospace and Defence The government has made it clear. Its aim is to make defence an engine for growth. It is an aim shared by Lancashire, where the defence and aerospace sectors are already major drivers of our economy. We examine the opportunities and challenges facing the supply chain.


45


Family Business Family businesses sit at the very heart of Lancashire’s economy and are famed for their drive and innovation. We asked you to share with us the businesses you believe deserve recognition for their work and their achievements. Your response was tremendous. Here is our list.


21 81 55 35


52 85


Hot 100 Consistency, pragmatism and resilience. This year’s Hot 100 businesses show all these attributes as they continue to adapt to the pressures of a complex and ever-changing landscape to deliver for the county’s economy. Here is our eagerly awaited annual list of Lancashire’s most profitable SMEs.


72


Net Zero Carbon Conference Delegates to the Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference were urged by experts to stay the course and ‘keep the faith’ whatever the government or politics bring. The gathering in Burnley examined the issues and looked at debunking the myths around the subject.


81


Property The £115m sale of Frontier Park in Blackburn has been hailed by property experts as a major vote of confidence in the M65 corridor. Leading investment company Clarion Partners Europe completed the deal with Monte Blackburn, the property arm of the Issa Brothers, in June.


LANCASHIREBUSINES SV IEW.CO.UK


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